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2. Access and application of information and communication technology (ICT) among farming households of south east Nigeria
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Nnenna, Ezeh Ann (author)
- Format:
- Online journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2013
- Published:
- Science Hub
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 101 Document Number: D10886
- Journal Title:
- Agriculture and Biology Journal Of North America
- Journal Title Details:
- 4(6):605-616
- Notes:
- 12 pages., via online journal., Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) usage in Nigeria has gone a long way but despite its existence, there seems to exist limited access and utilisation of the technologies among farmers in south-East Nigeria. Consequent upon this, the study analysed the access and application of information and communication technology (ICT) among farmers of South East farmers, Nigeria. Multi-stage sampling technique was employed in selection of 240 Farmers for the study. Primary data were collected with the aid of a well-structured questionnaire. Descriptive statistics were employed to achieve objectives i, ii, and iii. The result of the analysis showed that 62.50% of farmers were males and married (84.17%) with average household size of 7 persons. Also, majority (45.42%) of the farmers completed primary education. Further analysis revealed that although many ICT facilities exist; radio, television and phones sourced personally from open market were the most readily available ICT facilities owned, accessed, and utilized by most farmers. Consequently, the level of access and utilization of these facilities were found to be generally low among the respondents as the mean access (1.2) and utilisation (1.8). The result further showed that information on physical farm measurement (2.6), how to estimate farm output (2.7), new varieties of seeds and seedling (x=2.6), best planting techniques (x=2.6) and use of fertilizer (x = 2.8) were the identified major areas extension agents applied ICTs in facilitating agricultural activities by extension agents as use of fertilizer (x = 2.5) was the major area ICTs facilitated agricultural activities for the farmers. Based on the findings, the study recommended the strengthening of the use of contemporary ICTs (phones, internet, etc.) rather than conventional ICTs such as radio and television, provision of adequate training on the use of ICTs for farmers, and extension agents and other agricultural stakeholders.
3. Assessing the radio programming and potential role of preferred by farmers radio stations to disseminate agricultural technologies in eastern Uganda
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Hailu, Girma (author), Khan, Zeyaur R. (author), Pittchar, Jimmy O. (author), and Ochatum, Nathan (author)
- Format:
- Online journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2017-01-01
- Published:
- ESci Journals Publishing
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 123 Document Number: D11159
- Journal Title:
- International Journal of Agricultural Extension
- Journal Title Details:
- 5(2)
- Notes:
- 14 pages., via online journal, The study evaluated the potential of 19 radio stations to promote new or improved agricultural technologies to strengthen agricultural extension services. Key informant interviews were conducted with the station and/or program managers of the selected radio stations. Two female respondents i.e. from UBC Radio, and Impact FM and 17 male respondents from the remaining radio stations were interviewed. The survey used semi structured questionnaire to determine broadcasting languages, radio transmitter capacity, geographical coverage and audience, major programs and scheduling, use of modern ICT, staff capacity and feedback mechanism from the audience as well as experience in agricultural programming using participatory radio campaign. The collected data was analyzed using content analysis. 16 of the radio stations are commercial while the remaining three belong to public, community and religious radio stations. The potential audience of the surveyed radio stations varied from one to ten million. Seven broadcasting languages (English, Luganda, Lugisu, Lusoga, Japadhola, Ateso and Samia) were predominant, while English and Luganda cut across all communities. The estimated number of audience for each radio station varies from one to ten million listeners. The results also indicate that agricultural programs are not a major component of radio program with time allocation for agrictural programs comprising only 15 percent of total time allocation. However, ten radio stations had previous collaboration with international, regional or national NGOs to promote specific agricultural technology. Radio broadcasters of these radio stations had some form of agricultural programming including participatory radio campaign. Building on this experience, it is possible to reach more farmers through radio to strengthen adoption of recommended agricultural technologies.
4. Improving agricultural productivity and markets: the role of information and communication technologies
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- McNama, Kerry (author)
- Format:
- Online journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2009-04
- Published:
- USA: World Bank
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 8 Document Number: D10320
- Journal Title:
- Agricultural and Rural Development Notes
- Journal Title Details:
- 47 :1-4
- Notes:
- 4 pages., Via online journal., Raising the productivity of smallholders is a necessary condition for increasing incomes and improving livelihoods among the rural poor in most developing countries. This increased productivity is essential to both household food security and to agriculture-based growth and poverty reduction in the larger economy. Smallholder productivity is limited by a variety of constraints including poor soils, unpredictable rainfall, and imperfect markets, as well as lack of access to productive resources, financial services, or infrastructure. Information and communication technologies (ICT) are also vitally important to commercial and large-scale agriculture, and to agriculture-related services and infrastructure such as weather monitoring and irrigation. This note focuses on the sometimes less-obvious importance of ICT in improving the information, communication, transaction, and networking elements of smallholder agriculture in developing countries.
5. Information communication technology needs of small-scale farmers in Anambra State, Nigeria
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Ajani, E. N. (author) and Agwu, A. E. (author)
- Format:
- Online journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2012
- Published:
- Taylor & Francis
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 18 Document Number: D10483
- Journal Title:
- Journal of Agricultural & Food Information
- Journal Title Details:
- 13(2): 144-156
- Notes:
- 14 pages., via online journal., This study sought to identify the information communication technology (ICT) needs of small-scale farmers in Anambra State, Nigeria. A structured interview schedule was used to collect data from a sample of 108 farmers. Results revealed that the majority used radio and television and owned mobile phones and video machines. Constraints to use included capacity, infrastructural/technical and logistical problems. The study recommends that the Nigerian government reorient its policies in order to harness the potential of ICTs to contribute to agricultural development and highlights the need to raise awareness of the agricultural uses of ICTs among the government, other national stakeholders, and rural communities.
6. Use of information communication technologies among agricultural extension officers in Lesotho
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Akintunde, Moruf Abiola. O. (author) and Oladele, Oladimeji Idowu (author)
- Format:
- Online journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2019-07
- Published:
- African Journals Online
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 122 Document Number: D11142
- Journal Title:
- Journal of Agricultural Extension
- Journal Title Details:
- 23(3)
- Notes:
- 16 pages., via online journal., The study assessed the use of ICTs among public and private extension officers in Lesotho. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data from 86 public and 19 private extension officers. Data collected were analysed, using percentages, mean, and standard deviation, multiple regressions and t-test. Extension officers use ICT tools to obtain information on new technology (79.1%), preservation of farm produce (79.1%); time of planting crops (75.6%), call attention of extension officers (75.6%) and cultural practices (75.6%). Serious constraints to the use of ICTs, as perceived by extension officers were: high cost of ICT (83.7%); poor basic infrastructure (79.1%); non-availability of technical personnel (72.1%), failure of service (73.7%) and non-availability of genuine parts. There is a strong relationship between access to information, residing within place of work, constraints, age awareness, type of extension and use of ICTs. There is also a significance differences in the use of ICTs between public and private extension officers. Policy makers should improve national e-readiness and make more ICT tools available and accessible to extension officers. Constraints of high cost, lack of ICT infrastructure and training of technical personnel should be dealt with.
7. Using radio and interactive ICTs to improve food security among smallholder farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Heather E. Hudson (author), Mark Leclair (author), Bernard Pelletier (author), and Recent publications: (author)
- Format:
- Online journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2017-08
- Published:
- USA: Elsevier
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 149 Document Number: D10116
- Journal Title:
- Telecommunications Policy
- Journal Title Details:
- 41(7/8) : 670-684
- Notes:
- 15 pages., via online journal, Radio is the most widely used medium for disseminating information to rural audiences across Africa. Even in very poor communities, radio penetration is vast; it is estimated there are over 800 million radios in Sub-Saharan Africa. The paper summarizes evidence on food insecurity in Sub-Saharan Africa and strategies to provide information on innovative agricultural practices to smallholder farmers. The research in this paper is then discussed within the context of research on information and communication technologies (ICTS) for development. Next, the paper presents the ICT-enhanced participatory radio campaign approach and ICT innovations introduced by Farm Radio International, a Canadian nongovernmental organization. The paper analyzes two participatory radio campaigns that use both listening groups and ICTs to engage African farmers. Research on these radio campaigns in six African countries is reported to examine how the participatory approach impacted listenership, knowledge and initial adoption of agricultural techniques and practices presented in the radio campaigns. The authors conclude that the findings of research on these projects could be highly relevant for increasing awareness and adoption of agricultural practices in Sub-Saharan Africa. They also appear promising for other development sectors and for other developing regions