Brown, Daniel James (author) and Centre for Community Networking Research, Monash University, Australia.
Format:
Thesis
Publication Date:
2009-09-03
Published:
Canada
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Document Number: C30554
Notes:
Posted at http://www.ccnr.net/pratoconf2009/pdfs/brown.pdf, Master of Arts in Communications and Technology, Faculty of Extension, University of Alberta, Canada, September 3, 2009.. Presented at the Prato CIRN Community Informatics Conference, Prato, Italy, November 4-6, 2009. 100 pages.
23 Pgs., Information and Communication Technology is a potent force in the developing world for social, economic and educational transformation of individuals, agencies and institutions. This study examined the veritable roles of ICT in empowering rural women farmers in Rivers State. The specific objectives were to examine the demographic characteristics of the respondents, identify ICT devices in use by the respondents; information needs of the respondents, the roles of ICTs in rural women empowerment and constraints to the use of ICT devices by the respondents. Structured questionnaire was used to elicit information from respondents and oral interview where necessary. The respondents were 120 rural women farmers purposively selected from the farmers list obtained from the ADP (Agricultural Development Project) Office in the Area. The results indicate that 54.2% of the respondents are married, 57.5% with secondary education, 52.5% hold a farm size of 0.25 – 1 hectare of land. ICT devices in use include mobile phones, television, radio and other devices. They need information on inputs, prices, markets, produce demand, new practices and technologies. ICT play various roles in empowering the women such as offering entrepreneurial opportunity, breaking isolation, providing linkages to inputs and markets, assisting small and medium size business, reducing poverty, and illiteracy and improving income and savings of rural women. The problems affecting use of ICT devices include absence and erratic supply of electricity, lack of ICT skills, low level of awareness etc. Government should provide basic amenities to the rural dwellers to improve their socio-economic well-being.
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 201 Document Number: D11768
Notes:
Report from Agri-Pulse received online via AgriMarketing Weekly. 6 pages., Report of a letter to Capitol Hill and the White House from a new American Connection Project Broadband Coalition calling for a "robust federal investment in broadband internet connectivity." Letter (attached) signed by 40 ag, tech, and healthcare groups.
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Document Number: C29800
Notes:
Pages 31-57 in Anthony A. Olorunnisola (ed.), Media and communications industries in Nigeria: impacts of neoliberal reforms between 1999 and 2007. Edwin Mellon Press, Lewiston, New York. 278 pages.
Examines five cases of rural areas that deployed information and communication technology programs. "There is little evidence that telecommunications lead to economic growth or that businesses in the communities are using ICT extensively." Instead, "the physical deployment of the hardware is not sufficient to achieve success."
