Effect of Information Communication Technology on Agricultural Information Access Among Researchers, Extension Agents, and Farmers in South Western Nigeria

Abstract

This study compared researchers, extension agents, and farmers’ perceptions of the effect of Information Communication Technology (ICT) on agricultural information access. A simple random sampling technique was used to select 88 researchers, 115 extension agents, and 271 farmers. Data collected through a structured questionnaire were analyzed using means, standard deviation, and one-way analysis of variance. The results showed that, of the 29 statements on the rating scale, researchers, extension agents, and farmers agreed with and were positively disposed to 25, 23, and 19, respectively. A significant difference in the effect of ICT on agricultural information access among researchers, extension agents, and farmers (F = 6.49, p < .05) was observed. Access to agricultural information through ICT will continue to improve, since perceptions are overtly positive among researchers, extension agents, and farmers.

KEYTERMS:

• agricultural information
• extension agents
• farmers
• information access
• information communication technology (ICT)
• Nigeria
• researchers

Notes

The seven research institutes are the Institute of Agricultural Research and Training (IAR & T), the National Institute of Horticultural Research (NIHORT), the Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria (CRIN), the National Institute for Oil Palm Research (NIFOR), the National Cereal Research Institute (NCRI), the Rubber Research Institute of Nigeria (RRIN), and the Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria (FRIN).