A STUDY ON UTILIZATION PATTERN OF INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES (ICTs) AMONG DAIRY FARMERS IN CHITTOOR DISTRICT OF ANDHRAPRADESH
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Date
2016-12
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SRI VENKATESWARA VETERINARY UNIVERSITY TIRUPATI - 517 502. (A.P.) INDIA
Abstract
ABSTRACT:
An ex-post-facto research design followed in the present investigation for
which 120 dairy farmers (who were rearing cattle and buffaloes) of Chittoor district
were selected randomly to study the utilization pattern of Information and
Communication Technology (ICT) among dairy farmers. The data pertaining to
dependent variables viz. ICT utilization pattern and knowledge on ICT tools and
independent variables collected with the help of a pre-tested interview schedule
developed for the purpose. After collection of data, farmers were divided into three
groups based on type of flock i.e. large farmers, medium farmers and small farmers
for better analysis and presentation of results.
Personal, socio-economic and psychological characteristics of dairy farmers
revealed that majority of dairy farmers (70.00%) were in the middle age category.
Majority of dairy farmers were had medium level of education. About 64.20 per cent
dairy farmers were in low category of herd size. Majority of the dairy farmers
(55.00%) were in medium category of income. About 55.90 per cent of dairy farmers
were in medium level of farming experience.
It was evident that 45.00 per cent of farmers were in the medium category of
information seeking behaviour. The results regarding achievement motivation
revealed that 45.00 per cent of dairy farmers were in medium category. About 50.00
per cent of dairy farmers were in medium category of economic orientation. Majority
of the dairy farmers were in low category of management orientation and scientific
orientation. The distribution of respondents according to ICT utilization pattern was
mostly low level among all three categories up to the extent of 41.70 per cent in dairy
farmers. About 49.20 per cent of dairy farmers in study area had medium level
knowledge on ICT tools. The relational analysis revealed that education, information seeking behaviour, economic orientation, achievement motivation, had positive and significant relation with utilization pattern of ICT tools among dairy farmers. Whereas age was
negatively significant. As for as knowledge on ICT tools concerned correlation
analysis revealed that variables viz. education, income, information seeking
behaviour, achievement motivation, economic orientation, management orientation
and scientific orientation had significant and positive relationship with farmers
knowledge on ICT tools, whereas age was negatively significantly related to
knowledge on ICT tools. Multiple regression analysis revealed that all the independent variables put together explained about 31.60 per cent of variation in utilization of ICT of the
respondents and about 70.07 per cent of variation in ICT knowledge of respondents.
Problems perceived by dairy farmers in utilization of ICT were Lack of
knowledge in using ICT tools, ‘Weak network connectivity’, ‘High cost and
maintenance of ICT tools’, ‘Not aware of benefits of Internet’, ‘Lack of continuous
power supply’, ‘Lack of training in use of ICT tools’, ‘Frequent advancements in
technology’, ‘Lack of training in use of ICT tools’, ‘Lack of time for personal
acquirement of knowledge on ICT tools’, ‘Limited access to ICT tools’.
Suggestions perceived by farmers were ‘Provision of proper training on use
and applications of ICT tools’, ‘Governments should provide useful ICT tools on
subsidiary basis’, ‘Strengthening of contemporary ICT tools rather than conventional
ICT tools’, ‘Governments should focus on uninterrupted power supply’, ‘Village
Panchayat should be equipped with A.V. Aids like LCD projectors, Televisions, etc.,
to farmers.’, ‘Extension agents should intensify their efforts in teaching farmers how
to utilize complex ICT tools’. Strategies for improving the utilization of ICT tools by dairy farmers were 1) Capacity building should start at grass root level 2) Young farmers should assign to retrieve information from internet 3) Regular trainings and workshops to the farmers especially young farmers on the advancements in information and communication
technologies (ICTs) 4) Regular and need based trainings and refresher trainings
should be conducted by the Animal husbandry department 5) Extension agents should
be encouraged and oriented to intensify their efforts in teaching farmers on utilization
of ICT tools 6) Each and every Panchayat should be equipped with useful ICTs like
computer, LCD projector, Television, etc., 7) Uninterrupted internet connectivity
should be provided with broad band connection at free of cost 8) Uninterrupted power
supply should be provided 9) Installation of all ICTs with total equipment and
arrangements 10) Regular monitoring of ICT tools by qualified technician at free of
cost 11) Provision of instant solution facility for ICT tools usage related problems by
providing the customer care toll free number to all farmers.
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