A STUDY ON ICT TOOLS USAGE BY THE FARMERS IN ANANTAPUR DISTRICT OF ANDHRA PRADESH
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Date
2018
Authors
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Publisher
Acharya N.G. Ranga Agricultural University
Abstract
The Information and Communication Technology (ICT) enabled extension
systems are acting as a key agent for changing agrarian situation and farmers lives by
improving access to information and sharing knowledge. The term Information and
communication technology was coined by Stevenson in 1997.
An ex-post facto research design was followed to study the ICT tools usage by the
farmers in Anantapur district of Andhra Pradesh. The study was conducted in Andhra
Pradesh state during 2017-18. Anantapur district of Andhra Pradesh was purposively
selected. Out of five divisions, three divisions were selected, one mandal is selected
from each division, four villages from each mandal were selected for the study.
Respondents are selected by proportionate random sampling procedure. Thus total of
120 farmers were sampled for the study. Data was collected by pre-testing followed by
personal interview method.
For the purpose of statistical analysis of the coded data, various tools were used;
Frequency (F), Percentage (%), Arithmetic Mean ( X ), Standard Deviation (σ),
Correlation co -efficient (r), Multiple Linear Regression (MLR), etc.
The detailed analysis of profile characteristics indicated that majority of the
farmers were medium aged (67.50%), educated up to High school level (65.00%), small
level of land holding (40.00%), 20-30 years of experience in Farming (31.66%), 14-21
years of experience in usage of ICT tools (47.50%), medium level of possession of ICT
tools (58.34%), medium level of annual income (45.00%), 1-2 trainings (44.16%),
medium level of social participation (57.50%), medium level of extension contact
(70.83%), medium level of innovativeness (59.17%), medium level of economic
orientation (67.50%), medium level of risk orientation (53.33%), medium level of
scientific orientation (67.50%) and medium level of cosmopoliteness (65.00%).
The detailed analysis of the dependent variables indicated that majority
(73.34%) of farmers had medium level of attitude followed by high attitude (15.00%)
and low (11.66%) level of attitude.
Majority (64.16%) of the farmers had medium level of ICT utilization followed
by low level of utilization (19.17%) and high (16.67%) level of ICT utilization.
The variables viz., education, land holding, experience in farming, experience in
usage of ICT tools, possession of ICT tools, annual income, training undergone, social
participation, extension contact, innovativeness, economic orientation, risk orientation
scientific orientation and cosmopoliteness were significant with the attitude and age is
non-significant with the attitude. The Multiple Linear Regression (MLR) analysis
indicated that all the independent variables put together explained 75.80 per cent of
variance in the attitude towards ICT tools by the farmers, remaining 24.20 per cent due
to the extraneous factors.
The variables viz., age, farming experience, farming experience in ICT tools,
training undergone, social participation, innovativeness, economic orientation and risk
orientation were found to be significant. Remaining profile characteristics viz.,
education, land holding, possession of ICT tools, annual income, extension contact,
scientific orientation and cosmopoliteness are non-significant. The Multiple Linear
Regression (MLR) analysis indicated that all the independent variables put together
explained 78.30 per cent of variance in the extent of ICT utilization by the farmers,
remaining 21.70 per cent due to the extraneous factors.
The problems faced by the farmers on utilization of ICT tools were, high cost of
ICT gadgets, high cost of servicing charges of ICT gadgets, lack of sufficient skills in
usage of ICT tools, lack of uninterrupted power supply, lack of servicing centers of
ICTs in villages, difficulty in understanding the language of ICT gadgets, poor
connectivity of internet in villages, lack of subsidies on ICT gadgets, low level of
education, insufficient training and practical exposure towards ICTs, non-availability of
ICT gadgets and spare parts in local markets, lack of awareness of benefits of ICTs,lack
of internet facilities, inadequate infrastructural facilities and poor economic condition
of rural people.
The suggestions given by the farmers were reduce the costs of ICT tools,
provide subsidies on ICT gadgets, reduce servicing charges, giving continuous power
supply, providing of messages in local languages, establish service centers in villages,
provide trainings on ICT tools usage, provide trainings on development of skills in
usage of ICT tools, create awareness campaigns on benefits of ICT tools, strengthen the
internet connectivity, providing of internet facilities, establishment of large markets,
provide infrastructure facilities, provide educational facilities near village and provide
remunerative prices to their produce.
Description
D5624
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