Abstract

The study assesses the farmers’ use of Global System for Mobile (GSM) for communication among farmers in agricultural extension programs in Taraba State, Nigeria. Specifically, the objectives include: identify key areas in which GSM are used for communication in agricultural extension programs activities, determine the frequency of usage of GSM for information exchange between farmers and extension personnel; and ascertain farmers’ satisfaction in the use of GSM in obtaining information in the various agricultural extension programs. The population for this study included all beneficiaries/farmers under the agricultural extension programs in Taraba state, Nigeria. Purposive sampling was adopted because of the accessibility of the selected three Local Government Areas (LGAs), (Ardo-Kola, Jalingo & Lau) throughout the year. Five Fadama User Groups (FUGs) were randomly selected from each LGA to constitute fifteen FUGs for the study. From each FUG, ten respondents were drawn randomly to give a sample size for the study. In the Fadama III project, respondents’ key areas of communications with personnel of the project included: group formation (88%), mobilization of members for participation in Fadama III programs and activities (87.3%), awareness creation of Fadama III intervention (82.7%), capacity building activities (81.3%), convening of Fadama User Group (FUG)/FCA meetings (81.3%), sub-project preparation and management (80.7%), advisory services and input support services (80%), environmental/social screening friendly practices (72.7%), asset acquisition activities (68%), record-keeping activities (66%), small-scale community infrastructure activities (63.3%) and financial management (61.3%). Farmers indicated their satisfaction in obtaining information o;n capacity building activities by the use of GSM with the (M = 1.21), advisory services and input support activities (M = 1.28), asset acquisition activities, (M= 1.16), mobilization of members for participation in Fadama III activities (M = 1.40), convening FUG/FCA meetings ( M = 1.43), financial management (M=1.09), record-keeping activities (M = 1.17), awareness creation of Fadama III intervention (M = 1.27), group formation (M = 1.37) and environmental/social screening and environmentally friendly practices ( M = 1.17). The main challenges included no GSM phones provided by Fadama III to farmers (M = 1.37), low level of education of farmers (M = 1.55), erratic power supply (M = 1.41), high call tariff (M = 1.11), poor network coverage (M = 1.24), lack of maintenance e.g recharging (M = 1.11), and fluctuating services by the service providers (M = 1.16). The study suggested that the Information and communication unit of the Fadama III project should collaborate with other media outfits and extension units to disseminate agro-information to the benefits of the Fadama III beneficiaries.

Highlights

  • Information Communication Technologies (ICTs) refer to technologies that facilitate the creation, processing and transfer of information across space and time

  • About (90%) of the respondents reported that they utilize Global System for Mobile (GSM) for communicating information on Fadama III activities with the officials/personnel of the project, while 10% of the respondents did not

  • From the findings of this study the following conclusions were drawn on farmers’ use of Global System for Mobile (GSM) for communication in the Fadama III project in Northern zone of Taraba State, Nigeria: It is evident that farmers are utilizing GSM in communication and dissemination of information in the Fadama III project in the study area

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Summary

Introduction

Information Communication Technologies (ICTs) refer to technologies that facilitate the creation, processing and transfer of information across space and time. ICTs facilitate the flow of large volumes of information to a wide audience across numerous geographical locations. It is required for effective and successful transfer of technologies that are designed to boost agricultural extension delivery. Torero [2], reported that information and communication technologies (ICTs) play important role in empowering farmers. In other words, these technologies, especially mobile phones (GSM), stimulate agricultural and rural development through the provision of information and capacity-building opportunities thereby making rural farmers to need information in higher magnitudes for increased productivity

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