Influence of Information and Communication Technology-Based Training on Livestock Production Efficiency in Bwari Area Council, Abuja

Abstract

This study examines the influence of ICT-based training on livestock production efficiency among farmers in Bwari Area Council, with a focus on socio-economic characteristics, ICT knowledge post-training, productivity impact, effectiveness factors, and preferred ICT tools. Using a multi-stage sampling approach, 250 livestock farmers were selected. Primary survey were collected and analyzed with descriptive and inferential statistics to meet the research objectives. The socio-economic analysis reveals a farming population primarily composed of middle-aged individuals (mean age 41.7 years), with 72% male and 64% married. Education levels varied, with 38% having secondary education. Post-training evaluations indicated that 80% of farmers were proficient in SMS alerts for disease management, 72% confident in mobile applications, and 70% experienced productivity gains using ICT tools. ICT training was found to positively impact areas like increasing awareness of government programs and subsidies (3.4), scheduling vaccinations accurately (3.3), disease prevention (3.2), and record-keeping (3.1) and feeding practices (3.0), preparing and storing livestock feeds (2.9), etc. Logit regression analysis identified significant factors influencing ICT effectiveness, including educational level (p=0.010), cooperative membership (p = 0.012), household size (p=0.032), contact with extension agents (p=0.011), and access to credit (p = 0.002), while gender, marital status, and farm size were non-significant. Kendall’s Coefficient of Concordance analysis ranked mobile applications, SMS alerts, and radio broadcasts as the most effective ICT tools, demonstrating high consensus. Partnerships with telecommunication companies and government initiatives is recommended to address connectivity barriers, ensuring that all farmers can fully utilize digital tools in their livestock management practices.