Use of Information and Communication Technology for Agricultural Marketing Information by farmers in Oyo state, Nigeria
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Date
2018
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Publisher
International Journal of Agriculture and Development Studies (IJADS) Vol.3 No 2
Abstract
Marketing information is important to agricultural enterprises. Information and Communication Technology (ICT) tools have been
used to provide information to various stakeholders in agro-allied activities. This study focused on how farmers used the ICT
tools to obtain Agricultural Marketing Information (AMI) for their enterprises. A multistage sampling procedure was used to select
143 respondents for the study. Data was collected using interview schedule and analysed using descriptive and inferential
statistics such as PPMC. Results showed that majority of the farmers were mostly male (83.2%), married (92.2%), with a mean
age of 45.7 years, a mean year of formal education of 9.5 years and a mean household size of 7.4 persons. The mostly used ICT
tools for the AMI by the respondents were radio (weighted score=274.1), mobile phone (232.8) and television (140); the use of
ICT tools was relatively low (55.2%). The benefits that accrued to the respondents included easy access to market information
(176.2), quick sales of produce (175.5) and improved farmers’ income (173.4). A good proportion (51.7%) of the respondents
derived low benefits from the use of ICT-facilitated AMI. There was a significant relationship between benefits derived and use of
ICT tools for AMI (r=0.520, p=0.000). Farmers’ educational status enhanced their use of ICTs for more benefits that is inherent in
ICT-based AMI. Hence, relevant policies and strategies should be put in place to promote the use of ICT-facilitated information.
Description
Keywords
Agricultural enterprises, agro-allied activities, ICTs-facilitated information, information usage, the prompt sale of produce