Information Communication Technologies in Agricultural Extension Delivery of Agricultural Transformation Agenda

Subject Areas : Agricultural Extension

Nlerum  F.E ¹ (Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics and Extension, Rivers State University of Science and Technology, Nkpolu-Oroworukwo, P.M.B. 5080, Port Harcourt, Nigeria.)
Onowu  E.O. ² (Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics and Extension, Rivers State University of Science and Technology, Nkpolu-Oroworukwo, P.M.B. 5080, Port Harcourt, Nigeria)

Received: 2015-12-24 Accepted : 2015-12-24 Published : 2014-12-01

Keywords: agriculture, transformation, Communication, Information Communication Technology,

Abstract :

The study examined the role of information communication technologies in extension delivery of Agricultural Transformation Agenda (ATA) of Nigeria. The objectives were to: examine the agricultural extension delivery of ATA; identify ICTs relevant in agricultural extension and application of ATA; examine roles of ICTs in extension of ATA and identify constraints to the use of ICTs in extension delivery. The study is a review research which was based on secondary data collected from Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, related literatures and internet. The study identified roles of ICTs in extension in ATA to include bridging the information gap for rural farmers with respect to innovative practices; farmers' access to government policies; farmers' access to information about input availability, credit facilities and weather vagaries. Some of the constraints to the use of ICTs were identified to include, erratic and fluctuating power supply, poor finance, lack of internet access in the rural areas and high cost of ICTs hard and soft wares. It was recommended that for more impact of the ICTs application in agriculture to be felt by extension agents and farmers alike, government and private sector investors should carryout massive human capacity development of agricultural extension officers in the various ICT tools which are applicable in agricultural sector, carry out awareness creation and sensitization of rural farmers of the opportunities they have in the use of ICTs, include the use of video-conferencing among stakeholders for meetings to reduce distant travels.

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