Differentials in Usage of Information and Communication Devices Among Extension Agents: A Study on North-Western Zone, Nigeria

Abstract

The awareness and the extent of usage of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) components by Village Extension Agents (VEAs), in three selected States Agricultural Development Projects (ADPs) of Nigeria, were investigated. Two hundred and four (204) VEAs were sampled as respondents for the study. With aid of simple statistical tools (average, cumulative and percentages), and the analysis of the results indicate that the level of awareness of ICTs among the respondents (VEAs) was quite high especially on radio (99%), GSM phones (96%); and television (93%). On the contrary, the level of awareness was low on fax (68%) and Personal Digital Assistant (PDAs) (69%). It was also noted that the following devices were highly used by the respondents; GSM phones, radio, cassette recorder, television, CD/DVD player and VHS Video player. Unfortunately, the respondents recorded least ICT usage on fax and PDAs. It was recommended that both awareness and usage of available ICT formats should be intensified among VEAs so as to optimize their usage in the effective performance on the job.

Use of new media for communication among extension agents and farmers in oyo state, nigeria

“…Background to the study According to Leeuwis and Van den Ban (2004), the New media, which is a hybrid media, the same as the internet, combine the functional properties of mass media and of interpersonal communication, which can potentially reach large numbers of people in many different locations. New media such as Emailing, Web-browsing, online telephoning, online Newspapers, e-Books, Journals and e-learning are other ways through which new innovations can get to the farmers from different research institutes (Oduntan, Olayemi and Oko, 2021). The problems of illiteracy and ignorance coupled with inadequate flow of information are obvious in many countries.…”

“…New media is user-friendly, easy to access, cost effective and well-protected from unauthorized accesses, also serves the following purposes: record text, drawings, photographs, audio, video, process descriptions, and other information in digital formats; produce exact duplicates of such information at significantly lower cost; transfer information and knowledge rapidly over large distances through communications networks; develop standardized algorithms to large quantities of information relatively rapidly; and achieve greater interactivity in communicating, evaluating, producing and sharing useful information and knowledge. (Oduntan, Olayemi and Oko, 2021). Nigeria has an agricultural research system made up of 17 commodity-based research institutes and a special national extension institute of over 45 faculties of agriculture in conventional federal, state, and private universities (Saliu and Age, 2009).…”