Global Academic Journal of Agriculture and Biosciences
Volume-7 | Issue-01
Original Research Article
Effectiveness of ICTs in Extension Service Delivery among Smallholder Farmers in Kwali Area Council, Abuja, Nigeria
Ayoola Faith Joel, Joseph Bamidele, Beatrice Itoya Oyediji, Mudashir Adeola Olaitan, Ugochinyere Princess Eleke, Oluwamayowa Joseph Joel, Abubakar Tukur Tata, Samson Olayemi Sennuga
Published : Feb. 8, 2025
Abstract
This study examined the effectiveness of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) in extension service delivery among smallholder farmers in Kwali Area Council, Abuja. A multistage sampling technique was employed to select 120 smallholder farmers on which structured questionnaire was administered complemented with interview schedule. Primary data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistics such as frequency counts, percentages and mean. Findings from the study revealed that majority farmers are male (91.7%), 63.3% aged between 36-45 years, married (66.7%), 60% have secondary education. Household sizes typically range from 4 to 6 members (45%), with farming experience mainly between 6 to 10 years (80.8%). Despite the importance of ICT in agriculture, only 10% of farmers currently use these technologies, primarily mobile phones (75%), with infrequent use overall. ICT-based extension services have notable impacts, including expanded information accessibility (75%), timeliness and relevance of information (90%), knowledge exchange (83.7%), skills development (72.5%), advancements in agricultural methods (85%), market access and financial integration (55%), risk management support (67.5%), and collaboration opportunities (73.3%). However, 80% of respondents find ICT tools not accessible or moderately accessible, and 90% have difficulty accessing ICT for farming information and support. Key constraints include limited ICT infrastructure (97.5%), high costs of devices and services (99.2%), low digital literacy (75%), language barriers (66.7%), geographical isolation (70%), limited content relevance (45%), inadequate technological support (95.8%), privacy concerns (47.5%), cultural barriers (90%), and poor connectivity (93.3%). Therefore, the study recommends; enhancement of ICT infrastructure, subsidizing ICT devices and services, improving digital Literacy, developing relevant and accessible ICT content and establishing technological support systems in the study region.