ABSTRACT
The study investigated effect of usage of information communication technology information on production activities among rural farmers in Enugu State, Nigeria. The specific objectives are to describe socio-economic characteristics of the respondents in the study area, determine type of agricultural information obtained by farmers through ICTs, ascertain the level of access to ICT by farmers, determine the level of farmers’ use of ICTs, ascertain the role of information obtained from ICTs in improving production practices in the study area, determine the level of food production status and identify problems associated with ICTs usage in the study area. Multi-stage sampling technique was employed in selecting 221 respondents. Data for this study were collected through the use of a structured questionnaire and interview schedule. Data for this study were analyzed using both descriptive, (mean, frequency and percentages) and inferential statistics. The result revealed that the information obtained from ICT facilities were methods of disease prevention and control (91.0%), use of agro-chemicals (86.9%), pest control (86.0%), storage of produce (76.6%), best planting techniques (77.4%), harvesting (77.4%), record keeping (75.6%), best processing methods (71.5%), new varieties of seeds (71.1%), breeds of animal (62.0%), land preparation (61.5%) and weeding (61.1%) among others. The study revealed that there was a low access to ICTs (=1.63), and low usage of ICTs in the study area (=1.43). The results revealed about 62.9% of the respondents were food secured while 37.1% were food insecure. The result on role of ICTs usage on improvement of knowledge of farmers on food production indicated that soil management had a mean score of 3.10, water management (x = 2.12), cropping system (x = 2.49), fertilization (x = 2.83), planting/sowing (x= 3.16), crop maintenance (x = 2.69), protection management (x = 2.91), harvesting (x = 3.04), storage and preservation (x = 2.70) while weed management also had a mean score of 2.40 The result revealed that lack of electricity supply (100.0%), high cost of ICTs (98.2%), lack of network coverage (97.2%), inadequate ICT facilities (88.7%), not capable of manipulating some ICT facilities (83.7%), lack of spare parts of ICTs facilities (70.6%), inadequate extension contact (68.8%), lack of supportive government policies on ICTs (67.9%), lack of technical knowhow (64.5%) among others were the problems associated with ICT usage in the study area. The result on the simple linear regression estimate showed that the coefficient of ICTs usage was statistically significant at 5% probability level and positively related to food production. The study concluded that there is a positive relationship between use of information and communication technologies and food production activities among rural farmers in Enugu State, Nigeria. The study therefore, recommends extension agents and other stakeholders should focus more on using ICTs in disseminating agricultural information to farmers.
TABLE
OF CONTENTS
Title
page i
Declaration ii
Certification iii
Dedication iv
Acknowledgement v
Table
of Contents vi
List
of Tables ix
List
of Figures x
Abstract xi
CHAPTER 1:
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background
of the Study 1
1.2 Statement of the Problem 4
1.3 Research
Questions 6
1.4 Objectives
of the Study 6
1.5 Hypotheses
of the Study 7
1.6 Significance
of the Study 7
1.7 Scope
of the Study 9
1.8 Limitations
of the Study 9
1.9 Definition
of Terms 9
CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 Socio-economic
Characteristics of Rural Farmers 11
2.2 Use
of Information and Communication Technologies 12
2.3 Types of Agricultural Information
obtained by Farmers through ICTS 15
2.4 Food Security Status of Rural Farmer 17
2.5 Effect of Information and Communication
Technologies’ 20
Usage
on Food Security
2.6 Problems
Associated with the Use of ICTS Utilization 23
2.7 Overview of ICTS in Agricultural
Production in Nigeria 25
2.8 Theoretical
Framework 30
2.8.1 Uses and
gratifications theory 30
2.8.2 Theory
of acceptance model 33
2.8.3 Theory
of reasoned action 36
2.9 Conceptual Framework 37
CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY
3.1 Study
Area 40
3.2 Population
of the Study 43
3.3 Sample
and Sampling Procedure 43
3.4 Method
of Data Collection 45
3.5 Validation
of Instrument 45
3.6 Reliability
of the Instrument 45
3.6 Method
of Data Analysis 46
3.6.1 Model
Specification 47
3.6.2. Food security status index 47
3.7 Hypotheses
Testing 49
3.8 Measurement
of Variables 51
CHAPTER 4: RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
4.1 Socioeconomic Characteristics of the Respondents 53
4.2 Distribution
of Respondents according to ICT Ownership 59
4.3 Level
of Access to Information and Communication Technologies 61
4.4 Level
of Information and Communication Technologies’ Usage 63
4.5 Food Security Profile of
the Respondents 65
4.6 Role of ICT in the Improvement of
Farmers’ Knowledge of Food Production 67
4.7 Problems
Associated with ICTS Usage 69
4.8 Hypothesis
Testing 71
CHAPTER
5: SUMMARY CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
5.1 Summary 76
5.2 Conclusion 80
5.3 Recommendations 81
REFERENCES 82
APPENDIX 90
LIST
OF TABLES
3.1 Sample
size selection plan 44
4.1 Distribution
of socio-economic characteristics of the respondents 53
4.2 Distribution of respondents according to
their ownership of ICTs facilities 59
4.3 Distribution
of respondents according to the level of access to ICTs 61
4.4 Distribution
of respondents according to the level of ICTs usage 63
4.5 Estimate of the food
security profile of the respondents in the study area 65
4.6 Distribution
of the roles of ICT according to the farmers’ knowledge
of food production 67
4.7 Distribution of respondents according to
the problems associated with ICTs
usage in the study area 69
4.8 Multiple
regression estimates of the socio-economic determinants of the
level of ICTs
usage in the study area. 71
4.9 Simple
linear regression estimates of the effect ICTs usage on poverty
status of farmers
in the study area. 74
LIST
OF FIGURES
1 Conceptual
framework for the study 39
2 Map of
Enugu State showing the study areas 42
CHAPTER
1
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
Agriculture is the mainstay of most
African economies and occupies a pivotal position in the development of the
continent. Despite the importance of agriculture, improvements in this sector have
been uneven and overall disappointing, with a current development growth rate
of 1.7% (Diom, 1996). This slow rate of difficulties with the structural
adjustment programs of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund have
led to food scarcity and insecurity. All this implies an urgent need to address
the issues retarding agriculture production in Africa, especially in
Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). This requires an understanding of how the farming
system work in practice.
Information is essential in
facilitating agricultural and rural development and bringing about social and
economic change. Unfortunately, most African countries have not devoted
adequate attention to providing their citizens with access to information,
especially in rural areas, where 70 – 80% of the African population lives (Youdeowei,
et, al; 1996). Information and
Communication Technologies (ICTs) play a pivotal role in enhancing agricultural
productivity and addressing problem of food insecurity (Seyoum, 2014). It
enables appropriate knowledge and information to reach intermediaries and
smallholder farmers in a timely manner if properly managed. Such delivery of
knowledge and information undoubtedly minimizes the risk and uncertainty
smallholder farmers face from production to marketing of their produce.
According to Food and Agriculture
Organization (FAO) (2012), Information and communication technologies are
playing increasing role as enablers of change and transformation within
vulnerable contexts. Mobile phones, Internet-based applications and social
media are being integrated as part of strategies to adapt to, mitigate and
monitor weather conditions, best practices, markets, price trends especially
within agricultural communities (Seyoum, 2014). To effectively engage in
agricultural knowledge management, adequate mechanisms are needed for
generating, capturing, and disseminating knowledge and information through the
use of effective processes and institutional arrangements (Seyoum, 2014).
However, ICTs application in Nigeria
remains low in comparison with several African countries. For instance,
sub-Saharan African countries, smallholder farmers get technology-related
advice as well as location-specific market information on inputs and outputs
through ICT kiosks (Swanson and Rajalahti, 2010). Information and Communication
Technology is an umbrella term that includes all technologies for the
manipulation and communication of information (Odiaka, 2011). It encompasses
any medium that records information whether printed format, magnetic disc or
tape, optical disc, CDs, DVDs and flashes. It implies not only the physical
availability of communication equipment and methods but also the existence of
the right conditions for their use in getting information (Nwankwo, 2012).
Nwankwo further stated that the
conditions include the ease of use or user friendliness of the technologies,
regular electric power supply and availability of spare parts. It must be noted
that the problem is not only the presence of ICT facility, its use depends on
the user's capability. The types of Information and Communication Technologies
include communication media (e.g. radio, television and print media),
information machine (e.g. computers) and communication technologies and
equipment (e.g. Internet, fibre optic cables, phones and facsimile machines).
Telecommunication infrastructures in particular have turned out to be the
driving forces of ICTs because they have the ability to link all various ICTs
elements together irrespective of locations and provide a converging platform
for them all (DeWatteville and Gilbert, 2000). Furthermore, radio and mobile
telephone service are being successfully used to deliver agricultural
information to users (Swanson and Rajalahti, 2010).
Food
security in a broad sense consists of always having an adequate level of basic
products to meet increasing consumption demand and mitigate fluctuations in
output and prices (Okwoche and Asogwa, 2012). Okwoche and Asogwa further stated
that food security is widely seen as access by all people at all times to
enough food for an active life, while food insecurity is the inability of a
household or individuals to meet the required consumption levels in the face of
fluctuating production, price and income. At the national level, food security
exists when all people at all times have the physical and economic access to
sufficient, safe and nutritious food to meet their dietary needs and food
preferences for active and healthy life, while at the household level, food
security implies physical and economic access to food that is adequate in terms
of quantity, safety and cultural accessibility, to meet each person’s need (Okwoche
and Asogwa, 2012).
They
further stated that a country can be said to be enjoying food security when
people’s fear of not having enough to eat is removed and the most vulnerable
group, namely women and children, in the marginal areas have access to adequate
quality of food they want. According to Okwoche and Asogwa, food security
refers to access to food resources by each individual at all times for healthy
and active life. Food demand in Nigeria has generally grown faster than either
food production or total supply. They further reported that the rate of
increase in food production of 2.5 percent per annum does not keep pace with
the annual population growth rate of 2.8 percent per annum. Also, a number of
African countries through the support of the Food and Agriculture Organization
of the United Nations have for some years been deploying ICT-enabled food
security and early warning systems. These systems have been used by these
countries to provide accurate and timely information regarding areas of food
surplus and shortages to facilitate informed food security decision making
process that can lead to averting the incidence of hunger, a phenomenon of food
insecurity (United Nations Development Programme, 2009).
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
Despite
the huge advantages in using Information and communication technology to
increase, boost agricultural production and extend innovation among
stakeholders, challenges reduce the potential adoption of ICTs applications in
agricultural development. Smallholder farmers are considered major
beneficiaries of ICTs with need and opportunities. Nigeria spends over 60% of
her total earnings from crude oil revenue on food importation. This is a
disturbing trend in a largely mono-economy such as Nigeria. The implication
here is that if the crude oil stops flowing for one year Nigeria will plunge
itself into more severe food crisis and its attendant consequences (Asogwa;
Ugwuoke and Ozioko, 2015). The above
scenario indicates clearly that Nigeria does not have food security for its
citizens. Famine and hunger have plagued mankind throughout history and still
remain a critical problem especially in the developing world.
Effort
has been made by Federal Government to ensure effective and efficient use of
ICTs through Growth Enhancement Support Scheme which was a component of
Agricultural Transformation Agenda designed to provide information through
e-Wallet (telephone) and other digital divide to enhance agricultural
productivity. Some individuals have the ability to connect, but they do not
have the knowledge to use what information ICTs and Internet technologies
provided them, this leads to a focus on capabilities and skills, as well as
awareness to move from mere access to effective usage of ICTs. Invariably,
illiteracy and disregard for value, custom and habit of farmers with whom to
communicate and inadequate feedback mechanism has contributed to food
insecurity. According to FAO (2004) and
Babatunde (2005), food insecurity situation is more prevalent in rural areas
now due to low income and poor socio-economic conditions of the state and its
rural areas.
A
lot of programmes have been introduced by Federal Government to enhance farmer’s
access to information to ensure efficient and effective utilization of ICTs
through Agricultural Transformation Agenda which provided platform for
e-Wallet, preliminary investigation revealed that farmers in the study area are
inadequately provided with ICT services. For instance, Lamino and Lamino (2015)
worked on assessment of the use of information and communication technology by
rural farmers in Lafia Local Government Area of Nasarawa State, Nigeria and
found that farmers in the study area get information occasionally through ICTs
and rely on radio and television for agricultural information. It is very
necessary to understand why farmers in the study area are not provided with ICT
services. Although a lot of research has been conducted in some states of the
federation by other researchers on effects of ICTs on agriculture, however, the
effect of ICTs usage on farmer’s food security status have not been
statistically determined. The study sought to establish the effect of ICTs
usage on farmer’s food security status in Enugu State, Nigeria. Therefore, it
becomes very relevant to fill this research gap.
1.3 RESEARCH QUESTIONS
From the foregoing, the following
research questions are pertinent:
i.
What are the
socio-economic characteristics of the respondents?
ii.
What are the types of
agricultural information obtained through ICTs in the study area?
iii.
What is the level of
access to ICT by farmers?
iv.
What is the farmers’
usage level of ICTs in the study area?
v.
What is the level of food
security status in the study area?
vi.
What are the problems
associated with ICTs usage in the study area?
1.4 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
The broad objective of this study was
to analyze effects of information and communication technologies’ usage on food
security in Enugu State, Nigeria. The specific objectives are to:
i.
describe socio-economic
characteristics of the respondents;
ii.
examine types of channels
available to the farmers through ICTs;
iii.
ascertain the level of
access to ICT by farmers;
iv.
determine the level of
farmers’ use of ICTs to access agricultural information;
v.
effect of these messages
on food production after the utilization of the information
vi.
identify problems
associated with ICTs usage in the study area.
1.5 HYPOTHESES OF THE STUDY
The following null hypotheses were
stated and tested.
H01: There is no significant relationship between
the socio-economic characteristics of the respondents and their effective use
of information and communication technologies.
H02: There is no significant relationship between use of
ICTs and farmers food security status in the study area.
1.6 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
This study will be of benefit to
farmers, policy makers, extensionists, three tiers of government, researchers,
non-governmental organization, students and other stakeholders. The outcomes of
this research work will be of great benefit to farmers on the utilization of
ICTs thereby providing opportunities for efficient and effective usage of ICTs
in agriculture; it will also create awareness on the importance of information
and communication technologies in achieving food security thereby reducing
costs and increase profits. This study will provide more information to farmers
on the utilization of ICT on food security; in addition, it can improve the
livelihood of farm families and their community at large. This research work
can also unit farmers together either on knowledge sharing through the use of
ICT in agricultural production or extension agents sharing of ideas among
farmers on various ICT related activities and farmer would get the outcome of
this study through the extension agent.
Secondly, the outcome of this study
will infinitely spur policy makers to formulate realistic policies on ICTs that
are likely to enhance agricultural production in Enugu State and Nigeria in
general. Policy makers in all ramifications with three tiers of government will
benefit from the outcome of this research work. They should formulate friendly
policies that will encourage farmer’s participation in the developmental
processes and design a program that will accommodate farmers’ need as well as
interest on the usage of ICT on food security. Policy makers can also explore
the possibility of training farmers on the use of ICT facilities and facilitate
information delivery and knowledge sharing amongst farmers, extension agents
and other stakeholders.
Thirdly, the finding of this research
work will awaken extension workers by exposing them more on ICTs platform in
reaching their clientele. The findings of this study will attract the attention
of three tiers of government to develop the right political will that is sine
qua non to enforce implementation of ICTs related policies that are likely to
enhance agricultural production in the country. The outcome of this study will
lighten the NGOs to participate fully on ICT in achieving food security in the
country, non-governmental organizations together with researchers can equally
utilize the outcome of this research work to design ICT framework that are
promoted by the extension agents which will be suitable for farmers considering
their socio-economic dispositions, identify problems farmers face in usage of
ICT and ensuring that the attributes of ICT facilities align with farmer’s
dispositions and finally to students which it will aid them in further research
work and also to other stakeholder to jointly participate in ICTs programme
which invariably leads to farmers’ full utilization of information and
communication technologies in achieving food security in Nigeria.
1.7 SCOPE OF THE STUDY
This study covers effects of
information and communication technologies’ usage on food security in Enugu
State.
1.8 LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY
The major limitation to this study
was the inability to expand the scope and objectives of the study due to
logistics constraints. Other limitations encountered during the course of this
study include lack of interest on the part of the farmers to respond to
questions due to their busy schedules in their farm and other business
activities. These were overcome by excluding farmers who were not ready to
respond, rescheduling visits with farmers on appointment and assisting some of
the farm duties to gain their full attention. Hence data for this study remain
valid and reliable.
1.9 DEFINITION OF TERMS
i. Information
and Communication Technology: Refers to the
scientific, technological and engineering discipline of management technologies
used in the handling of information, processing and application related to
computers.
ii. Food
security: Refers to the availability, accessibility,
affordability and utility of enough nutritious food by all people at all time
to enough food for an active healthy life.
iii.
Usage:
Refers to the act of using something, the use of ICT to obtain farm information.
iv.
Food
insecurity: Refers to lack of physical and
economic access to food by the people. i.e. continuous shortage of food.
v. Digital
divide: Refers to the gap in terms of access to
and use of information and communication technology.
vi. E-Wallet:
Refers to an electronic voucher which is redeemable from the nominated redemption
center.
vii. Effect:
Refers to the success in bringing about a change in something or somebody else.
viii.
ICT
Infrastructure: Refers to communication devices such
as radio, television, phones, e-book, computers and satellite.
ix.
Farmer:
Refers to a person who grows crop, rear animals and plants.
x.
Access:
Refers to the means of approaching or entering
xi.
Levels:
Refers to quantity, extent or quality
Login To Comment