CONSTRAINTS TO EFFECTIVE USE OF ICT AMONG EXTENSION PROFESSIONALS AND FARMERS IN EXTENSION DELIVERY IN RIVERS STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

The study focused on the constraints to effective use of ICT among extension professionals and farmers in extension delivery in Rivers State, Nigeria. Structured questionnaire and interview schedule were used to collect relevant information from the respondents. Multi-stage sampling technique was used to select 10 extension workers and 80 farmers. Data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistics. The study revealed that majority of the respondents were male (83%), married (96%) and can manipulate GSM effectively (60%). The use of ICT could be made effective through use of data based driven websites to make information sharing and access easier (2.50) and creating agricultural websites (2.50). The major constraints to the use of ICT were poverty and lack of resources, low knowledge of computer and low literacy level of the farmers. It was therefore recommended that extension workers should learn how to manipulation all the ICT tools effectively so that they will be able to teach the farmers by creating zonal internet centres in communities