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

Received: 18 January 2021     Accepted: 25 January 2021     Published: 10 February 2021
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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.

Published in American Journal of Agriculture and Forestry (Volume 9, Issue 1)
DOI 10.11648/j.ajaf.20210901.17
Page(s) 42-48
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2021. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Agriculture, Development, Extension Agents, Information, Communication

References
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[3] Apantanku, S. O. and Lawal-Adebowale, O. A. (2009). ICT Status of Agricultural Research and Extension Organizations in South-Western Nigeria: Policy Implications for ICT-Based Information Exchanges. Journal of AppliedAgriculturalResearch, (1), 3-12.
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[14] Moore, E. W. (1963). Modernization: Social Change. Prentice-Hall, Inc., Eaglewood Cliffs, New Jersey, U. S. A, pp. 89-97.
[15] Murtala, N., Jibril, S. A., Haruna, U. and Atumeyi, G. A. (2007). Role of Information and Communication in the adoption of new technologies by farmers in Jos-South Local Government Area, Plateau State. Proceedings of the 12th National Conference of AESON, 4-7th July, Pp38-45: Maiduguri, Nigeria.
[16] Omotayo, O. M. (2005). ICT andAgricultural Extension: Emerging Issues in Transferring Agricultural Technology in Developing Countries. In: S. FolaAdedoyin (Ed), Agricultural Extension in Nigeria. Agricultural Extension Society of Nigeria (AESON), Ilorin, Nigeria, pp145-158.
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Cite This Article
  • APA Style

    Fadiji Taiye Oduntan, Sennuga Samson Olayemi, Angba Augustine Oko. (2021). Differentials in Usage of Information and Communication Devices Among Extension Agents: A Study on North-Western Zone, Nigeria. American Journal of Agriculture and Forestry, 9(1), 42-48. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajaf.20210901.17

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    ACS Style

    Fadiji Taiye Oduntan; Sennuga Samson Olayemi; Angba Augustine Oko. Differentials in Usage of Information and Communication Devices Among Extension Agents: A Study on North-Western Zone, Nigeria. Am. J. Agric. For. 2021, 9(1), 42-48. doi: 10.11648/j.ajaf.20210901.17

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    AMA Style

    Fadiji Taiye Oduntan, Sennuga Samson Olayemi, Angba Augustine Oko. Differentials in Usage of Information and Communication Devices Among Extension Agents: A Study on North-Western Zone, Nigeria. Am J Agric For. 2021;9(1):42-48. doi: 10.11648/j.ajaf.20210901.17

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  • @article{10.11648/j.ajaf.20210901.17,
      author = {Fadiji Taiye Oduntan and Sennuga Samson Olayemi and Angba Augustine Oko},
      title = {Differentials in Usage of Information and Communication Devices Among Extension Agents: A Study on North-Western Zone, Nigeria},
      journal = {American Journal of Agriculture and Forestry},
      volume = {9},
      number = {1},
      pages = {42-48},
      doi = {10.11648/j.ajaf.20210901.17},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajaf.20210901.17},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ajaf.20210901.17},
      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.},
     year = {2021}
    }
    

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  • TY  - JOUR
    T1  - Differentials in Usage of Information and Communication Devices Among Extension Agents: A Study on North-Western Zone, Nigeria
    AU  - Fadiji Taiye Oduntan
    AU  - Sennuga Samson Olayemi
    AU  - Angba Augustine Oko
    Y1  - 2021/02/10
    PY  - 2021
    N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajaf.20210901.17
    DO  - 10.11648/j.ajaf.20210901.17
    T2  - American Journal of Agriculture and Forestry
    JF  - American Journal of Agriculture and Forestry
    JO  - American Journal of Agriculture and Forestry
    SP  - 42
    EP  - 48
    PB  - Science Publishing Group
    SN  - 2330-8591
    UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajaf.20210901.17
    AB  - 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.
    VL  - 9
    IS  - 1
    ER  - 

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Author Information
  • Department of Agricultural Extension and Rural Sociology, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Abuja, Abuja, Nigeria

  • School of Agriculture, Food and Environment, Royal Agricultural University, Stroud Road, Cirencester, Gloucester, GL7 6JS, United Kingdom

  • Department of Agricultural Extension and Rural Sociology, University of Calabar, Calabar, Nigeria

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