Farmers’ Use of ICT Based Media in Receiving Agricultural Information: A Farm Level Study

The main purpose of the study was to determine the extent of use of ICT based media by the farmers in receiving agricultural information. Six types of ICT media and facilities were considered for the study. Data were obtained from a random sample of 150 farmers in three selected villages of Mymensingh, Tangail and Sherpur districts during September 2014 to February 2015. A pre-tested interview schedule was used for collection of data. Appropriate scales were developed and used in order to measure the concerned variables. Correlation test was used to ascertain the relationships between the concerned variables. More than one third (37.3 percent) of the farmers were found to use mobile phones for receiving agricultural information, while 21.3 percent used internet facilities provided by Agricultural Information and Communication Centers (AICC), a community based ICT hub established by the Ministry of Agriculture. Only 2 percent farmers were found having use of smart phone. Farmers' characteristics such as education, training received on ICT, knowledge on ICT had a significant positive relationship with the extent of use of ICT based media by the farmers, while age and constraints in using ICT had a negative relationship with their extent of ICT based media use.