Constraints Faced in the Usage of ICT Tools by Farmers in Anantapur District of Andhra Pradesh, India
B. Jaswanth Naik *
Department of Agriculture Extension, Agricultural College, Bapatla, India.
B. Mukunda Rao
ANGRAU, LAM, Guntur-522 034, India.
P. Rambabu
ANGRAU, LAM, Guntur-522 034, India.
M. Sree Rekha
Department of Agronomy, Agricultural College, Bapatla, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
The study investigated into the constraints encounter by farmers while using information and communication technology (ICT) in the Anantapur district of Andhra Pradesh. The study was performed in a purposefully chosen district, and respondents were chosen via proportional random selection. The ex-post facto research design was employed; several kinds of constraints were gathered through a literature study and expert opinion. They were given an interview schedule. The acquired data was analysed, and ranks were assigned based on frequency and percentages. The major constraints faced by the farmers in use of ICT tools were high cost of ICT gadgets like smart phones, computers etc (92.50%), high cost of servicing charges of ICT gadgets (90.83%), lack of sufficient skills in usage of ICT tools by rural communities (85.00%), lack of uninterrupted power supply (84.16%), lack of servicing centres of ICTs in villages (76.66%) and difficulty in understanding the language of ICT gadgets (75.00%). Some major suggestions drawn from the respondent farmers were reduce the costs of ICT tools (96.66%), Provide subsidies on ICT gadgets (90.83%), Reduce servicing charges (86.66%), Giving continuous power supply (84.16%), Providing of messages in local languages (79.16%) and Establish service centres in villages (76.66%).
Keywords: Agricultural extension, constraints, farmers, information communication technology