ICTs as Enabler in the Dissemination of Agricultural Technologies: A Study in the East Akim District, Eastern Ghana
E. Asiedu-Darko *
CSIR-Plant Genetic Resources Research Institute, P. O. Box 7, Bunso, Ghana.
S. Bekoe
CSIR-Institute for Scientific and Technological Information, P. O. Box CT 2211, Cantonments, Accra, Ghana.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
This study reports on the availability, use and information seeking behaviour of farming communities with specific reference to Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) in Eastern Ghana. It fills a research gap by examining what people do with a medium when they have access to it, while also looking at barriers surrounding the use of ICTs arising due to differential access and capabilities. The study was conducted in the East Akim District of the Eastern Region of Ghana and sought insights into intentions and factors surrounding the use of various media by farmers. The study also threw more light on the socio-cultural context within which information seeking and use occurs in the district and tried to explain the reasons behind the use of ICT by farmers over other available sources. It was observed that accessing agriculture information by farmers through ICT’s was not popular and needed to be given a boost. The farmers mostly relied on friends and relatives, and other local sources for agricultural information and this has been a drawback to the adoption of agricultural technologies. The need for pragmatic measures to bring about the use ICT by farmers in seeking agricultural information was emphasized. Also some adult education programmes would be required to help farmers in ICT usage.
Keywords: Information and communication technology, enabler, dissemination, agricultural technologies