Abstract:
The specific objective of the study was to determine the extent of use of Information
and Communication Technology (ICT) by the farmers. Attempts were also made to
determine twelve selected socio-economic characteristics of the farmers and their
relationships with the extent use of ICT and to identify problems faced by the
farmers in using ICT. The study was confined at Keshabpur upazila of Jashore
district of Bangladesh. Data were collected using structured interview schedule from
February 05 to March 05, 2018. Two unions of Keshabpur upazila were purposively
selected for the study. The study was conducted randomly in two villages of
Keshabpur and Sagardari union. The total households of these villages were 431 and
from each household one farmer was considered for interview. Thus, 107
respondents (25% of the population) were selected for the interview by using
proportionate random sampling technique. Pearson‟s correlation co-efficient (r) was
used to determine the relationships between the selected socio-economic
characteristics of the farmers and their extent use of ICT. The study revealed that
highest proportion (37.4 percent) of the farmers had low use of ICT in receiving
agricultural information contrasted with 32.7 and 29.9 percent having medium use
and high use. Among twelve characteristics farmers‟ age, farming experience and
problem faced in using ICT in agriculture showed significant and negative
relationships with the extent use of ICT. Farmers‟ education, annual family income,
agricultural knowledge, innovativeness and cosmopoliteness showed positive and
significant trend. The other characteristics viz. family size, effective farm size,
agricultural training and organizational participation did not show any significant
relationship with farmers‟ use of ICT.
Description:
A thesis
Submitted to the Department of Agricultural Extension and Information System
Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, Dhaka
In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of
MASTER OF SCIENCE IN
AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION & INFORMATION SYSTEM