Technology usage and awareness among smallholder farmers in Gwagwalada Area Council, Abuja, Nigeria

Abstract

The usage of ICT has recently received global attention due to its link (both in developed and developing nations) to the adoption of new farming technologies. The purpose of this study was to investigate technology usage and awareness among smallholder farmers in Gwagwalada Area Council, Abuja, Nigeria. It investigated the impact of ICT awareness and use, including radio, television, laptop computer, desktop computer, fax machine, cable television, projector, digital camera tablets, smart phone, and internet, using primary data collected from 100 respondents using structured questionnaires and a simple random sampling technique. The majority of respondents (30%) were between the ages of 36 and 45, with males accounting for 51% and females contributing for 41%. Descriptive (frequency and percentage) and inferential statistics were used to analyze the data. The analysis revealed that the use of modern ICTs such as mobile phones and cable television has a significant impact on the agricultural productivity of smallholder farmers, as evidenced by the respondents' rapid increase in productivity and improvement in their standard of living. Farmers' challenges, however, included high costs, lack of training, and ICT service failure. The Nigerian government should promote a liberal policy that will improve rural infrastructure and provide an enabling environment, and remote residents should have access to the internet and other mobile communication technologies, which would increase their overall use of ICT services.