ICT devices, applications and their barriers in the horticultural sector in Nigeria

Abstract

The strategic application of Information and communication technologies (ICT) to the agricultural sector, offers a greater opportunity for economic growth and poverty alleviation. This paper reviewed ICT devices applications and barriers to the horticultural sector of Nigeria. The review showed that Phyto-monitoring technique, e-Data Bank, Plant-Plus DSS, Computer-Aided Design (CAD) software, List Servers, Geographic Information System (GIS) were ICT devices that supported horticultural development for economic sustainability. Likewise, the review identified inadequate and unstable power supply, high cost of hardware and software, lack of financial assistance, inadequate databases, poor infrastructure and inadequate training on ICT devices impeded ICT integration in the horticultural sector of the country. It was concluded that the government should improve the horticultural sector through consistent policies and implementation, holistic adaptation strategy and proper funding.