ABSTRACT
The study determined the availability, access and
utilization of information communication technologies among staff of women in
agriculture sub-programme of agricultural development programmes in north
central zone of Nigeria. Four states were randomly selected which include
Benue, Kogi and Nassarawa states, and the Federal Capital Territory. The
multi-stage sampling procedure was used to select a sample size of eighty (80)
WIA staff. Interview schedule was used to collect data from the respondents.
Frequency count, percentage and mean score were used to analyze the data
collected. Factor analysis with principal factor model with interaction and
varimax rotation was used to determine the major constrains to the use of ICTs.
The result of the study showed the mean age of the respondents to be 47.25
years with average working experience of 20.66 years and 14years as WIA staff.
All (100%) the respondents were aware of radio, video machine, television and
telephone and majority of them were aware of the other modern ICTs except for
fax machine, GIS, Skype, face book and digital camera. Only a few (40% for
telephone and 33.8% for radio) of them had ICT tools in their offices but
majority (92.5% for radio and 88.8% for television) of them had personal ICTs.
Majority (87.0%, 85.0% and 80.0%) of the WIA staff had access to telephone,
television and radio respectively but very few (32.5% for computer 28.8% for
internet and 8.8% for printer) of them had access to the modern ICT facilities.
Majority (89.5%) of the few that accessed the internet did so for browsing to
get information. The findings also showed that radio (M=3.70), Video machine
(M=3.58), television (M=3.14) and telephone (M=3.49) were used by the
respondents to a large extent. Majority (56.2% used radio for root and tuber
processing and 62.5% used telephone for Fruit and vegetable processing) of them
staff used a few ICTs for their WIA activities. Radio (M=3.06), television (M=2.88)
and telephone (M=3.68) were perceived to be very important to the respondents
in their official duties. Also, lack of training opportunities (M=2.25),
insufficient availability of ICT facilities (M=2.06) and lack of technical
know-how (M= 2.05) were perceived by the respondents to be serious constraints
to the use of ICTs.
Based on the major findings it was
concluded that majority of the respondents were still within active years
and could access and use available ICT facilities and that though majority of
them were aware of the ICT facilities, majority of them could not affectively
operate most of the modern ICTs except for radio, video machine, television and
telephone and to some extent, computer. Majority of them did not use most of
the ICTs for official functions because they were constrained by lack of
training opportunity, insufficient availability of ICT facilities and lack of
technical know- how among other constraints perceived by the respondents to be
serious to the use of ICTs for their official functions. The study, among other
things recommended setting up of projects that will enable WIA staff to have
more access to ICT tools and establishment of functional ICT centres with
departments for WIA in all the states which will create more awareness, better
accessibility and higher usage of ICT tools by the WIA staff.
CHAPTER
ONE
1.0 INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background
Information
The sustainable production of
food is the first pillar of food security; and millions of women work as
farmers, farm workers and natural resource managers. In doing so, they
contribute to national agricultural output, maintenance of the environment and
family food security (Onyemobi, 2000). According to Nnadozie and Ibe (2000),
women play very significant roles in Nigeria agricultural production,
processing and utilization.
Agricultural extension personnel
are very important in the development of agriculture. They utilize strategic
vital agricultural information for the individual and general improvement of
the farmers, homemakers and youths. This could be in the area of their farming
techniques, family nutrition and health and community development. Agricultural
extensionists serve as links between farmers and researchers (Agumagu, Adesope,
Mathews- Njoku and Nwaogwugwu, 2008). Therefore, Nnadozie and Ibe (2000) were
of the opinion that the integration of women in extension is essential for the
achievement of some goals such as increased food production, food
self-sufficiency and sustained reduction of poverty and malnutrition.
The involvement of women in
agriculture has attracted greater attention in recent years. Over the past two
or three decades, considerable research has been done on gender - related
issues in Nigerian agriculture. This has had some impact on policy formulation
and programming, including perhaps the creation of Women- in- Agriculture (WIA)
units in several State and Federal Government Ministries of Agriculture and the
Agricultural Development Programmes (ADPs) in Nigeria. It is however difficult
to gauge how effective this has been, especially in terms of moving agriculture
forward. (Adekanye,Otitolaiye and Opaluwa, 2009).
According to Onyibe (2001), the
Agricultural development programmes of the different States of the Federation
have made important advances in incorporating gender in agricultural extension,
by modifying the ADP system midstream to provide for women farmers through the
creation of WIA programmes in the Department of Extension Services of the ADPs
with a gender focus.
Women - in - Agriculture is a
sub-component in the extension unit of the ADPs and it focuses on improving
agricultural production, processing and marketing by rural women. In the Benue
ADP for instance, WIA was established in 1990 with the following objectives:
a)
To integrate women into agricultural
development system.
b) To
increase the productivity of women, raise their income and living standard
through the use of cheap but appropriate technologies for income generating
agro-based enterprises. WIA was mandated to carry out gender specific
activities among 30% of farmers which of necessity must be women (Benue
Agricultural and Rural Development Authority (BNARDA), 2006).
At
headquarters, the WIA head holds the rank of deputy director within the state
ADP and is responsible for the overall planning and implementation of the WIA
programme. She is assisted....
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