An Assessment of Availability and Benefits of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTS) in Agricultural Development in Enugu State, Nigeria

Abstract

The study examined the availability, level of competence and benefits of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) in Agricultural development among agricultural lecturers and students in Enugu State, Nigeria. Almost all the respondents (lecturers 96.9%, students 90%) had acquired ICT trainings. All the listed ICT facilities were available to the respondents except facsimile (Lecturers 9.4%, Students 25%) and satellite technology. The respondents were competent in the use of ICTs except in the use of facsimile and satellite technology. The respondent’s lack of competence in the use of facsimile and satellite technology could be as a result of its non-availability in the faculty. On the average, students in the selected institutions are more competent in using ICT facilities than their lecturers, this could be as a result of the student’s educational demand to meet up with the requirements of the various courses they need to pass before they could become certified graduate, thus, making them to explore the various ICTs more than the lecturers. The respondents perceived ICTs to be beneficial in carrying out their work effectively, helping researchers to source more information for their work, improving research and published work, accelerating, enriching, and deepening skills, motivating and engaging students in learning and saving time. The output of this study is important because it will serve as a blueprint for agricultural libraries, information managers/information scientists, researchers, agricultural lecturers, agricultural students, and all agricultural stakeholders to chart the right course of action for the use of information and communication technologies in developing agriculture through policy formulation and implementation.