Information Communication Technology and Agricultural Development in Benue State

Abstract

Benue state is faced with an increasingly complex challenge of feeding her growing population, while assuring an equitable and sustainable development. Scientific and technological progresses are generating the knowledge and tools to make this possible. Perhaps the use of ICT becomes important for modern agriculture to increase food production. The study interrogates the impacts of Information Communication Technology (ICT) on agricultural development in Benue State. The study was undertaken in Benue state, Nigeria. Taro Yamane’s Formula was used to determine the sample size which was arrived at 400 respondents. Data was collected using questionnaire. 400 questionnaire were administered and 380 returned for analysis. Tables and simple percentages were used for the analyses of the field results. The findings of the study reveal that, shortage of power supply, limited access to computer and internet, high level of rural poverty, illiteracy among peasant farmers among others hinders the adoption of ICT at the rural areas to enhance food production. Low level deployment of ICT in this very important segment of the economy leaves a lot of room for improvement in both quantitative and qualitative food production to feed the overgrowing population in the state. The study therefore recommends, ICT education should be made compulsory in schools and colleges/universities, improved power supply and proper dissemination of information to farmers using radio, television and telephones in indigenous languages among others to aver them with the new technology that will improves food production in Nigeria.