ABSTRACT

This research project was purposively conducted in the Nigerian South-South states of Akwa Ibom, Rivers, Bayelsa and Delta in 2004. The objective was to evaluate the availability, access and the extent of use of information and communication technologies (ICT) by agricultural extension workers in both public and private agricultural sectors. The public sector was represented by the Agricultural Development Projects of the four states, while Shell Petroleum Farms and Green River Farm Project of Agip Oil Company, represented the private sector. Data collection was done with the aid of structured questionnaires; designed to answer all the research questions. There were 160 respondents. Percentages were used to determine personal and socio economic characteristics as it affects the availability and/or use of ICT or not. The Likert type scale was being used to score the magnitude of response to availability and use, with factor analysis being used to determine general constraints to use of ICT. The students t-test was used to compare the public and private sectors availability and use of ICTs in hypothesis I which states that there is no significant difference in the availability and use of information and communication technology devices between private and public extension officers in the south-south zone while ANOVA was used to test hypothesis II which states that there is a positive relationship between the socio-economic and personal characteristics of extension officers on their uses of information and communication technology devices in both private and public extension services. There was positive and significant correlation between availability and usage of ICT devices for both the public and private sectors. In broadcast technology the public sectors more significantly used it than the private sector at p < 0.05. In the use of print technology the public sector significantly exceeded the private sectors at p < 0.05 thereby being more generous in sharing information than the thrift private sector. None of them used the cinema, but they had more than 70% availability of GSM telephones, diaries, newsletters, intercom (PBX) and posters. The constraints common to both sectors in the use of ICT were high cost of acquiring the facilities, poor telecommunication network and lack of regular supply of electricity to operate xiv them. This encumbered rural extension work, making it look urban based where more of these facilities were available. Since the benefits of Id in agricultural extension work have been realized in spite of the constraints to availability more than access to, and use, it is recommended that both public and private sectors provide more of the facilities and train the workers on their effective use. Thus, both the private and public sector agricultural extension officers saw the need to use ICTs in their assignment. The private sector used electronic devices and computer/telecommunication devices more than their counterpart in the public sector because they had more access to them owing to their availability, while the public sector extension officers excelled in their use of broadcast and print technology devices thereby being more generous in sharing information than the private sector. Also, some of the personal and socio-economic characteristics of extension officers in both public and private sectors such as marital status and years of experience service significantly affected positively their use of ICTs for agricultural extension work.