INTENTION TO USE INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES (ICTs) IN AGRICULTURE: WOMEN’S PERSPECTIVE

Abstract

Intention to use Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) in agriculture is becoming crucial at the present time. However, a gender specific study regarding intention to use ICTs in agriculture is not well focused. The purpose of this study was to determine women farmers’ intention to use ICTs in agriculture and to explore the contribution of the selected factors to their intention to use ICTs in agriculture. The study was conducted in six villages of Pairabond union of Mithapukur upazila in Rangpur district. Data were collected from 114 women farmers by using a pre-tested interview schedule during the period from 18 February to 12March, 2016. Appropriate scales were developed to measure the variables of the study. Descriptive statistics, multiple regressions were used for analysis. The study revealed that majority (55.26%) of the respondents had medium intention to use ICTs in agriculture as compared to 22.81 percent and 21.93 percent of them had high and low intention to use ICTs in agriculture, respectively. The findings showed that ICTs self-efficacy, usefulness and use of ICTs in agriculture purpose were found to be significant predictors and altogether explained 61.80 percent of the variation of women farmers’ intention to use ICTs in agriculture. The present study revealed that women farmers’ intention to use ICTs in agriculture have merits which need special consideration. Availability of reliable need based farming information through ICTs and its better accessibility should be ensured by the technology