IMPACT OF MOBILE PHONE USAGE ON AGRICULTURAL INFORMATION DISSEMINATION AMONG OTUKPO FARMERS

IMPACT OF MOBILE PHONE USAGE ON AGRICULTURAL INFORMATION DISSEMINATION AMONG OTUKPO FARMERS

(A STUDY OF FARMERS IN OTUKPO LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF BENUE STATE)

ABSTRACTS

The study “The Impact of mobile phone usage on Agricultural Information among Otukpo Farmers”. A study of Agric information dissemination among Otukpo farmer, Otukpo Local Government Area. Using a survey of five villages in Otukpo town, Otukpo Local Government Area of Benue State, the researcher found that Otukpo farmers has adopted the impact of mobile phones in getting agric information due to the benefits derived from it such as enabling verification/discussion with chief farmers and extension workers, facilitating communication and saves transportation cost, institution relationship with agricultural extension officers, helps to obtain information on price of goods and services. This research also finds that the following problems are associated with the use of mobile phones - poor network services, high charges, network congestion, power failure and reduction interconnectivity. The study is anchored on the diffusion of innovation theory. It recommends that Nigeria communications commission should set a standard for the mobile phone operators in Nigeria with regards to signal strength, voice quality, successful recharge and balance inquiry call centre operations and call success rate to improve services. This study recommends among others that the chairman of Otukpo local government area should provide frequent power supply for the Otukpo town, also the extension workers should pay serious attention to the information needs of the farmers

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.0       BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY

Communication which is so much a part of us, sees to be everywhere at the same time, it is central to all human interactions. It is the most basic and one of the earliest activities of human beings. Communication is an integral part of our existence. For there to be any meaningful development, there has to be communication between initiator of the development process and the target audience of these development projects. All development depends on knowledge and this knowledge is a function of the amount and quality of facts at ones disposal. The farmers need information on possibilities that exist for improving on their lot and how to effect the necessary changes. They also need specific information on how to do things that will result in an improvement of their farming yield.

Agreeing on the role of communication, Ebo (2014:24) observes that communication in development can teach new skills act as multiplier of resources, raise levels of aspiration as incentive for action, raise level of people, help to find new norms and harmony in periods of transaction change the structure in a society by knowledge to the mares, create sense of nationality and led to increased political participation, promote people’s need in satisfying developmental projects and making economic, social and political development a self-perpetual process.

Due to this important role of communication, mobile phones have been given a prominent role in communicating development messages to the people. In a similar view Abiri (2014:1) says that today’s world seems to be dominated by improved technology made much impact in communication, mass communication in particular. Improved technology has greatly increased the efficiency of communication to the extent that the process can send and receive messages around the world and into space with maximum speed and efficiency.

The point of the matter here however is on the telecommunication industry. Technological revolution has impacted so much on telecommunication sectors to the extent that it becomes the fastest growing industries in the world. Efficient telecommunication services play vital role in modern societies of money developed and developing nations. In Nigeria, the first national development plan (1963 – 1968) identified the need for rapid development of telecommunication sector.

Commenting on telecommunication Ndula asserted that today the growth of telecommunication has been accompanied with significant advances in technology research. One of the latest in modern telecommunication, central to information technology is the mobile phones. Today the much anticipated system of mobile communication recently introduced in Nigeria has brought about a total revolution in the history of telecommunication development in Nigeria.

The importance of mobile phones among farmers cannot be overemphasized as it makes it very easy for farmers to interact with ease and immediacy. Farm operators use mobile phones to make speedily appointments, clarification and instant reply of the messages.

Mobile phones have gone through a long process of evolution and all through about six decades of continuous evolution, the mobile phone has retained its relevance to the life of the modern man. At every stage in his growth curve, it has undergone metamorphosis, adding features and functionalities that make it even more indispensable. It started as an extension of the landline, a bridge between the home and office landlines. It found relevance in the need of the modern professional to remain in communication in and out of home or office, and anywhere else. Mobilephones have since moved up from this sophistic role to become more actually involved in the way modern business are educated. Apart from being a tool for mobile voice communication, mobile phones today are a hybrid of personal computers and a communication device. They come with screens, minikyboards’ storage for personal information such as contacts, email, documents, the ability to play video files, games and a communications capacity. Come a wide range of other uses, a mobile phone can put into a business or work environment apart from the traditional voice communication. Now mobile phone makes it possible for a busy executive to work from any part of the world. He can access the treats critical emails sent to him regardless of how far away from the office her or she works. All he needs to do is to access the internet via his or her mobile phone.

What promises to be a killer application in mobile services in a short while is mobile television. This service will enable mobile phone subscribers watch television programmes on the mobile phones. Imagine driving in your car to your office and watching amplitude modulation express on Nigeria television authority on your mobile phone or at the airport for a flight and catching up with your favourite comedy series on a local television station. Imagine sharing your television experience with your friends and family and receiving advertising targeted to your needs. These are all possibilities that mobile television offered.

It was in this regard that Comer and Howthon (2015:11) says communication is essentially a social affairs man has evolved from different systems of communication which render his social life possible and not in the sense of living a packs for hunting or making war, but in a sense unknown to animals.

1.1       STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

Over the years, our rural farmers depend on indigenous or local knowledge for improved farming system/animal husbandry. Such knowledge (indigenous or local knowledge) refers to skill and experience gained through oral tradition and practice over many generations. Acquisition of such primitive skills by our rural farmers in Otukpo Local Government Area of Benue State has not helped to improve agricultural yield. All that is witnessed in our rural agricultural system range from poor farm yield, emergence of new crop and animal diseases, resistant plant weeds and pests that attack farm crops, old farm implements, poor quality fertilizers etc. Agricultural information are always meant to get to rural farmers via extension workers, community libraries, radio, television, film shows, agricultural pamphlets, state and local government agricultural agencies etc. Rural farmers in their effort to access these agricultural knowledge and information from available sources for better farming system and improved agricultural yield are confronted with certain constraints.  The present study was therefore designed to identify the constraints which hinder rural farmers in Otukpo Local Government Area of Benue State from accessing agricultural information for improved crop production and better animal husbandry practice.

1.2       OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

The following are the objectives of the study:

1. To find out ways of getting agricultural information outside the extension workers.
2. To identify major solution to the problems facing farmers in Otukpo in getting agricultural information easily. 
3. To find out other alternative sources of power for charging their phones in order to get adequate agricultural information.

1.3       RESEARCH QUESTIONS

1. What alternative source do farmers in Otukpo get agricultural information from aside from extension workers?
2. What kind of problems do farmers in Otukpo encounter using mobile phone? 
3. What alternative source of power do Otukpo farmers use to charge the mobile phone?

1.4       SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The significance of this study are as follows:

The study will provide information on the alternative source of information for Otukpo farmers, outside agricultural extension workers, the study will provide information on solutions to problems of GSM phones used by Otukpo farmers.The study will also provide information on alternative source of charging their mobile phone.

1.5       SCOPE OF THE STUDY

This study is limited to the impact of mobile phone on agricultural information among Otukpo farmers in 2016.

This study would have extended to all the farmers in Benue State but due to time factor and financial problems, the researcher is compelled to limit its focus on only Otukpo farmers, of Otukpo town in Otukpo local government area of Benue State.

1.6       AREA OF STUDY

            The study looks at how mobile phones can be put into a business or work environment apart from the traditional voice communication. Now mobile phone makes it possible for a busy executive to work from any part of the world.

How technological revolution has impacted so much on telecommunication sector to the extent that it becomes the fastest growing industries in the world.

1.7       DEFINITION OF TERMS

Mobile phone: Mobile phones are electronic devices used to make mobile telephone calls across wide geographical areas.

Impact: This refers to the powerful effect that something has on somebody or something.

Farmers: A farmer is a person who own or manage a farm.

Agriculture: This refers to the science or practice of farming.

Information: This refers to facts or details about somebody or something.

Communication: This is the method of sending information, especially telephone, radio and computer.

G.S.M: Means global system for mobile