| dc.description.abstract | The general objective of this study was to analyze the factors which intluence the
fanners' access and Use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT). and
how the ICT affects adoption of improved farming technologies in banana production
in Gatanga District of Kenya. The IC'T in this study was defined to include
technologies and media that capture, store and disseminate data and information and
mediated networks and print media among others.
A multi-stage purposive sampling and proportionate allocation technique was used in
the study to select n=120 respondents. Three main banana growing locations were
purposively selected across 3 Divisions. Three banana groups from each location were
randomly selected from a list of 20 groups obtained from the District Agricultural
Office. Systematic simple random sampling technique was then used to select half of
the members from each group at interval of two. A fitly percent Sample size was
drawn to minimize cost and time. Mugenda and Mugenda (1999) argue that a 50%
sample is large enough and can be used to represent the target population if such
population is large enough to justify sampling. A pre-tested questionnaire was use to
obtain primary data from the respondents. Four questionnaires were discarded
because they were incomplete, a rotal of / /6 questionnaires were usable. Data entry
was done by Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) data builder. Descriptive
analysis was done by Excel and SPSS while quantitative analysis by STATA
computer software,
Radio, mobile phone and television were the most accessible ICT among smallholder
banana farmers. The least accessible were internet. computer and video cassette.
Gender, education and income levels were found to influence use of ICT in obtaining
information on banana production. Affordability, physical access and prerequisite
skills to use internet and computer related services were a problem to majority of
farmers. The study findings indicate that access to ICT intluence adoption of Tissue
Culture banana biotechnology. Use of ICT as a source of agricultural information
improves banana productivity and market efficient resulting into increased farm
income for smallholder farmers.
To enhance use of ICT in extension the study recommends capacity building of
extension staff and researchers, reduction or taxes on radio-wave licensing to
encourage more FM radio stations and improve accessibility to leT services by
investi ng in both com plernentary in frastructure and higher ed ucat ion. Further research
should be contacted to find out technology-specific attributes and socio-economic
factors that impede actors in agriculture sector to effectively use ICT to full potential. | en |
