Influence of Characteristics and Perception on Usage of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) By Selected Extension Agents in Northern Nigeria (Published)
This paper presents the results of investigation into the influence of the perception of Village Extension Agents (VEAs)’ on usage of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) in three selected States Agricultural Development Projects (ADPs) of Nigeria. Two hundred and four (204) VEAs were sampled as respondents for the study. With aid of Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) the data were analyzed and the descriptive statistics were used to present the results. Results of Multiple Linear Regression analysis revealed that usage of ICT was statistically and positively significant on: income (0.039*), sex (0.007**), accessibility to ICT (0.000***) and perception on custom/tradition (0.021*) and perception on availability of infrastructural facilities (0.047*). These variables, by implication, are factors that influenced the usage of ICT by the VEAs in the study areas.
Keywords: Agriculture, Perception, extension, extension agents, technologies and communication
Field Experience of Agricultural Communication Methods and Attitudes toward the New Trends in Extension in Syria (Published)
The role of agricultural extension has always been a hot topic and under debate for all agricultural specialists, simply because of its vital role in implementing the agricultural policies and rural development, because it is the linkage between the rural community and the organizations involved in rural development and agricultural sector in both farming and non-farming perspectives.
This research is divided to two basic sections; each is divided to two sub-categories as follows:
- The first part is dedicated to communication methods
- The second part is dedicated to new trends in global economy in terms of its influence on agriculture and rural development.
The main findings of this research are: Extension staff lacks to sufficient training qualitatively and quantitatively with social and economic constraints, which makes a reform of the current system is a must to overcome insufficiencies in different areas.
Keywords: Communication Methods, Constraints, Decentralization, Globalization, ICTs, Pluralism, Privatization, Reform, extension