INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES TRAINING NEEDS OF AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION AGENTS IN BAYELSA AND RIVERS STATES, NIGERIA

ABSTRACT Despite the fact that information and communication technologies (ICTs) have been proposed as a means to improve extension delivery in Nigeria, very little has been done to identify the ICT training need of agricultural extension agents. The study examined the ICT training need of agricultural extension agents in Bayelsa and Rivers States of Nigeria. A descriptive survey design, content validated and pretested questionnaire were used to collect data from 100 public extension agents in the two States. Descriptive statistics, T-tests and stepwise regression were used to analyse the data with the help of SPSS version 20 Software. The study revealed that hardware, software and World wide web were not frequently used for extension activities. There were differences in ICT training need for hardware, word-processing, statistical and presentation software, World wide web, social media and electronic mail according to State, sex, income, specialty of EAs, location of operational area, educational qualification, age and experience of extension agents. Selected socioeconomic characteristics determines ICT training need. Human, financial, policy, infrastructural and institutional constraints prevent extension agents from accessing training in ICT. The study recommends among others training in the use of hardware, software and World wide web for extension agents taking into consideration the sex, location, income of extension agents. Moreover, there should be stakeholders collaboration to address the numerous constraints preventing agricultural extension agents from accessing ICT training.