ASSESSMENTOFTHEUSEOFINFORMATIONANDCOMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES (ICTS) BY FARMERS IN GANYELOCALGOVERNMENTAREAOF ADAMAWASTATE

The study assessed the adoption and utilization of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) among farmers in Ganye Local Government Area of Adamawa State, Nigeria. It examined farmers’ socio-economic characteristics, ICT availability and use, determinants of adoption, and major constraints. A total of 124 respondents were randomly selected from a sampling frame of 180 farmers, and data were collected using structured questionnaires. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used for analysis. Results revealed that farmers were relatively young (mean age 32 years), with males dominating (69.23%) but with notable female participation. Over half attained tertiary education, indicating literacy was not a barrier to ICT use. The average farm size was 2.8 hectares, with six years of farming experience and an average household size of five. About 64.96% accessed credit, mainly from informal sources. Mobile phones (93.16%) and radios (68.38%) were the most available and used ICT tools, while computers (29.06%) and internet facilities (5.98%) were less accessible. Ordered logistic regression identified age, education, and access to technology as significant determinants of ICT adoption (LR chi² = 28.78, p = 0.0002; pseudo R² = 0.1444). Major constraints included high cost of ICT tools (76.92%), Inadequate training (58.12%), irregular electricity (52.99%), and poor connectivity (50.43%). The study concludes that ICT adoption is increasing but hindered by infrastructural, financial, and knowledge barriers. It recommends subsidizing ICT tools, expanding training, improving power and internet access, and integrating ICT into extension services to enhance agricultural productivity and rural development