Abstract: The study assessed the socioeconomic determinants of access and utilization of ICTs among farmers in
Southeast Nigeria. Multi-stage sampling techniques were
employed in selection of 240 Farmers as source of primary
data for the study, using structured and validated questionnaire schedule. Both descriptive and inferential statistics
were employed in the analysis of data generated from the
field survey for study. The result of the analysis showed that
the following socioeconomic variables: age, gender, family
size, income level, membership of cooperative societies,
farming experience, and distance from place of ICTs were
statistically significant at 5% for farmers access to ICT
facilities, while age, gender, educational attainment, income
level, membership of cooperative societies, and presence of
associated ICTs infrastructure showed statistically significant
at 5% for farmers level of ICTs utilization in the area. This
goes to shows that these variables are important determinants of farmers’ access to and utilization of ICTs. The
result of factor analysis showed that infrastructural,
technical and socio-economic related factors constrained
access and utilization of ICTs by farmers. The study
recommends the institutionalization of programme such as
extension education, training etc. that will promote the
development of these socioeconomic variables, the strengthening of the use of contemporary ICTs such as phones
and internet, rather than conventional ICTs such as radio
and television through provision of advisory services to
farmers on how to pool their resources together for the
purpose of establishing rural viewing centre, provision of
adequate training on the use of ICTs for greater effectiveness
of ICTs access and utilization in farming operations in
Southeast, Nigeria.
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