AWARENESS AND UTILISATION OF INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY TOOLS BY CASSAVA FARMERS IN KOGI STATE, NIGERIA

The study evaluated the awareness and utilisation of ICT tools among cassava farmers in Kogi State, Nigeria. Using multi-stage sampling procedure, a sample of 260 cassava farmers was selected for the study. A well-structured questionnaire was used for data collection. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics such as frequency, percentages and mean score from Likert scale. Result shows that the majority (57.3%) of the respondents were male, 47.7% were married, and 41.5% had tertiary education, whereas, 93.0% had some formal education, indicating a relatively high level of basic education among participants. The mean age of the farmers was 46 years, suggesting a mature and experienced farming population. The farmers had an average of 13 years of farming experience, cultivated on a mean farm size of 2.6 hectares, and earned an average annual income of ₦800,000 from cassava production. Concerning ICT engagement, awareness levels were high (61.53%), with mobile phones being the most commonly used ICT tool (22.0%). Poor rural internet access, poor power supply and inadequate extension service were the constraints that hindered effective use of ICT facilities by cassava farmers. It was therefore, recommended that government should provide adequate and constant power supply to rural areas among others.