ICTs Utilization by Agricultural Extension Officers in Guntur and Krishna districts of Andhra Pradesh, India

Abstract:

The present study was conducted in Guntur and Krishna district of Andhra Pradesh in 2017-18. A total of 60 respondents in State department of agriculture were selected randomly. Interview schedule was used to collect the primary data and statistical techniques like frequency and percentage were used. The results revealed that, most of the respondents are middle aged (56.66), having B.Sc. graduation in agriculture (51.66%), 2-4 years of job experience (48.34%), major source of information is state department officers (4.33%), cent per cent of respondents has mobile phones, received training on ICT (65%) and possess (90.00%) skills on data entry, usage of internet and MS word. Services provided through ICT are “Weather related information”(162) was found to be the major service which is frequently provided by the AEO’s using ICTs. Followed by “Marketing information of crops” (157), “Improved production technologies” (138) and “Timely advice” (124) were mentioned as critical services provided securing second, third and fourth ranks respectively. The other ICT services include “Demand for various crops” (109), “Video clips of demonstration” (101), “ voice messages” (98), “Use of digital camera for diagnostic services” (97) and “Use of computer for expert system” (89) were also ranked fifth , sixth, seventh, eighth and ninth ranks respectively.