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Articles

CJBSS: Vol. 9 No. 1, June 2018

Mainstreaming Global System of Mobile Telecommunications for Agricultural Development in Nigeria

  • Dr. Micah Damilola John
DOI
https://doi.org/10.20370/cjbss.v0i0.922
Submitted
June 12, 2018
Published
2018-06-12

Abstract

Global system of mobile telecommunication (GSM) services play significant role in many facet of human lives. Specifically, it has been demonstrated that GSM services can be used to improve practice of agriculture in society. In line with the above position, this study was designated to examine access and utilization of GSM services in selected rural communities in Ibadan and this contributed to agricultural development. The study was hinged on Merton’s theory of Manifest Function to explain conceptual issues in the study. Sample of eight hundred (800) respondents was selected from designated population of male and female farmers. Purposive, quota and accidental sampling techniques were adopted for selection of study locations, sample distribution and respondents respectively. Descriptive quantitative statistics and qualitative method was used. Access to GSM services among farmers was described as low (3.0%), moderate (57.4%) and high (29.6%). Again, the utilization of GSM services among farmers was low (4.6%), moderate (28.8%) and high (66.6%). Similarly, 5.6% of the respondents had no formal education or cannot read and write which made it difficult to effectively utilize GSM services. There were 70.1% of the respondents who could adequately utilize GSM services for various activities especially browsing internet to follow updates in daily lives. Respondents however expressed deep feelings that tariffs, quality of services, fraud and arbitrary charges continued to constrain benefits that could be derived from GSM economy. Yet GSM services can serve different purposes especially where it can be used to source agricultural information, crop and animal production practices and other sundry information which can be shared instantly by farmers who are connected on mobile service. Quality of GSM service has remained major problem in rural areas. There should be intervention at the level of government and service providers to improve utilization especially in the area of farming information system.