Constraints Faced by the Farmers in Extent of Utilization of ICT Advisory Services in Dindigul District of Tamil Nadu

Abstract

In the present era, it is inevitable to study the usage of ICT which plays a key role in modern society. The mobile phone is an influential e-tool possessed by farmers which is handy. Farmers can get all information and advisories easily through agricultural mobile applications. The application of the mobile phone has emerged as an efficient tool for fast and innovative ideas for the deployment of advisories in agriculture. This paper aims to review and identify the constraints faced by the farmers in using various ICT tools for the utilization of advisory services. The Present study was conducted in Dindigul district of Tamil Nadu. Data were obtained from a sample of 300 farmers in six selected blocks namely, Dindigul, Natham, Sanarpatti, Vadamadurai, Nilakottai, and Ottanchatram. The results showed that the majority of the constraints faced by the farmers were lack of training on ICT (81.33 per cent), high cost of data pack (94.66 per cent), lack of locally relevant information (88.33 per cent), poor internet availability (86.66 per cent), linguistic drawback (71.00 per cent), lack of awareness on ICT-related agri. mobile apps (54.67 per cent), lack of e-skill to use modern ICT tools (50.66 per cent). So, based on the present study, it is recommended to make aware of ICT tools and their usage by farmers and arrangement of various training on ICT.