MAINSTREAMING “GLOBAL SYSTEM OF MOBILE TELECOMMUNICATION” (GSM) FOR AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT

GSM (Global System of Mobile Telecommunication) services are important in many aspects of human life. GSM services, in particular, have been shown to be useful in improving agricultural practises in society. In keeping with the aforementioned perspective, the goal of this study was to look into the availability and use of GSM services in a few rural villages in Ibadan. To address conceptual challenges in the study, Merton's theory of Manifest Function was used. A total of 800 people were chosen from a certain group of farmers. The study locations, sample distribution, and respondents were chosen using purposeful, quota, and incidental sampling strategies, respectively. The researchers employed descriptive quantitative data and a qualitative technique. Farmers' access to GSM services was categorised as minimal (three percent), moderate (57.4%), and high (100 percent) (29.6 percent ). Farmers' use of GSM services was low (4.6 percent), moderate (28.8 percent), and high (48.8 percent) (66.6 percent ). Only 5.6 percent of those polled had received no formal education or were unable to read or write, making it impossible to properly use GSM services. 70.1 percent of respondents said they could effectively use GSM services for a variety of activities, including accessing the internet to keep up with daily news. Respondents, on the other hand, indicated strong opinions that tariffs, service quality, fraud, and arbitrary charges continue to limit the benefits that can be received from the GSM economy. However, GSM services can be utilised for a variety of objectives, including obtaining agricultural information, crop and animal production practises, and other information that can be shared instantaneously by farmers who are linked to a mobile service. In rural areas, the quality of GSM service has remained a key issue. To boost use, government and service providers should intervene, particularly in the domain of farming information systems.

Please see the link :- https://www.ikprress.org/index.php/AJAAS/article/view/3