| Agriculture is one of the major activities to achieve the targets of rural development particularly in those countries where agriculture is considered as the main engine of growth for rural economy.The major problem was to bring improvement in the quality of life of rural people without ICTs services and applications.In rapidly changing local and global agricultural market and price mechanism,it is difficult for traditional and poor farmers to maintain their farm productivity and competitiveness in the local and global market,without using the advanced technological information which is cost efficient which ensures high productivity.There is dire prerequisite to rethink in agricultural extension strategies.By using modern ICTs,farmers will become able to get information via telephone,toll-free no.,cell phone,robo calls,SMS,computer and internet for better input application,cropping decisions,management of pest and diseases,animal husbandry and marketing.ICTs is being used for providing information about plant production,plant protection,weather conditions and marketing updates with a single click.One of the major problem is clear the weakness of physical distance and logistic problems with time availability of relevant information are the foremost hurdles in personal communication and dissemination of information about cropping technologies especially in critically stage of crops,market prices,weather forecast.Punjab-Pakistan province was selected purposively as the study province for the said study.In the present study,convenient and simple random sampling techniques was used because it was difficult to cover the whole province of the Punjab.Out of total 36 districts(Punjab),the study was limited to three(Multan,Rawalpindi and Faisalabad)randomly selected districts of the province.From each district one hundred(100)user-ICT were interviewed.Total sample size of the study was three hundred(300)user-ICTs.The "survey"method was used for data collection.The data analyses techniques were descriptive statistics and linear regression analysis.It was concluded that information attained by ICTs like a telephone with toll-free number application;cell phone with text and robo calls applications and computer with internet application were found to be effective.The most common benefit of ICTs was found as a basic device of timely and updates information because,for many of the farmers,ICTs is only the most convenient mechanism to access to information.ICTs services and applications,personal characteristics and capacity building of the farmer were significantly correlated with the decision-making aspects with important for awareness,knowledge,capacity building,timely information,improved productivity and also marketing purpose etc.Technology development showed that the innovative capacities in public and private sector require not only timely interaction between all the stakeholders but also an increased focus on building and maintaining effective extension system.A timely solution of these problems will automatically boost farmer's income,enhanced their level of food security,rural employment sustained agricultural growth.All this is not possible without timely access to knowledge and information by the farmers.Therefore,improved ICTs(services and applications)system in communicating and providing agricultural information to a large number of farmers in a single click could help poor farmers to make informed choices about the opportunities and restriction associated with agricultural development policies.In building capacities of farmers,human capacity building and development was one of the major central elements in the adoption of ICT technology.However,result showed that robo calls,text message applications were more significant in agricultural development and farmer capacity building.A robo call was also significant in illiterate farmers who did not read and understand text message,computer,internet etc.The government needs to implement a holistic rural development extension approach,in which all sectors are capacitated in command for ICTs to make a meaningful effect.Pakistan should improve awareness concerning new and emerging communication technologies,especially technological change,information resources for agricultural and rural development.Government has an important role in helping the improvement of Agricultural Innovation Systems(AIS).There is need to restructure and redesign present technology transfer and flow of information scenario of agricultural extension system to make convenient efforts for provision of counseling services and agricultural information sources to rural farming societies.The government should start regular ICTs program like applications robo calls,SMS etc.to ensure timely availability of agricultural information to the farmer and also established of Information Hub Center(IHC)/Kiosk at Tehsil level(Sub-Division of District).IHC should provide agricultural platform as per needs of farmers,knowledge intermediaries,decision capabilities,marketing facilities and their use for broadcasting information capabilities.IHC and Kiosk also can provide employment,entrepreneurship opportunities,health,education,social welfare,marketing,supermarket facility etc.other than agricultural information.The Government of Pakistan will initiate a holistic modern ICTs services and applications awareness program at central level for the farming community.All the stakeholders should launch effective monitoring and evaluation mechanism of ICTs related agricultural technology transfer mechanism for effective agricultural development. |
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