Authors :
Frederick Kamba Kabangu; Wonganombe Otshakoto; Ntiama Junior; Justin MBIMBI; Kengo Jospin; Zola Joris; Jacob NGWABA; Joseph NGWABA
Volume/Issue :
Volume 9 - 2024, Issue 2 - February
Google Scholar :
https://tinyurl.com/5banz9sm
Scribd :
https://tinyurl.com/4tmcnffs
DOI :
https://doi.org/10.38124/ijisrt/IJISRT24FEB278
Abstract :
The agricultural sector is increasingly
becoming both knowledge-intensive and techno-intensive.
Generally speaking, agriculture sector is dynamic,
farmers actively seek timely, accurate and relevant
information to keep up with daily challenges. These
challenges will significantly grow as a result of climate
change that causes changing rainfall patterns and
extreme weather events including, more frequent
droughts and floods. ICTs has been instrumental for
information broadcasting to farmers. Policy makers,
extension practitioners, scholars and development
agencies including, NGOs are advocating ICTs as a tool to
foster smallholder farmers productivity, efficiency and
performance through information including, new variety
of seeds, fertilizer, livestock breeds, emerging diseases,
vaccines, farming technologies, use of pesticides as well as
market information. In addition, they enable large hub of
know-how and sharing opportunity between
agriculturalists, investors and entrepreneurs. Most
African countries are essentially agrarian economies and
agriculture turns out to be livelihoods of hundreds of
millions households as well as a key driver of the economic
development. However, most farmers in the Democratic
Republic of Congo – especially smallholder farmers –
perform below their potential. Many governments and
scholars have developed innovative solutions related
agricultural practice. The challenge is to enable
information dissemination by large numbers of
smallholder farmers. The study aims to propose a
framework and policies for farmers to share information
through ICTs. It used both quantitative and qualitative
methods. The case study design is applied where empirical
data was collected using questionnaires, interviews,
documents analysis, and group discussions with farmer
groups. Based on the research objectives, it was
discovered that ICT policies is quasi-inexistent in
agricultural sector. The government provides no
agricultural information to farmers. In terms of ICT
access, 36% of farmers own a telephone. 58% use basic
feature phone while 42% of the respondents use
smartphone. 66% of farmers would like to be provided
information by a mobile phone. 63 % of farmers would
prefer to have information in video format while 34 % in
audio format. 95% of respondent strongly agree that ICT
can improve their farming condition.
The agricultural sector is increasingly
becoming both knowledge-intensive and techno-intensive.
Generally speaking, agriculture sector is dynamic,
farmers actively seek timely, accurate and relevant
information to keep up with daily challenges. These
challenges will significantly grow as a result of climate
change that causes changing rainfall patterns and
extreme weather events including, more frequent
droughts and floods. ICTs has been instrumental for
information broadcasting to farmers. Policy makers,
extension practitioners, scholars and development
agencies including, NGOs are advocating ICTs as a tool to
foster smallholder farmers productivity, efficiency and
performance through information including, new variety
of seeds, fertilizer, livestock breeds, emerging diseases,
vaccines, farming technologies, use of pesticides as well as
market information. In addition, they enable large hub of
know-how and sharing opportunity between
agriculturalists, investors and entrepreneurs. Most
African countries are essentially agrarian economies and
agriculture turns out to be livelihoods of hundreds of
millions households as well as a key driver of the economic
development. However, most farmers in the Democratic
Republic of Congo – especially smallholder farmers –
perform below their potential. Many governments and
scholars have developed innovative solutions related
agricultural practice. The challenge is to enable
information dissemination by large numbers of
smallholder farmers. The study aims to propose a
framework and policies for farmers to share information
through ICTs. It used both quantitative and qualitative
methods. The case study design is applied where empirical
data was collected using questionnaires, interviews,
documents analysis, and group discussions with farmer
groups. Based on the research objectives, it was
discovered that ICT policies is quasi-inexistent in
agricultural sector. The government provides no
agricultural information to farmers. In terms of ICT
access, 36% of farmers own a telephone. 58% use basic
feature phone while 42% of the respondents use
smartphone. 66% of farmers would like to be provided
information by a mobile phone. 63 % of farmers would
prefer to have information in video format while 34 % in
audio format. 95% of respondent strongly agree that ICT
can improve their farming condition.
