Barriers, Challenges, and Requirements for ICT Usage among Sub-Assistant Agricultural Officers in Bangladesh: Toward Sustainability in Agriculture

Mamiya Binte Ahsan, Guo Leifeng (), Fardous Mohammad Safiul Azam, Beibei Xu, Shah Johir Rayhan, Abdul Kaium and Wang Wensheng ()
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Mamiya Binte Ahsan: Agricultural Information Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China
Guo Leifeng: Agricultural Information Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China
Fardous Mohammad Safiul Azam: Biotechnology Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China
Beibei Xu: Biological System Engineering, College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
Shah Johir Rayhan: Department of Management and Finance, Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural Sciences, Sher-e Bangla Nagar, Dhaka 1207, Bangladesh
Abdul Kaium: Department of Agricultural Chemistry, Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, Sher-e Bangla Nagar, Dhaka 1207, Bangladesh
Wang Wensheng: Agricultural Information Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China

Sustainability, 2022, vol. 15, issue 1, 1-27

Abstract: The present work is the first detailed study of sub-assistant agricultural officers (SAAOs), who are key players in delivering agriculture extension services in Bangladesh. We determined the status of information and communication technology (ICT) usage, knowledge gaps, approaches and tools for information delivery, barriers and obstacles to ICT usage, requirements for adoption, and possible solutions for efficient agriculture extension advisory services. We surveyed key respondents (SAAOs, n = 117) from nine sub-districts under the six administrative districts of Bangladesh with a semi-structured questionnaire. We found that 73.2% of all extension officers had basic knowledge of ICT. We observed that the most effective tool for information dissemination was field visits (90.90%, Moulvibazar district) and the most frequent extension approach was training and workshops (77.31%, Dhaka district). The best sources for information collection were broadcast media and social media. While delivering information, difficulty was found due to technical obstacles in Gazipur district, Rajshahi district, Sylhet district, and Dhaka district among 60% to 70% of SAAOs. However, farmers’ ignorance was reported in both Feni district and Moulvibazar district (36.36%). A shortage of computers in Gazipur district (56.25%) was an essential barrier to ICT usage for extension services. A major challenge in using ICT applications in Dhaka district was inadequate training support (64.51%). Mobile devices, internet connectivity, updated ICT applications, and a farmers’ database were the most important supports needed for the SAAO’s skilled advisory activities. In conclusion, our results and recommendations will help to redesign policies to improve infrastructure and allocate funding for capacity and skill development and ICT-based innovations in this sector to achieve sustainable extension and advisory services and attain food security in Bangladesh.

Keywords: ICT; SAAO; barriers and challenges; agriculture extension; Bangladesh; sustainable agriculture; transformation (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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