Author(s): Hafsat Aminu Anas*, Bello Zaki Abubakar, Taiye Oduntan Fadiji and Danjuma Mbyaak Kezi
This study examined the use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) among small-scale ruminant farmers in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nigeria. A multi-stage sampling technique was employed to select 108 respondents across three area councils includes, Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), Gwagwalada, and Abaji. Data were collected using semi-structured questionnaires and analyzed using descriptive statistics (mean, percentages, frequency counts) and inferential statistics (Chi-square analysis). Findings revealed that 50% of the farmers were aged 46-60 years, with a mean age of 46.2 years. The majority (82.4%) were male, and 89.8% were married. Education levels varied, with 38.9% having higher education (HND/BSc and above). Household size averaged 6.72 members with most households (42.6%) having between 6 and 10 members, and 42.6% had 6-10 years of farming experience. Income from ruminant farming was modest, averaging N76,111.11, with goat farmers earning N63,879.16. Radio was the most widely used ICT tool (83.3%), followed by mobile phones (mean score = 2.24). Chi-square results indicated that larger household sizes significantly influenced the use of radio (p = 0.003), television (p = 0.026), mobile phones (p = 0.059) and email (p = 0.015). The most significant challenge faced by farmers was poor network coverage, as reported by 66.7% of respondents. The study concludes that socio-economic factors like education, age, household size, income, and gender significantly influence ICT adoption among small ruminant farmers. With radios and mobile phones widely used, efforts should focus on enhancing access and content quality. The study recommends that the government and NGOs create more market opportunities for sheep and goat products, implement policies to enhance ICT accessibility and improve health-related content dissemination through ICT tools.
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