ROLE OF MOBILE PHONE APPS IN AGRICULTURAL ACTIVITIES

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine and describe the role of mobile phone apps in agricultural activities, to identify the mobile phone apps frequently used by the women farmers, and to explore the relationship between the selected characteristics of women farmers and the role of mobile phone apps in agricultural activities. Data were collected using pre-tested interview schedule from a sample of 85 women farmers. The data collection was done in Tepa Kharibari union of Dimla Upazila under Nilphamari district during 1st August to 29th August 2018. Besides the usual descriptive statistical parameter, Pearson’s Product Moment Correlation Coefficient (r) was used for the statistical analysis. Findings indicated that among the women farmers, the highest proportion (64.7 percent) of the respondent opined that mobile phone apps had moderate role in agricultural activities followed by 23.5 percent high role and 11.8 percent low role. Ten (10) different android mobile phone apps were identified which are most frequently used by the women farmers in the study area. Among theses, ‘Vutta (Maize) app’ (100.0 percent) were found as the mostly used app. ‘Climate and disease control measures’ was found the first ranked activities in which mobile phone apps played highest role. The last agricultural activities in which mobile phone apps are least use are ‘sales of eggs’. According to the computed correlation coefficients (r) among the 10 selected characteristics, women farmer’s age, family size, farm size, credit received and deposit had no significant relationship with the role of mobile phone apps in agricultural activities. On the other hand, education, annual income, organizational participation, training received an ICT self-efficacy had positive significant relationship with the role of mobile phone apps in agricultural activities.