SAAO’S PERCEPTION TOWARDS E-AGRICULTURE OF DAE: EXPERIENCES FROM NORTHERN BANGLADESH

Abstract

e-Agriculture is a new field that combines agricultural informatics, technology diffusion, and information that is transmitted over the internet or improved unite related technology. Thus, the present study aimed at determine the extent of Sub-Assistant Agriculture Officer’s (SAAO’s) perception towards e-Agriculture, to explore the factors associates with SAAO’s perception towards e-Agriculture, and to examine the challenges and opportunities of e Agriculture used by SAAOs. This study was covering the area of Dinajpur, Thakurgaon and Panchagarh district. A total of 198 SAAO’s were selected by proportionate random sampling from 409 SAAO’s of three districts constituted the sample of this study. Data were collected from the respondents during the period from 15 Sep 2020 to 15 March 2021 using pre structured interview schedule by the researcher. SAAO’s perception towards e-Agriculture was determined following 5 dimensions. These was a) weather information, b) smart cultivation, c) pest and diseases information, d) nutrients and water usage and e) market information. Each dimension have ten statements. Perception was measured by constructing Likert scale. For more clear understanding of the SAAO’s perception towards e-agriculture Perception Index (PI) was computed. Pearson’s Product Moment Correlation Coefficient (r) used for testing the relationships between the concerned variables. Stepwise multiple regression analysis and path analysis were conducted to determine the explanation of total variation of a given variable based on one or more variables. The Perception Index (PI) of fifty statements revealed that the SAAOs had considerable perception in ‘pest and diseases information’ and ‘smart cultivation’ dimensions. Slightly near about three-fifths (59.1 %) of the SAAO’s had moderately agreed total perception towards e-Agriculture in five dimensions while 21.7 percent of the SAAO’s had highly agreed total perception towards e Agriculture in five dimensions and only 19.2 percent of the respondents had highly agreed total perception towards e-Agriculture in five dimensions. Thus, huge majority (80.8 %) of the SAAOs had moderately agreed to highly agreed total perception towards e-Agriculture in five dimensions. Among the 14 factors associated with SAAO’s, eight factors such as job facilities, job satisfaction, job performance, usage of e-agriculture tools, ICT self-efficacy, scientific orientation, knowledge on e-Agriculture and role of ICT had positive and significant relationship with perception towards e-Agriculture. Age, family size, professional experience, annual family income, professional commitment and training received on ICT had no significant relationship. Linear multiple regression analysis was computed with eight significant variables which revealed that the regression coefficient of only five variables usage of e-agriculture tools, ICT self-efficacy, scientific orientation, knowledge on e Agriculture, and role of ICT had significant contribution to the perception of the SAAO’s towards e- Agriculture. Among these five, role of ICT contributed the highest, (20.60 %) followed by (11.40 %) variation by knowledge on e-Agriculture and (6.80 %) by scientific orientation. ‘Inadequacy of ICT training’ (89.39 %) emerged as the most important challenge expressed by the SAAO’s. The foremost (95.45 %) opportunity cited by the SAAO’s was ‘Provides by ICT related training’.