Use of Information and Communication Technologies by Farmers in Menoua Division of the West Region of Cameroon

Abstract

Purpose: The objective of this article was to analyse the farmers' access to agricultural information by using ICTs in the case of Menoua Division of the West Region of Cameroon. Methodology: The study sample was constituted of 200 farmers of at least 21 years old and 31 resource persons. The sample was constituted using the reasoned choice, the snowball and simple random techniques. The data was collected by the questionnaire and analysis of quantitative data was done by use of SPSS.20. Finding: Results show that two ICTs components provide agricultural information used by farmers in agricultural basins in Menoua Division. Mobile phone, used by 189 out of 200 respondents, is the main support of agricultural information used in transactions. The computer used by 18 out of 200 respondents is also an important support for the use of ICTs. Social networks which include Whatsapp and Facebook are used by 25 out of 200 respondents. The mobile phone is mostly used by famers to access new informations in the agricultural sector (47%) and to be informed on the prices of products on the market (23%). Social networks enable farmers to get agricultural informations from discussions with colleagues (18 of 25). Social networks are also used to access news in the agricultural sector (5 of 25). Farmers used computer to record agricultural informations. Social networks help farmers to obtain 3 types of agricultural informations: technical (73%), commercial (89%) and institutional (42.5%). Recommendation: The government should inform farmers through their mobile phones by sending messages relating to seminar and holding of events such as agropastoral fairs. Also, training should be organized on the importance of using cell phones as tools of informal research via the internet by the farmers. Farmers should help each other and train together in the use of ICT for the benefit of their daily activities. The various mobile operators should also get involved in supporting farmers.