Abstract:
This paper assesses the use of ICTs in sharing agricultural information among
fish farmers in the Southern Highlands of Tanzania. The main objective of the
study was to assess the use of ICTs among fish farmers in sharing agricultural
information. Specifically, the study focused on: assessing types of ICTs
preferred by fish farmers in sharing agricultural information; determining the
degree of ICTs usage among fish farmers in sharing agricultural information;
and examining the influence of socioeconomic characteristics on fish farmer’s
ICTs preferences.
The study was carried out in twelve purposeful selected divisions in six districts
of the three regions of Southern Highland of Tanzania namely Ruvuma, Mbeya
and Iringa. It involved 240 fish farmers who were randomly selected. The study
employed a cross section research design and used quantitative and qualitative
research approaches in collecting data. The employed questionnaire, Focus
Group Discussion, observation and key informants interview in data collection.
Quantitative data were analyzed by using both descriptive and inferential
statistics with the aid of SPSS version 20 while qualitative data were analyzed
using content analysis.
The study found that mobile phones, radio and television were most used by the
fish farmers in sharing agricultural information while the internet was least
used. Likewise, results showed that television was the most preferred ICT tool
by fish farmers in information sharing. Further results showed that ownership of
television had a positive significant relationship with the farmers’ preferences
toward its usage at probability level of 0.005. Moreover, the paper concluded
554and recommended that since ICT tools play an important role in communicating
and sharing relevant and current agricultural knowledge and information to
farmer’s communities, the Government should support fish farmers by
subsidizing some costs that more fish farmers can acquire and use them.
