Level of Utilisation of Mobile Phones Among Maize Farmers in Osogbo Agricultural Development Programme Zone of Osun State, Nigeria

Abstract

The study assessed the level of utilisation of mobile phones among maize farmers in the Osogbo (ADP) Zone of Osun State, Nigeria. Using a three-stage sampling procedure, 120 respondents were sampled and interviewed. Data were analysed using percentages, weighted mean scores (WMS), chi-square, and correlation analyses at p=0.05. The results reveal that the majority (63.3%) indicated a moderate level of utilisation of mobile phones and weather reports ranked first (WMS=2.47) of all the indicators of the utilisation of mobile phones. Increase in farmers’ income ranked first (WMS =2.76) of all the perceived benefits of utilisation of mobile phones. There was a significant association between age (χ2 =22.716), marital status (χ2= 19.566), level of formal education (χ2 =24.195), and utilisation of mobile phones. The study concluded that there was a moderate level of utilisation of mobile phones in the study area and recommended that respondents should further increase and improve on mobile phone utilisation as doing this would further increase the various benefits derived from mobile phone utilisation in accessing agricultural information.