ICT Usage for Enhancing Communication Between Communal Farmers and Agricultural Advisors in Mangaung District, Free State

Résumé

This study explores the role of information and communication technologies (ICTs) in strengthening communication between communal farmers and agricultural advisors in Mangaung District, South Africa. Despite agriculture’s significant contribution to the national economy, the sector faces challenges in adopting digital technologies aligned with the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR). A structured survey was conducted among 62 participants using closed-ended questionnaires to assess ICT ownership, usage patterns, and barriers to effective utilisation. Findings reveal that ICT platforms dominate advisory communication, with 94% of interactions occurring through mobile phones and messaging applications, compared to 35% through face-to-face contact. Mobile phone ownership was high (90.5%), and 84.1% of respondents used them to access agricultural information. However, the use of other ICT tools, such as laptops and tablets, remained low. Key barriers included limited knowledge (41.3%), lack of exposure (34%), and high data costs. While 68.3% of farmers reported receiving ICT-related information from advisors, only 17% used ICT for market purposes, and 82.3% were unfamiliar with agricultural applications. Notably, 96.4% expressed willingness to adopt ICT if provided with training. These findings underscore the need for targeted capacity-building initiatives to enhance ICT literacy and promote digital advisory systems, thereby improving agricultural productivity.

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