Author(s): S. PANDA, K. PRADHAN, C. V. PRASAD AND A. SAHA

Abstract: In the present era of knowledge upliftment, the information enables the individual to explore and excel their cognitive element for developing the socio economic status in the socio-cultural milieu. The higher accessibility of information plays a pivotal role in ensuring sustainability of any livelihood generating activity. In a country like India where majority of the population staying in the remote area are still continuing their livelihood with the help of agriculture. In this case, the productivity and profitability of the farming enterprises strongly associated with the timely availability of appropriate information. For enhancing the access of information, Information Communication Technology (ICT) can create the environment and motivate the people to avail the benefit of technological backstopping. With this backdrop, the present study has been conceptualized to assess and analyze the access of farming community to various ICTs for doing their agricultural activity effectively and efficiently. The study was conducted in five villages of Cooch Behar-I and Cooch Behar-II block of Cooch Behar district of West Bengal.Purposive as well as multistage and random sampling procedures were followed in selecting the respondents.In the present study, farmers’ access on ICT tools was considered as dependent variable and the other related social, personal, psychological and communication attributes were considered as the independent variables. The data were collected with the help of the structured interview schedule through personal interview method. The major statistical measures used were coefficient of correlation and multiple regressions. From the coefficient of correlation, it has been found that the variables like possession of assets and Utilization pattern of communication sources are positively and significantly associated with the dependent variable, access to ICT tools whereas one variable like experience in farming is negatively and significantly associated with the access of the farmers to the ICT tools. In multiple regression analysis, the variable like experience in farming is significantly and negatively contributing towards characterizing the access on ICT tools while other variables like house type, utilization pattern of communication sources are significantly and positively contributing towards characterizing the access on ICT tools, and the entire explicability is 36.20%.

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