Journal of Scientific Research and Reports

This study was conducted to investigate the knowledge and extent of adoption of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) tools among farmers in the Chhatarpur district of Madhya Pradesh. It specifically aimed to identify the disparity between information availability and actual acceptance across different digital channels, including television, mobile services, and the internet. The study employed a multi-stage simple random sampling technique, selecting 120 respondents from four villages across the Rajnagar and Bijawar blocks of Chhatarpur district. Primary data were collected using a well-structured interview schedule. The "Extent of Adoption of ICT Tools" was measured as the primary dependent variable using a scoring system based on 33 agricultural practices and services, with respondents categorized into low, medium, and high adoption levels. Statistical analysis included frequency, percentage, mean scores, and ranking to assess the popularity of specific digital programs. The findings revealed that a plurality of farmers (41.66%) fell into the medium adoption category, while 30.00% and 28.34% exhibited low and high adoption levels, respectively. Television emerged as a dominant tool, with "Kisan Samachar" ranked first due to its accessible visual format. Mobile adoption was highly utilitarian, led by AGMARKNET (Rank I) and pest control advice (Rank II), indicating a preference for tools offering direct financial gain or immediate crisis intervention. On the internet, nutrient management (Rank I) was the most adopted service, showing that farmers turn to digital platforms for complex technical decisions. Conversely, specialized services like weather news and crop disease management showed lower adoption due to localized relevance and trust gaps. They can achieve this by using reliable platforms like "Kisan Samachar" to offer advanced technical training. To empower farmers on their own, village-level demonstrations on mobile networks such as AGMARKNET are desperately needed. Additionally, to fill up the gaps in irrigation and disease control, developers should produce farmer-friendly information in regional languages. Building a strong digital infrastructure, particularly reliable power and fast internet, and encouraging public-private partnerships are goals at the policy level that will enable small-scale farmers to afford sophisticated ICT tools like GPS and GIS.