A COMPARATIVE STUDY ON EFFECTIVENESS OF ICT- ENABLED VILLAGE INFORMATION CENTRES AMONG DAIRY FARMERS: THE CASE OF INDIA S Senthilkumar*

and Mahesh Chander

Division of Extension Education, Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Izatnagar-243 122 (UP), India
ABSTRACT

Effectiveness of ICT-Enabled Village Information Centres (VICs) with special reference to dairy farming was assessed in Tamil Nadu. Ex-post-facto research design was followed, wherein 180 users and 90 non-users of VICs constituting 270 dairy farmers covering three ICTVIC initiatives viz. Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (TANUVAS), M.S.Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF) and n-Logue communication in Tamil Nadu were selected using random sampling technique. TANUVAS, MSSRF and n-Logue Communication beneficiaries had total knowledge score of 0.80, 0.56 and 0.70, respectively and overall total knowledge score of 0.69 was gained by dairy farmers from three initiatives, of that, 0.59 from VICs and 0.10 from other sources. Knowledge gained through VICs is the indicator for assessing the effectiveness of Village Information Centres and results of this study truly revealed the above fact. The respondents attained high total knowledge score on dairy farming activities only by the way of utilising VICs not from any other sources. Among thirteen independent variables, time of using VICs, mass media exposure, extension agency contact and credibility were found to be positively and significantly (p<0.01) correlated with knowledge level of dairy farmers for three VIC initiatives. Gender was negatively and significantly (P<0.01) correlated but distance covered was positively and significantly (P<0.05) correlated with knowledge. The study revealed that among three VIC initiatives knowledge Key words: ICT, Village Information Centre, Knowledge level of Dairy Farmers, Tamil Nadu

This paper was submitted for eWORLDFORUM 2011 conference

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Assistant Professor, Veterinary University Training and Research Centre, Parakkai 629 601, Nagercoil, Kanyakumari District, Tamil Nadu, India. E-mail : usveteng@gmail.com , Ph. No.+ 91-9486258393 (Mobile)

This paper was submitted for eWORLDFORUM 2011 conference

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