USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA TO SHARE AGRICULTURAL INFORMATION AMONG RICE FARMERS IN BADE LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, YOBE STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

The study investigated, use of social media to share agricultural information among rice farmers in Bade Local Government Area, Yobe State, Nigeria. The study was structured along three research objectives to identify types of social media platforms commonly used for agricultural information sharing, types of information shared by rice farmers using social media and challenges associated with use of social media for agricultural information sharing among rice farmers. Several literature and empirical studies were cited in line with the research objectives. A quantitative research method was adopted, using cross-sectional survey design. The target population for this study is made up the rice farmers of Bade local government area. The total population of rice farmers is one thousand two hundred and sixteen. Random sampling technique was adopted for selecting respondents. The purpose of this study one hundred and ten was randomly selected. A questionnaire was used, as an instrument of data collection. Data collected were analyzed descriptively using frequency and simple percentages. The findings of this study revealed that rice farmers used various social media platforms in sharing agricultural information such as Facebook, Whatsapp, Instagram, Twitter, You Tube, and rice farmers shared different types of information through social media such as, information on crop variety, on new seeds, on insecticides and information on how to apply fertilizer which were fall in the highest information share by rice farmer, while challenges, like high data charge from telecommunication, erratic power supply, lack of adequate network were the most serious challenges militating against the use of social media in sharing agricultural information. It was therefore recommended that networks companies should reduce charge of data. Erratic power supply is another serious problem hampering the effective utilization of social media, therefore power should be improved. Also, Government and other stakeholders should provide adequate infrastructural facilities to reduce network problems more especially in rural areas where most of these rice farmers reside.