Barriers and Preparedness towards ICT Utilization in Bangladesh

Agriculture is one of the vital sectors in which ICT can be used reasonably in transferring the modern agricultural technologies to the farmers. Information and communication technology in agriculture includes internet, radio/community radio, television, wireless communication tools, cell phone, audio visuals, GIS,GPS and other technologies which direct the agricultural activities towards precision agriculture. Majority of population in the developing world live in rural areas and they have no or little access to the information. Bangladesh is no exception of that and the population who lives in rural areas have limited access to the information. ICT utilization in a developing country relies on various facets such as infrastructure, government policy, cultural factors, organizational and human resources. Hence, this study focuses on various factors to investigate the preparedness and barriers perceived by agricultural extension workers. Identifying these factors will help increase the knowledge of the extension personnel in using ICT for the agricultural sector. This, in turn, will have a positive impact on sustainable agricultural development and the economy of Bangladesh.