e-Readiness

e-Readiness: a key to achieve ICT4D

Ashok Rai, Basavaprabhu Jirli and Dipak De

Department of Extension Education, Institute of Agricultural Sciences

Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi – 221 005

Email: bjirli@gmail.com

Abstract

The interaction among farmers, extension functionaries and the agricultural research scientists has been the most important process of Agricultural Extension in the developing countries, particularly in India. It is evident that ICTs have applications in varied fields, extension also has number of utilizations in the process of transfer of technologies; cyber extension is one such area where extension is making use of ICT applications. At this juncture the question remains is ‘are the farmers e-Ready to receive the services’? Hence an e-readiness assessment was seen as a useful starting point for developing countries. Hence the study entitled “A study on e-Readiness of Krishi Vigyan Kendra Functionaries in Uttar Pradesh” was undertaken with the objectives of analyzing the role of elements of e-Readiness in technology transfer. The study was conducted in purposively selected state of Uttar Pradesh.  The state has 75 districts of which 68 districts are having Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK). The dependent variable of the study was e-Readiness, it was analysed at two levels, individual and institutional. The independent variables selected for the study included age, education, experience, job satisfaction, job performance, innovation proneness, organizational climate, decision making pattern and mass media exposure. All the KVKs were selected for the study. All the Programme Coordinators (PC) and Subject Matter Specialists (SMS) of the KVKs were selected as respondents of the study. The findings of the study reveal that 69 per cent respondents had medium degree of Innovation proneness. About 71 per cent had medium degree of perception of management. The study revealed that about 55 per cent had medium degree of organizational climate. Maximum numbers (63.64 per cent) of the NGOs KVKs were having modest infrastructure of ICTs followed. As far as accessibility to ICTs is concerned majority respondents (63.64 per cent) of NGO KVKs were having modest accessibility followed by 60 per cent for ICAR KVKs and 34.61 per cent SAUs KVKs. Majority of the institutions under all categories were having highest percentage of professionals with modest skill. Maximum numbers (40 per cent) of the ICAR KVKs were having modest affordability of ICTs. It is interesting to note hardly 5% SAU and 9% NGO KVKs have hypo level policy interventions regarding ICT on the contrary 11% SAU and 9% NGO KVKs had pragmatic level policy interventions on ICT. Policy of an institution regarding adoption and application of ICTs plays a pivotal role. Rest of the factors solely depends on policy of the institution. The overall e-Readiness of KVKs revealed that 78.25 per cent were found to be e-Ready, and 21.74 are having e-Readiness gap. Out of the eleven selected variables experience, perception of management and mass media exposure found to have positive and significant correlation with institutional e-Readiness of SAU KVKs.  It was found that mass media exposure, organizational climate and innovation proneness had significant association with knowledge level of Institutional e-Readiness at one per cent level of significance.  There exists negative and significant relation between age and experience in relation to individual e-Readiness of ICAR KVKs. It can be interpreted that less experienced and young professionals are more e-Ready compared to old and experienced professionals. There was positive and significant relationship between individual e-Readiness of SAU KVKs professionals and age, experience and mass media exposure.