How Does Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Affect Oil Palm Agricultural Practices?

Tan Say Peng, Novel Lyndon, Nur Hana Basaruddin, Zaki Aman, Sinyee Gan, Zurinah Tahir

Abstract


This study investigates the factors influencing the adoption of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) among oil palm-independent smallholders and assesses their perception of the use of ICT in agricultural practices. Through personal interviews with 384 independent smallholders, this research examines the relationship between respondents' demographic characteristics and smartphone usage, identifies the factors influencing ICT adoption among oil palm independent smallholders (ISH), and evaluates the extent of ICT usage perceived by ISH. The analysis of the Chi-square test showed a significant difference p<0.05 between the education status of farmers and their use of smartphone brands, the time spent on social media, and the experience with the smartphone. The findings reveal a widespread agreement among smallholders on the value of smartphones, reflecting their recognition of the importance of ICT. However, the study highlights that accessibility to ICT facilities emerged as a significant factor with the lowest mean score, indicating a lack of adequate infrastructure in the surveyed areas. Furthermore, respondents expressed dissatisfaction with the current state of ICT facilities. Conversely, most respondents emphasized the significance of accessing online information on fresh fruit bunch (FFB) prices and demonstrated an eagerness to obtain agricultural information online. This study also emphasizes the need to understand the factors driving ICT adoption among ISH and underscores the importance of enhancing accessibility to ICT facilities and improving satisfaction with existing infrastructure. Empowering ISH to leverage ICT tools effectively can enable them to access vital information and establish efficient connections with potential markets in the digital era. Smartphones as ICT tools have revolutionized the agricultural sector by improving access to information, financial services, and advanced farming tools, thereby fostering higher efficiency and sustainability in agricultural practices.

 

Keywords: Agricultural practices, extension service, information and communication technology, smallholders, smartphone

Keywords


Agricultural practices, extension service, information and communication technology, smallholders, smartphone

Full Text:

PDF

References


Adnan, S. S., Zaman, N. B. K., & Othman, N. M. I. (2022). Factors influencing the adoption of information and communication technology (ICT) among oil palm settlers in Felda Wilayah Alor Setar, Kedah: A survey. In IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science (Vol. 1059, No. 1, p. 012012). IOP Publishing.

Agwu, A. E., & Uchechi, N. (2019). Challenges and opportunities for ICT adoption in agricultural extension. Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation ACP-EU (CTA), 4–5.

Agoda, S., Nwanade, C. F., Udefi, I. O., Benson, O. B., & Ajayi, A. O. (2017). Assessment of the constraints to effective delivery of agricultural extension services in Lagos state, Nigeria. J Agric Res, 2, 76-88.

Ahmad, D. S. N. A., Fatah, F. A., Saili, A. R., Saili, J., Hamzah, N. M., Nor, R. C. M., & Omar, Z. (2025). Exploration of the challenges in adopting smart farming among smallholder farmers: A qualitative study. Journal of Advanced Research in Applied Sciences and Engineering Technology, 45(1), 17–27.

Aker, J. C. (2011). Dial “A” for Agriculture: A review of information and communication technologies for agricultural extension in developing countries. Agricultural Economic, 42(6), 631-647.

Alam, M. M., Siwar, C., bin Toriman, M. E., Molla, R. I., & Talib, B. (2012). Climate change induced adaptation by paddy farmers in Malaysia. Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change, 17(2), 173–186.

Ali, M., Man, N., Abd Latif, I., Muharam, F. M., & Zobidah Omar, S. (2018). The use of information and communication technologies in agricultural risk management by The Agricultural Extension Services in Malaysia. International Journal of Agriculture, Environment and Food Sciences, 2(1), 29–35.

Austin, Chukwukere, O., Baharuddin, Hussin, A., & Okezie, C. A. & Baharuddin, A. H. (2012). Risk in Malaysian Agriculture: The need for a strategic approach and a policy refocus. Kajian Malaysia: Journal of Malaysian Studies, 30(1), 21–25.

Awang, A. H., Hashim, K., Ramli, Z., Lyndon, N., Ibrahim, I., Tan, S. P., Johari, M. A., Basaruddin, N. H., Haidar, M., & Hamid, A. (2016). Pemindahan teknologi dan produktiviti pekebun kecil persendirian sawit di Teluk Intan, Perak (Technology transfer and the productivity of palm oil smallholders in Teluk Intan, Perak, Malaysia). E-Bangi, 13(2), 78–87.

Banerjee, A. (2011). The ICT in agriculture: Bridging Bharat with India. Global Media Journal - Indian Edition, 2(2), 1–16.

Bekhet, H. A., & Latif, N. W. A. (2018). The impact of technological innovation and governance institution quality on Malaysia’s sustainable growth: Evidence from a dynamic relationship. Technology in Society, 54, 27–40.

Böhmer, M., & Krüger, A. (2013). A study on icon arrangement by smartphone users. Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems - Proceedings, November 2015, 2137–2146.

Bondzie, K. S. (2023). The use of information and communication technologies by oil palm farmers in Ghana. A dissertation submitted to the Department of Agribusiness Management And Consumer Studies, School Of Agriculture And Technology, University Of Energy And Natural Resources.

Chhachhar, A. R., & Md Salleh Hassan, M. S. H. (2012). The use of mobile phone among farmers for agriculture development. International Journal of Scientific Research, 2(6), 95–98.

Chisita, C. T. (2010). Meeting: Session 85 — Agricultural Libraries. World Library and Information Congress, 1–14.

Christoplos, I., & Kidd, A. (2000). Guide for Monitoring, Evaluation and Joint Analyses of Pluralistic Extension Support. pp 1–22.

Cox, A. and Sseguya, H. (2015). ICT supported extension services in conservation agriculture information access for smallholder farmers in Laikipia County, Kenya. 2015 IEEE International Symposium on Technology and Society (ISTAS), Dublin, Ireland, pp. 1-6.

David, C. (2020). Community, Crowdsourcing, and Commerce: WhatsApp Groups for Agriculture in Kenya [Doctoral dissertation, Université d'Ottawa (University of Ottawa)].

Deloitte. (2012). eTransform Africa: Agriculture Sector Study. Sector assessment and opportunities for ICT. Deloitte.

Ferris S, Engoru P, Kaganzi E, 2014. Making market information services work better for the poor in Uganda. Cah Agric, 23, 336-43. doi: 10.1684/agr.2014.0708

Fielke, S., Taylor, B., & Jakku, E. (2020). Digitalisation of agricultural knowledge and advice networks: A state-of-the-art review. Agricultural Systems, 180(November 2019), 102763.

Gillwald, A., Milek, A., & Stork, C. (2010). Towards evidence-based ICT policy and regulation gender assessment of ICT access and usage in Africa. Volume One 2010 Policy Paper 5, 1, 1–39.

Gómez-Chabla, R., Real-Avilés, K., Morán, C., Grijalva, P., & Recalde, T. (2019). IoT applications in agriculture: A systematic literature review. Advances in Intelligent Systems and Computing, 901, 68–76.

Govender, N. (2023). Small-scale and subsistence farmers’ resilience and sustainable livelihoods due to COVID-19: Possibilities of networking with ICT and WhatsApp. Alternation Special Edition, 41(2023), 407-441.

Gumbi, N. (2023). Towards sustainable digital agriculture for smallholder farmers: A systematic literature review. Sustainability, 15(16), 12530.

Hair, J., Anderson, R., Babin, B., & Black, W. (2010). Multivariate Data Analysis. 7th Edition, Pearson, New York.

Hasnat, A., Mahbub, M., Hasnat, M.A., Islam Talukder, K. & Mubasshira, T. 2017. Examine the performance of telecommunication company in Malaysia: A case from Axiata Group Sdn Bhd. International Journal of Scientific and Research Publications, 7(2), 289-294.

Hansen, J., Hellin, J., Rosenstock, T., Fisher, E., Cairns, J., Stirling, C., Lamanna, C., van Etten, J., Rose, A., & Campbell, B. (2019). Climate risk management and rural poverty reduction. Agricultural Systems, 172(July 2017), 28-46.

Haque, A., Khatibi, A., & Rahman, S. (2009). Factors influencing buying behavior of piracy products and its impact to Malaysian market. International Review of Business Research Papers, 5(2), 383-401.

Haworth, B.T., Biggs, E., Duncan, J., Wales, N., Boruff, B. & Bruce, E. (2018). Geographic information and communication technologies for supporting smallholder agriculture and climate resilience. Climate, 6(4), 1-20.

Hoang, H. (2023). Smallholder farmers’ perception and adoption of digital agricultural technologies: An empirical evidence from Vietnam. Outlook on Agriculture, 52(4), 457-468.

Ilahiane, H. (2023). Mobile Phones, farmers, and the unsettling of Geertz’s Moroccan Suq/Bazaar economy. Anthropology of the Middle East, 18(1), 98-112.

Islam, S. M., & Grönlund, Å. G. (2012). Factors influencing the adoption of mobile phones among the farmers in Bangladesh: Theories and practices. International Journal on Advances in ICT for Emerging Regions (ICTer), 4(1), 4.

Irham, N., Andani, A., Jamhari, N., & Suryantini, A. (2021). Smallholding farmers’ resilience towards economic and ecological disruption of oil palm plantations. E3S Web of Conferences, 316, 02024.

Javaid, U. (2017). Role of mass media in promoting agricultural information among farmers of district Nankana. Pakistan Journal of Agricultural Sciences, 54(3), 711–715.

Jere, N. J., & Maharaj, M. S. (2017). Evaluating the influence of information and communications technology on food security. SA Journal of Information Management, 19(1), 1–7.

Kamal, M., & Bablu, T. A. (2023). Mobile applications empowering smallholder farmers: A review of the impact on agricultural development. International Journal of Social Analytics (IJSA), 8, 36–37.

Kang, S., Hur, W. M., & Son, M. (2014). The moderating role of socio-demographics on smartphone adoption. International Journal of Mobile Communications, 12(5), 532–550.

Kaplan, A. M., & Haenlein, M. (2010). Users of the world, unite! The challenges and opportunities of social media. Business Horizons, 53(1), 59–68.

Khan, N. A., Qijie, G., Ali, S., Shahbaz, B., & Shah, A. A. (2019). Farmers’ use of mobile phone for accessing agricultural information in Pakistan: A case of Punjab province. Ciencia Rural, 49(10), 1–12.

Kisena, M. (2023). Assessing the contribution of mobile phone agricultural information on maize productivity: a case study of Kilolo district, Tanzania. European Journal of Theoretical and Applied Sciences, 1(6), 1096-1105.

Kiptot, E. & Franzel, S. (2015). Farmer-to-farmer extension: opportunities for enhancing performance of volunteer farmer trainers in Kenya. Development in Practice, 25(4), 503-517.

Klerkx, L. (2021). Digital and virtual spaces as sites of extension and advisory services research: social media, gaming, and digitally integrated and augmented advice. The Journal of Agricultural Education and Extension, 27(3), 277-286.

Kountios, G., Konstantinidis, C., & Antoniadis, I. (2023). Can the adoption of ICT and advisory services be considered as a tool of competitive advantage in agricultural holdings? A literature review. Agronomy, 13(2), 530.

Koyu, B., Singh, R. J., Kalai, K., Laitonjam, N., & Meena, N. K. (2018). E-Readiness of farmers in agricultural extension system: A case of Ri-bhoi district, Meghalaya, India. Plant Archives, 18(1), 117–120.

Krejcie, R. V., & Morgan, D. W. (1970). Determining sample size for research activities. Educational and Psychological Measurement, 30, 607–610.

Kurtenbach, T., & Thompson, S. (1999). Information technology adoption: Implications for agriculture. Proceedings of World Food and Agribusiness Forum, June.

Lazim, H. M., & Sasitharan. (2014). The smartphone technology acceptance among Malaysian young adults. The 4th International Conference on Technology and Operations Management, 562–570.

Magesa, M. M., Michael, K., & Ko, J. (2015). Towards a framework for accessing agricultural market information. Electronic Journal of Information Systems in Developing Countries, 66(1).

Mahata, C. & Mhagama, P. (2022). Factors affecting adoption of mobile phone applications among farmers in Lilongwe, Malawi: The case of Mchikumbe 212. 2018 International Conference on Multidisciplinary Research, 2022, 359-373.

Manfre, C., & Nordehn, C. (2013). Exploring the promise of information and communication technologies for women farmers in Kenya. MEAS Case Study, August, 1–10.

Manda, L. & Chapota, R. (2015). Integrating radio and e-media in national agricultural policy: The case of agricultural extension and advisory services in Malawi. Journal of Development and Communication Studies, 4(1), 49.

Mapiye, O., Makombe, G., Molotsi, A., Dzama, K. & Mapiye, C. (2021). Towards a revolutionized agricultural extension system for the sustainability of smallholder livestock production in developing countries: The potential role of ICTs. Sustainability, 13(11), 5868. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13115868

Mapiye, O., Makombe, G., Molotsi, A., Dzama, K., & Mapiye, C. (2023). Information and communication technologies (ICTs): The potential for enhancing the dissemination of agricultural information and services to smallholder farmers in sub-Saharan Africa. Information Development, 39(3), 638-658.

Maqsood, L. (2015). Use of mobile technology among rural women in Pakistan for agricultural extension information. [Master's thesis, Michigan State University]. ProQuest Dissertations and Theses Global.

Milovanovic, S. (2014). The role and potential of information technology in agricultural improvement. Ekonomika Poljoprivrede, 61(2), 471–485.

Mittal, S. (2012). Modern ICT for Agricultural Development and Risk Management in Smallholder Agriculture in India (Issue Socioeconomics Working Paper 3).

Mohammadyari, S., Singh, H. (2015). Understanding the effect of e-learning on individual performance: the role of digital literacy. Comput. Educ. 82, 11–25

Mojaki, R. A., & Keregero, K. J. B. (2019). Turning challenges into opportunity: Potential for adoption of e-extension in Lesotho. Journal of Agricultural Extension and Rural Development, 11(11), 184-191.

Morrar, R., Abdeljawad, I., Jabr, S., Kisa, A., & Younis, M. Z. (2019). The role of information and communications technology (ICT) in enhancing service sector productivity in Palestine: An international perspective. Journal of Global Information Management, 27(1), 47–65.

MPOB. (2022). Fact Sheet Pekebun Kecil Sawit Persendirian Disember 2021 SDRD.

Munyua, H., Adera, E., & Jensen, M. (2009). Emerging ICTs and their potential in revitalizing small scale agriculture in Africa. Agricultural Information Worldwide, 2(1), 3–9.

Muriithi, A. G., Bett, E., & Ogaleh, S. A. (2009). Information technology for agriculture and rural development in Africa: Experiences from Kenya. In Conference on international research on food security, natural resource management and rural development (Vol. 6, No. 8, pp. 20-25).

Nagiah, C., & Azmi, R. (2012). A review of smallholder oil palm production: Challenges and opportunities for enhancing sustainability-A Malaysian perspective. Journal of Oil Palm and the Environment, 3(November), 114–120.

Norton, G. W., & Alwang, J. (2020). Changes in agricultural extension and implications for farmer adoption of new practices. Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy, 42(1), 8–20.

Nyagango, A. I., Sife, A. S., & Kazungu, I. (2023). Factors influencing mobile phone usage awareness for accessing agricultural marketing information by grape smallholder farmers in Dodoma, Tanzania. Journal of Information, Communication and Ethics in Society, 21(4), 502-520.

Ohiagu, O. P. (2011). The Internet: The medium of the mass media. Kiabara Journal of Humanities, 16(2), 225–232.

Okello, J. J., Ofwona-Adera, E., Mbatia, O. L., & Okello, R. M. (2010). Using ICT to integrate smallholder farmers into agricultural value chain: The case of DrumNet Project in Kenya. International Journal of ICT Research and Development in Africa (IJICTRDA), 1(1), 23-37.

Opara, U. N. (2008). Agricultural information sources used by farmers in Imo State, Nigeria. Information Development, 24(4), 289–295.

Ospina, A. V., Faulkner, D., & Dickerson, K. (2014). Resilient pathways: The adaptation of the ICT sector to climate change. ITU.

Panda, S., Tarun Kumar Das and P.K. Pal (2019). Use of mobile phone by the farmers for agriculture and allied activities. International Journal of Inclusive Development, 5(2). 49–51.

Pandey, N. (2017). Role of information and communication technology in agriculture development: a study of Nabarangpur district. Scholedge International Journal of Business Policy & Governance, 4(4), 24.

Park, C. (2006). Hedonic and utilitarian values of mobile internet in Korea. International Journal of Mobile Communications, 4(5), 497–508.

Pun, S. . (2022). Performance of Farmer Call Center: A case of Nepal. B.R. Nahata Smriti Sansthan Agricultural Extension Journal (AEXTJ), 6(4), 109-118.

Raghuprasad, K. P., Devaraja, S. C., & Gopala, Y. M. (2012). Attitude of farmers towards utilization of information communication technology (ICT) tools in farm communication. Research Journal of Agricultural Sciences, 3(5), 1035–1037.

Rashid, A., Zeb, M.A., Rashid, A., Anwar, S., Joaquim, F. & Halim, Z. (2020). Conceptualization of smartphone usage and feature preferences among various demographics. Cluster Computing, 23(3): 1855–1873.

Rai, A. (2023). Agricultural extension's key role in modern farming: A review. Asian Journal of Agricultural Extension Economics & Sociology, 41(9), 475-485.

Rotz, S., Gravely, E., Mosby, I., Duncan, E., Finnis, E., Horgan, M., & Fraser, E. (2019). Automated pastures and the digital divide: How agricultural technologies are shaping labour and rural communities. Journal of Rural Studies, (68), pp. 112–122.

Samadder, S., & Rao, D. (2023). Role and importance of ICT in agricultural extension. In Srishti, T., Rhitisha, S., Rukoo, C., Kiran, C., & Niharika, S. (Eds). Recent Trends in Agriculture. Integrated Publications.

Samsuddin, S. F., Omar, S. Z., Samah, B. A., & Bolong, J. (2016). Potential benefits of ICT towards rural positive youth development in Malaysia. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 6(5), 258–272.

Sekaran, U., & Bougie, R. (2016). Research methods for business: A skill-building approach. Seventh edition. Wiley.

Shrestha, A., Deepa, T., Baudhacharya, N., Ramtel, R., Thapa, S., & Poudel, S. (2020). Information and communication technology (Ict) mediated extension services in agriculture in Nepal - A review. Acta Informatica Malaysia, 4(2), 33–36.

Statista. (2023, June 7). Malaysia: internet users using communication apps 2020. Statista. https://www.statista.com/statistics/973428/malaysia-internet-users-using-communication-apps/

Swanzy, F. K. M., Sosu, E. K. M., & Danso, W. O. (2020). Availability and use of information and communication technology by oil palm farmers in the Akyemansa District, Ghana. Advances in Research, 21(1), 1–10.

Tantisantisom, K. (2011). Information Dissemination for Farming Communities in Thailand. [Doctoral thesis, Edith Cowan University].

Tanveer, M. A., Gillani, U. A., Rizvi, S., Latif, M., Maqbool, H., & Rizwan, M. (2012). Barriers for business students in becoming an entrepreneur. Journal of Business and Management (IOSR-JBM), 74–82.

Taylor, P. (2023, June 7). Mobile network subscriptions worldwide 2028. Statista. https://www.statista.com/statistics/330695/number-of-smartphone-users-worldwide/

Tian, L., Shi, J., & Yang, Z. (2009). Why does half the world’s population have a mobile phone? An examination of consumers’ attitudes toward mobile phones. Cyberpsychology and Behavior, 12(5), 513–516.

Ugochukwu, C. (2020). An integrated conceptual framework for ICT-based market information source adoption among smallholder farmers. March, 1–27.

van Dijck, J., & Poell, T. (2013). Understanding social media logic. Media and Communication, 1(1), 2–14.

Walsh, S. (2022, June 6). The top 10 social media sites & platforms. Search Engine Journal. https://www.searchenginejournal.com/social-media/biggest-social-media-sites/

Yankson, P. W. K., Owusu, A. B., & Frimpong, S. (2016). Smallholder farmers’ knowledge of mobile telephone use: Gender perspectives and implications for agricultural market development. Progress in Development Studies, 18(1), 36–51.

Ye, J., & Pan, L. (2016). Concepts and realities of family farming in Asia and the Pacific. In Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (Issue 139).

Zhang, Y., Wang, L., & Duan, Y. (2016). Agricultural information dissemination using ICTs: A review and analysis of information dissemination models in China. Information Processing in Agriculture, 3(1), 17–29.


Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.