Title: ICT TOOLS UTILIZATION IN DAIRY FARMING: RELATIONSHIP WITH DAIRY FARMERS' PROFILE AND A SWOC ANALYSIS

Authors: Bhagya Laxmi Sahu, Manjula N. and Jeebanjyoti Behera

Publisher: The President, Society of Extension Education Gujarat

Keywords: socio-psychological, strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, challenges

Volume: 39

Issue: 1

Year: June 2025

DOI: https://doi.org/10.56572/gjoee.2025.39.1.0003

Abstract: Information and Communication Technology (ICT) tools in dairy farming has the potential to enhance productivity, efficiency and profitability. However, the extent to which farmers use ICT differs depending on their socio-psychological and personal characteristics. In light of this, the present study was conducted to determine the relationship between the dairy farmers' profiles and their ICT tools utilization. Additionally, Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Challenges (SWOC) analysis was conducted to evaluate the factors influencing ICT utilization. This research was carried out in Dharwad and Belagavi districts of North Karnataka employing an Ex- post facto research design. From each district, two taluks and from each taluk two hoblis were selected randomly. Thereafter, fifteen dairy farmers were randomly selected from each hobli, resulting in a total sample size of 120. The study revealed that dairy farmers frequency and preference of utilization of ICT tool had positively significant relationship with education, source consultancy pattern, ICT tools possession, extension contact, achievement motivation, economic motivation, scientific orientation, innovativeness and credibility of ICT tools at one per cent level of significance. SWOC analysis revealed that cent per cent of dairy farmers expressed that possessing own ICT tools was major strength, inadequate training and practical skills to handle ICTs (95.00 %) was major weakness, training facilities on ICTs to dairy farmers (100.00 %) was major opportunity and non- availability of dairy information in local language in various ICT tools (95.83 %) was the major challenge. The study act as a roadmap for the line departments of state for selecting the right ICT tools for sharing information on dairy.