Determinants of agricultural extension agents’ internet competencies in Eastern Region of Ghana

Abstract

Internet has been introduced by Ministry of Food and Agriculture to improve extension delivery in Ghana. However the extent to which extension agents have acquired the knowledge and skills to use it was not known in Eastern Region. The study looked at the determinants of Agricultural Extension Agents (AEAs) Internet competencies in the Eastern Region of Ghana. The study used descriptive survey design, stratified proportional sampling technique and validated questionnaire to collect data from 217 AEAs in ten districts of Eastern Region. Statistical tools such as frequencies, percentages, means, standard deviation, appropriate correlation coefficients were generated to describe or identify relationships among variables of the study. The study revealed that age, educational level, marital status, rank, location, years of experience, monthly salary, duration of use, years of using Internet, and training of AEAs relate significantly to Internet competencies of AEAs. The best predictors of Internet competencies of AEAs were training, location, duration of use, age and educational level