The Use of information and communication technologies for improved rural agricultural productivity in Tanzania: challenges and opportunities

Journal of Continuing Education and Extension, 2008; 3(1):29-39Many constraints that hamper the performance of agriculture in Tanzania are aggravated by poor agricultural information services, a situation which should no longer be on development agenda because, the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) can improve availability, access, use and sharing of agricultural information among rural communities for increased agricultural productivity and food security. However, given its potentials and applications in all economic sectors, the role of ICTs has not yet been given due attention in agricultural sector in Tanzania. The country has not done much to integrate ICTs into strategies and policies for increasing agricultural performance. Agricultural research findings available in libraries and research institutions are in inappropriate formats, languages and technical levels for adoption by both extension workers and farmers while such findings could have been repackaged using appropriate ICTs and disseminated to users for use. Thus, this paper highlights possible opportunities, potentials and challenges of investment and promotion of ICTs in rural agriculture for productive extension services, increased, sustainable agriculture, food security and poverty reduction. The paper calls to undertake a project that aims at investigating and taking interventions to enhance the use of ICTs in sharing agricultural information in rural communities in Tanzania to complement extension services, which have so far been inadequate to meet the diversified information needs of farmers. In conclusion, the paper calls for a closer collaboration among researchers, extension personnel and information personnel through capacity building to increase the level of awareness of rural communities to seek, access and share agricultural information through use of ICTs