Computer Awareness Among Limited-Resource Farmers

For over a decade, there has been an increasing emphasis on personal computers in farming operations. Many software packages have been developed to suit farm needs, and several studies have revealed farmers are using personal computers more to make management, production, and marketing decisions.1

Computers have provided answers to several generic agricultural concerns-cost of current crop production, impact of current interest rates, and cost increases on farm operations. Computers are now seen as cost-effective management tools likely to help farmers increase efficiency and profitability of production.

Historically, computers have been used by producers with larger farms. Limited-resource farmers (less than $25,000 household income and 50 acres) bypassed the technology because of its cost and their lack of knowledge about computer use in farming.2 The advent of reasonably priced personal computers brought hopes that they'd become an indispensable farm tool for all types of farmers. Still, limited-resource farmers have been reluctant to use computers in their farm operations. Several studies have identified why farmers generally have been slow to adopt and benefit from technological innovations like personal computers. These reasons include the cost of the computer, time required to learn to use it, lack of knowledge about its capabilities, level of education of farmers, and size and type of farming operation.3

Previous survey efforts of computer use have focused on full - and part-time farmers rather than limited-resource farmers. Therefore, we saw value in investigating two broad questions: How aware are the limited-resource farmers about the capability of the computer? Who provides the best sources of information to these farmers about the utility of the personal computer?

A study was done to assess the awareness, interest, and use of the personal computer by limited-resource farmers and to identify constraints associated with adoption. Specific objectives of the study were to:

1. Determine the level of computer awareness among limited- resource farmers in south central Alabama.

2. Identify the sources from which the farmers learned about the agricultural capability of the personal computer.

3. Assess the extent to which the farmers use the personal computer in their farm operations.

4. Determine the farmers' interest and willingness to learn more about the agricultural capability of the personal computer.

The population for the study was 563 limited-resource farmers in five of 12 south central Alabama counties extending from Georgia to Mississippi, whose names and addresses were on file with the Cooperative Extension Program at Tuskegee University. The area is characteristically rural with only two cities with populations exceeding 10,000. Using topographical maps of the counties, a random sample of 226 farmers was selected to participate in the study.

A 20-item questionnaire was developed to use during face-to- face interviews. Items contained in the instrument were gleaned from a related literature review. The instrument was reviewed for content validity and pilot-tested for question consistency, ease of reading, and completion time. Data were collected by interviewing 152 of the 226 farmers and analyzed using descriptive statistics. We were unable, even after repeated attempts, to reach the other 74 farmers.

The findings revealed that 49% of the farmers had a high school education or less. Although 61% were aware personal computers can be used on the farm in making important management decisions, 96% had never used a computer in making any farm decisions. Only four percent of the farmers had exposure to a personal computer, and they indicated they used it more for nonagricultural activities, such as writing personal letters. When the farmers were asked to give reasons why they hadn't adopted personal computers on their farms, 40% cited the cost and 21% indicated lack of technical knowledge were the main factors.

Table 1 summarizes the data about farmers' awareness and use of sources of information on computers. One-fifth of the respondents indicated they'd never heard of personal computer usage on farms. However, 47% expressed a willingness to seek additional information. When the farmers were asked to name the source where they'd first heard about farm computer use, 46% said from the media (TV, radio, newspapers), but only one percent had checked these sources for additional information. Eight percent of the farmers had heard about farm computers from their county Extension office or an Extension specialist.

Other findings revealed that only seven percent of the limited-resource farmers in the five counties were aware of the functions that personal computers could perform on the farm. Thirteen percent noted that they would give the use of personal computers on the farm some thought and eight percent would use them on a trial basis. Slightly more than a fourth (27%) of farmers were unenthusiastic about using personal computers in carrying out agricultural functions. However, 58% indicated they'd like to learn more about the use of personal computers through institutes, seminars, and workshops.

The present phenomenon of limited-resource farmers not using personal computers can be altered if these farmers are exposed to and educated in the use of this important technology. The small number of respondents who identified Extension as a source of information on computers suggests Extension needs to prioritize computer applications training for limited-resource farmers. With this training, limited-resource farmers would make greater use of this cost-minimizing technology, and, at the same time, improve their profit-maximizing ability and quality of life.

According to Prawl and others, "Education can be compared to a catalyst that modifies, relates, and activates other elements essential to producing change in individuals, groups or organizations."4 The findings of this study revealed that limited -resource farmers are willing to learn more about computers. Because Extension's long-range and ultimate task is to influence its clientele through education to use the results of scientific technology to improve their quality of life, Extension should organize seminars, institutes, and workshops to train limited- resource farmers in computer applications for agriculture.

1. W. F. Lazarus and T. R. Smith, "Adoption of Computers and Consultant Services by New York Dairy Farmers," Journal of Dairy Science, LXXI (No. 6, 1988), 1667-75 and David Quinlin and R. A. Martin, "An Evaluation of On-Farm Microcomputer Use," Journal of Agricultural Education, XXXI (No. 1, 1990), 7-11.

2. Quinlin and Martin, "Evaluation of On-Farm Microcomputer Use."

3. Blannie E. Bowen and Kathleen M. Escolme, "Computer Education of Farmers," Journal of Agricultural Education, XXXI (No. 1, 1990), 39-45 and Mark T. Taylor, Dana L. Hoag, and Mitchell B. Owen, "Computer Literacy and Use," Journal of Extension, XXIX (Winter 1991), 11-13.

4. Warren Prawl, Roger Medlin, and John Gross, Adult and Continuing Education Through the Extension Service (Columbia: University of Missouri-Columbia, Extension Division, 1984).