- Author: Subejo
- From: Study Program of Extension and agricultural Communication, Department of Agricultural Socio-Economics, Faculty of Agriculture, Universitas Gadjah Mada
Abstract:
Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) or commonly referred as electronic media or cyber media has been acknowledged play pivotal role in the development process. ICTs as a new instrument could facilitate the need of new information and innovation for rural people or farmers. Several studies reported that extension and communication basedelectronic media in developing countries encounters more hindrances rather than in developed countries. However, the application of ICTs is substantial to be strengthened by considering their potency and prospect for supporting various activities of villagers. This paper discusses the access and utilization of ICTs by farmers in rural Yogyakarta for supporting daily life activities including agricultural activities. The geographical conditions and socioeconomic characteristics of farmers in rural Yogyakarta were considered as the influenced factors on ICTs usage either for daily live activities or farming activities. Research method of the study was descriptive method which has been conducted by mixed method. In general, farmers have been using electronic media such as television, radio and hand phone with function for entertaining, education and getting new information. Information gathered from ICTs includes social, cultural, economic, health and environmental issues. The use of internet via hand phone has newly started to be utilized among farmers in coastal-marginal farming area who intensively engaged in horticulture crops cultivation mainly for getting and exchange the market information. Information on agriculture which accessed by farmers was still dominated by technological innovation of production aspects.
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