USE OF ICT BY THE FISHERMEN FOR FISH FARM MANAGEMENT IN SELECTED AREAS OF DAUDKANDI UPAZILLA UNDER CUMILLA DISTRICT

Abstract

ABSTRACT The study was conducted to determine the extent of use of ICT by the fishermen for fish farm management, to determine the extent to which the selected factors influence fish farmer’s use of ICT for fish farm management and to identify the barriers are faced by the fish farmers in using ICT tools for fish farm management in selected areas of Daudkandi upazilla under Cumilla district. Two unions namely Baro para and Gouripur of Daudkandi upazilla were randomly selected as research area under Cumilla district. Data were collected from 103 randomly selected fish farmers from the study areas, through personal interview by the researcher himself during October 25 to November 25, 2020. Data were analyzed by Multiple Regression analysis using SPSS 25.0. Age, education, fish farm size, fish farming experience, communication exposure, fisheries training received, ICT possession, usefulness of use ICT tools were the selected variables for the study. Data indicates that that majority of the respondents’ (38.8%) use of various ICT were found less while one-third of them 33% use moderately. A little more than one-fourth of the respondents (28.2%) use ICT tools for fish farm management. Majority (86.4%) of the fish farmers in the study area were of middle to young aged This study found that middle to young aged fish farmers is more interested and engaged in fish farming and their high use of ICT in fish farming. (63.1%) of the fish farmers’ education level varied from primary to secondary levels. Thus, it can be said that the high education level, more interested and used of ICT for fish farming. Concerning the barrier, ‘high cost of ICT tools’ was most frequently reported by fish farmers followed by ‘lack of ICT training and ICT infrastructure. Findings revealed that, level of education, communication exposure and ICT possession had positive and significant contribution to the use of ICT for fish farm management which constitutes 67.4% (R 2 = 0.674) of the variances. Thus, the study concludes with the recommendation to enable favorable environment to promote use of ICT tools in receiving fish farming information.