FARMERS' E-READINESS AND ICT TOOL ACCESSIBILITY IN DIGITAL AGRICULTURE: EVIDENCE FROM CHENGALPATTU DISTRICT

Abstract

This study, conducted in 2025, assessed the e-readiness of farmers and their accessibility to information and communication technology (ICT) tools within digital agricultural information systems in Chengalpattu district of Tamil Nadu. Data were collected from 120 randomly selected farmers using a pre-tested structured interview schedule. Correlation and multiple regression analyses examined the relationship between six independent variables age, education, annual income, social participation, mass media exposure, and extension contact — and farmers' accessibility to major ICT tools. Education (r = 0.257) and mass media exposure (r = 0.261) showed significant positive correlations with ICT accessibility at the 1 per cent level. Multiple regression analysis indicated that social participation (b = 1.869, t = 2.264) and mass media exposure (b = 3.024, t = 2.59) were significant positive predictors, with all six variables together explaining 76.5 per cent of the variance (R² = 0.765, F = 2.369). Poor network connectivity, insufficient time, and language difficulty were identified as the leading barriers to ICT utilization. The study concluded that targeted digital literacy interventions, mass media dissemination, and community-based social participation frameworks were needed to strengthen farmers' e-readiness.