Factors Influencing Farmers’ Attitude towards E-Governance in Agricultural Services in Dinajpur District, Bangladesh

Abstract

The study determined the factors influencing the attitude of farmers towards e-governance. Data were collected using a structured interview schedule from one hundred and twenty-five (125) farmers from Phulbari upazila of Dinajpur district in Bangladesh. Forty-one statements were used to assess the attitude of the farmers using a Likert-type scale. Data were analysed using percentages, means, standard deviations, Pearson’s correlation analysis, and multiple linear regression analysis. The findings revealed that a significant proportion (68.0%) of the respondents had moderately to highly favourable attitudes towards e-governance. The top-ranked attitude statement was ‘e-governance programs help to disseminate emergency disaster forecasting’ (mean =3.784). The significant key factors influencing farmers’ attitudes towards e-governance were knowledge of e-governance (beta coefficient =0.770), educational qualification (beta coefficient =0.151), age (beta coefficient =-0.116), and organisational participation (beta coefficient =0.084). Specialized training programs to improve farmers’ familiarity with e-governance, customized extension services for different educational backgrounds and age groups, and promotion of organisational engagement through cooperatives could be essential to foster farmers’ attitudes and thereby adopt e-governance.

Keywords

• E-governance
• agricultural policies
• information technology
• knowledge and education
• farmer attitudes