Development and Standardisation of a Digital Competency Index for Extension Professionals of India: A Principal Component Analysis Approach

Abstract

The rapid progression of digital technologies necessitates that extension professionals develop robust digital skills to strengthen information delivery for effective growth and sustainability of agricultural sector. This study made an attempt to assess the digital competencies of extension professionals through development and standardisation of a digital competency index (DCI). Given that public extension system—primarily through Farm Science Centres (FSCs)—serves as the main conduit for disseminating agricultural information, the study focused on extension professionals engaged with these centres. A structured questionnaire comprising 27 indicators spanning six dimensions, namely, Information Management (IM), Content Creation (CC), Communication and Sharing (CS), Ethics and Responsibility (ER), Evaluation and Problem-Solving (EPS), and Technical Operations (TO), were developed using European Commission guidelines. The questionnaire was mailed to the extension professionals affiliated with 731 FSCs in different agro-climatic zones, and responses were recorded on a five-point proficiency scale. Data received from 210 extension professionals were subjected to Principal Component Analysis (PCA) for allocating weights to each dimension. The suitability of data for PCA was confirmed through the Kaiser–Meyer–Olkin (KMO) measure and Bartlett’s Test of Sphericity. The highest weight was attributed to ER (33.622%), suggesting that ethical conduct, as well as responsible digital practices, are paramount in maintaining the integrity and credibility of extension services. The findings showed that a considerable proportion of extension professionals (45.238%) exhibited medium level of digital competency. The results highlight the necessity for continuous skill enhancement in digital tools for extension professionals to reduce the information gap among farmers. Further, clearly defined roles and responsibilities could help better address the evolving information and development needs of the agricultural sector.