Effectiveness of New Media Technologies on Agricultural Production among Rural Households in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria

Background: This study assessed the effectiveness of new media channels on agricultural production among rural households in Akwa Ibom State. The objectives of the study were; to identify the socio-economic characteristics of the respondents in the study area, identify the types of new media channels available to rural households in the study area and assessed the effectiveness of new media on agricultural production in the study area. Methods: A multi stage sampling technique was used to select 250 respondents used for the study. Data were collected using structured questionnaire and analyzed using both descriptive and inferential statistics. Result: The results of the study revealed that 36.6% of the respondents were aged between 41-50 years, with 39.20% and 28.20% having secondary and primary levels of education respectively. Whatsapp was the most popular new media channel available to the farming households. In terms of effectiveness, it was observed that new media was effective mostly in improving crop and animal husbandry. The results of the hypothesis showed that age of the farmers and educational level of the farmers were found significant. It is concluded that new media is a veritable tool in the development of agriculture in Akwa Ibom State in particular and Nigeria in general.