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Effect of Agricultural Advisory Services on Farmers’ Use of GPS-Based Farm Management Tools

Abstract

GPS-based farm management tools are digital technologies that use Global Positioning System data to support farm planning, field mapping, monitoring, resource management, and agricultural decision-making. These tools can help farmers identify field boundaries, determine farm locations, monitor farm activities, plan input application, and collect spatial information for more efficient farm management. Agricultural advisory services can provide farmers with the information, training, and technical support needed to understand and use GPS-based tools effectively. This study will examine the effect of agricultural advisory services on farmers’ use of GPS-based farm management tools. It will assess the extent to which advisory information, training, demonstrations, and technical guidance influence farmers’ use of GPS technologies in managing agricultural activities. The study will also examine the relationship between farmers’ exposure to agricultural advisory services and their use of GPS-based tools for farm planning and decision-making. The study will focus on advisory activities such as farmer training, practical demonstrations, farm visits, digital agricultural information, group-based learning, and technical support. It will examine farmers’ use of GPS-enabled smartphones, handheld GPS devices, digital farm mapping applications, GPS-based field boundary mapping, location recording, area measurement, farm monitoring, route planning, and spatial information collection. Attention will also be given to farmers’ knowledge of the benefits, operational requirements, accessibility, and practical applications of GPS-based farm management tools. A quantitative research approach will be adopted for the study. Data will be collected from farmers using structured questionnaires designed to obtain information on their exposure to agricultural advisory services and their use of GPS-based farm management tools. Descriptive statistics such as frequency, percentage, mean, and standard deviation will be used to summarize the data, while correlation and regression analysis will be used to examine the relationship between agricultural advisory services and farmers’ use of GPS-based tools. The frequency and extent of use of different GPS applications will also be assessed. The study is expected to reveal that agricultural advisory services have a positive effect on farmers’ use of GPS-based farm management tools. Farmers who receive practical training, demonstrations, and continuous technical guidance may be more likely to use GPS technologies for field mapping, area measurement, farm monitoring, and agricultural planning. However, limited digital skills, inadequate access to smartphones or GPS devices, poor internet connectivity, cost of technology, insufficient technical support, and limited awareness of available applications may restrict farmers’ use of GPS-based tools. The study will be useful to farmers, agricultural advisory agents, digital agriculture providers, technology developers, government agricultural agencies, research institutions, farmer organizations, policymakers, and other stakeholders in the agricultural sector. The findings may assist advisory service providers in designing digital agriculture programmes that improve farmers’ ability to use GPS technologies for efficient farm management. Increased use of GPS-based tools may support better field planning, resource allocation, farm monitoring, record keeping, and agricultural decision-making. The study concludes that agricultural advisory services can contribute to improved use of GPS-based farm management tools by providing farmers with relevant knowledge, practical skills, and technical assistance. It is therefore recommended that agricultural advisory agencies strengthen digital agriculture training through practical demonstrations, field-based learning, and continuous technical support on GPS applications. Collaboration among advisory agencies, technology providers, research institutions, government agencies, and farmer organizations should also be encouraged to improve farmers’ access to appropriate GPS technologies and digital farm management information.

Keywords: Agricultural advisory services, farmers’ use, GPS technology, farm management tools, digital agriculture, Global Positioning System, farm mapping, field monitoring, precision agriculture, agricultural technology, digital farm management, spatial information, farm planning, agricultural extension, technology adoption.