Exploring the use of ICTs in learning and disseminating livestock husbandry knowledge to urban and peri-urban communities in Tanzania

This paper discusses the importance of various Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) in learning and disseminating relevant information on livestock husbandry in Tanzania. The paper is part of a study that investigated the extent of use of ICTs by urban and peri-urban livestock keepers and how access and dissemination of livestock information could be improved through use of ICTs. Mixed method approach was the methodology used in the study whereby quantitative and qualitative data were gathered. The findings of this study revealed that different types of ICTs were used by urban livestock keepers to learn and disseminate livestock information though some ICTs e.g. mobile phones were used more (92.1%) than other ICTs e.g. radio (21.7%) and television (24.6%). Internet was used by very few livestock keepers (2.4%) due computer illiteracy. It was concluded that ICTs are important tools for learning and dissemination livestock husbandry knowledge, but their use is hindered by several factors including unawareness of the radio and television programmes and lack of computer skills. Policy implications of the study include improvement of the telecommunications services and ICT infrastructure by the government through relevant bodies in order to facilitate more access and dissemination of information through mobile phones, radio, television and the Internet.