Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) play a vital role in driving positive change in agriculture and rural development. However, in Vietnam, ICT adoption in agriculture, particularly Internet usage, is still limited. This study explores the factors affecting Internet use among farmers in Quang Nam province, Vietnam. Data from 217 farming households were gathered through a cross-sectional survey using a questionnaire and analyzed using a binary logistic regression model. A multi-stage sampling technique was used, where four communes were randomly selected from the two districts of Nam Giang and Nui Thanh, followed by the selection of farming households using a systematic random sampling method. Results revealed that 57.6% of participating farmers used the Internet. These Internet-using farmers generally had higher incomes, experienced less food insecurity, and faced a lower poverty rate compared to non-users. Influential factors promoting Internet usage included education level, age, agricultural diversity, off-farm income, participation in community-based organizations, engagement in credit programs, perceived usefulness, and subjective norms. On the other hand, perceived personal risks and costs negatively impacted Internet use. This study enhances understanding of what encourages Internet use in Vietnamese agriculture, supporting initiatives to boost productivity and income.
AjzenI (1991) The theory of planned behavior. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes50(2): 179–211.
3.
Ankrah TwumasiMJiangYAsanteD, et al. (2021) Internet use and farm households food and nutrition security nexus: The case of rural Ghana. Technology in Society65: 101592.
4.
AntenehAMelakA (2024) ICT-based agricultural extension and advisory service in Ethiopia: A review. Cogent Food & Agriculture10(1): 2391121.
5.
Appiah-OtooISongN (2021) The impact of ICT on economic growth-comparing rich and poor countries. Telecommunications Policy45(2): 102082.
6.
Armel NonvideGM (2023) Impact of information and communication technologies on agricultural households’ welfare in Benin. Telecommunications Policy47(6): 102570.
ChandraSSinghAKGhadeiK, et al. (2023) Exploring the relationship between socio-economic factors and ICT adoption among farmers. Indian Journal of Extension Education59(3): 54–57.
9.
ChenHChenC-PLiY (2022) How Internet usage contributes to livelihood resilience of migrant peasant workers? Evidence from China. Journal of Rural Studies96: 112–120. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrurstud.2022.09.028.
10.
ChowhanSGhoshSR (2020) Role of ICT on agriculture and its future scope in Bangladesh. Journal of Scientific Research and Reports26(5): 20–35.
DavisFD (1989) Perceived Usefulness, Perceived Ease of Use, and User Acceptance of Information Technology. MIS Quarterly13(3): 319–340. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2307/249008.
13.
De VausD (2013) Surveys in Social Research. London, UK: Routledge.
14.
DiazACSasakiNTsusakaTW, et al. (2021) Factors affecting farmers’ willingness to adopt a mobile app in the marketing of bamboo products. Resources, Conservation & Recycling Advances11: 200056.
15.
DoQDNguyenTKTranTT, et al. (2023) Determinants of smartphone adoption and its benefits to the financial performance of agricultural households: Evidence from Hoa Binh province, Vietnam. Asian Journal of Agriculture and Rural Development13(1): 8–15.
16.
DoanhNK (2024) Does joining online groups increase farmers’ incomes in the mountainous areas of northern Vietnam? The role of information. Journal of Agribusiness in Developing and Emerging Economies. doi:https://doi.org/10.1108/JADEE-07-2023-0163. ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print).
17.
FerrariABaccoMGaberK, et al. (2022) Drivers, barriers and impacts of digitalisation in rural areas from the viewpoint of experts. Information and Software Technology145: 106816.
18.
GOV. (2008) Decree No. 97/2008/ND-CP on the management, provision and use of Internet services and electronic information on the Internet. Vietnam Government. Retrieved from https://vanban.chinhphu.vn/default.aspx?pageid=27160&docid=75219 (5 November 2024).
19.
GOV. (2013) Decree No. 72/2013/ND-CP on the management, provision and use of Internet services and online information. Vietnam Government. Retrieved from https://chinhphu.vn/default.aspx?pageid=27160&docid=168699 (26 December 2024).
20.
GOV. (2019) Decree No. 73/2019/ND-CP of the Government: Regulations on management of investment in information technology application using state budget capital. Vietnam Government. Retrieved from https://vanban.chinhphu.vn/?pageid=27160&docid=197770 (15 November 2024).
21.
GrayEJonesD (2022) Innovation, agricultural productivity and sustainability in Viet Nam. OECD Food, Agriculture and Fisheries Papers No. 181. Paris, France: OECD Publishing. DOI: 10.1787/9cc1f47a-en.
HoangGH (2020a) Adoption of mobile phone for marketing of cereals by smallholder farmers in Quang Dien district of Vietnam. Journal of Agricultural Extension24(1): 106–117.
24.
HoangHG (2020b) Determinants of the adoption of mobile phones for fruit marketing by Vietnamese farmers. World Development Perspectives17: 100178.
25.
KabbiriRDoraMKumarV, et al. (2018) Mobile phone adoption in agri-food sector: Are farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa connected?Technological Forecasting and Social Change131: 253–261.
26.
KahsayGAGarciaNTBosselmannAS (2023) Mobile internet use and climate adaptation: Empirical evidence from Vietnamese coffee farmers. Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics48(3): 429–447.
27.
KhanNRayRlKassemHS, et al. (2022) Does the Adoption of Mobile Internet Technology Promote Wheat Productivity? Evidence from Rural Farmers. Sustainability14(13): 7614. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/su14137614.
28.
KrellNTGirouxSAGuidoZ (2020) Smallholder farmers' use of mobile phone services in central Kenya. Climate and Development13(3): 215–227. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/17565529.2020.1748847.
29.
LandmannDLagerkvistC-JOtterV (2020) Determinants of small-scale Farmers’ intention to use smartphones for generating agricultural knowledge in developing countries: Evidence from rural India. The European Journal of Development Research33(6): 1435–1454.
30.
LengCMaWTangJ, et al. (2020) ICT Adoption and income diversification among rural households in China. Applied Economics52(33): 3614–3628.
LinhTTNansekiTChomeiY (2016) Factors affecting farmers’ uses of information sources in Vietnam. Agricultural Information Research25(3): 96–104.
33.
LoiNTN (2022) Digital agriculture in Viet Nam: Conditions and prospect of development. AGRIS on-Line Papers in Economics and Informatics14(3): 43–55.
34.
MdodaLMdiyaL (2022) Factors affecting the using information and communication technologies (ICTs) by livestock farmers in the Eastern Cape province. Cogent Social Sciences8(1). doi:https://doi.org/10.1080/23311886.2022.2026017.
35.
MohrSKühlR (2021) Acceptance of artificial intelligence in German agriculture: an application of the technology acceptance model and the theory of planned behavior. Precision Agriculture22(6): 1816–1844. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11119- 021-09814-x.
36.
Nam Giang District People’s Committee (2023) Annual Report on Social and Economic Achievements of 2023 and the Plan for Development in 2024. Nam Giang District, Quang Nam Province, Vietnam: Nam Giang District People's Committee Office.
37.
NguyenPVNguyenTVPhamCT (2024) Explicating internet usage among farmer households: Evidence from Ben Tre Province, Vietnam. International Journal of Business and Globalisation38(1): 136–160.
38.
NguyenTTNguyenTTGroteU (2023) Internet use and agricultural productivity in rural Vietnam. Review of Development Economics27(3): 1309–1326.
39.
Nui Thanh District People’s Committee (2023) Annual Report on Social and Economic Achievements of 2023 and the Plan for Development in 2024. Nui Thanh District, Quang Nam Province, Vietnam: Nui Thanh District People's Committee Office.
40.
NyagangoA ISaSKazunguI (2023) Factors influencing the use of mobile phone for accessing agricultural marketing information by grape smallholder farmers in Tanzania. Cogent Business and Management10(3). DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/23311975.2023.2257865.
41.
OkorojiV (2019) Farmers’ use of mobile phone applications in Abia state, Nigeria. (A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Commerce (Agricultural) at Lincoln University), Lincoln University.
42.
Quang Nam Statistical Office (2023) Quang Nam Statistical Yearbook in 2023. Hanoi, Vietnam: Statistical Publishing House.
43.
SenA (1990) Development as capability expansion. Human Development and the International Development Strategy for the 1990s1(1).
44.
SiawAJiangYTwumasiMA, et al. (2020) The impact of internet use on income: The case of rural Ghana. Sustainability12(8): 3255.
45.
SmidtHJJokonyaO (2021) Factors affecting digital technology adoption by small-scale farmers in agriculture value chains (AVCs) in South Africa. Information Technology for Development28(3): 558–584.
46.
TranosE (2012) The causal effect of the internet infrastructure on the economic development of European city regions. Spatial Economic Analysis7(3): 319–337.
47.
UlhaqIPhamNTALeV, et al. (2022) Factors influencing intention to adopt ICT among intensive shrimp farmers. Aquaculture547: 737407.
48.
VatsaPLiJLuuPQ, et al. (2023) Internet use and consumption diversity: Evidence from rural China. Review of Development Economics27(3): 1287–1308.
49.
WuHXueYHaoY, et al. (2021) How does internet development affect energy-saving and emission reduction? Evidence from China. Energy Economics103: 105577.
50.
YamaneT (1967) An Introductory Analysis. New York: Harper and Row.
51.
YangLLuHWangS, et al. (2021) Mobile internet use and multidimensional poverty: Evidence from a household survey in rural China. Social Indicators Research158(3): 1065–1086.
52.
ZhengHMaWWangF, et al. (2021) Does internet use improve technical efficiency of banana production in China? Evidence from a selectivity-corrected analysis. Food Policy102: 102044.
