Digital horizons in agricultural education – leveraging ICTs for a resilient and inclusive system

The escalating global population necessitates a significant increase in food production, placing immense pressure on agriculture and requiring more effective agricultural extension services to meet farmers’ information demands in developing nations like India. This paper reviews the role, integration, benefits and challenges of information and communication technologies in modernizing agricultural education and extension. ICT encompasses a wide range of tools, from older media (radio, television) to modern digital technologies (E-learning, social media, CAI, Internet), all vital for fostering skills and disseminating agricultural innovations. Global experience highlights that while ICT offers profound benefits such as increased access, improved quality, reduced costs and enhanced student learning outcomes, its successful integration is not automatic. Key constraints include environmental barriers (poor infrastructure, power outages), cultural barriers (language, English-centric content) and educational barriers (high financial cost, lack of teacher training and institutional resistance to change). Strategic measures necessary for strengthening ICT integration include formulating a comprehensive ICT policy, developing high technological proficiency among all stakeholders, fostering collaboration with community and corporate sectors and implementing continuous training programmes for teachers. Ultimately, while ICT is a powerful instrument for educational and economic growth, its potential in agricultural education can only be fully realized through coordinated strategic action addressing these multifaceted institutional, financial and cultural barriers.