Exploring Forms of Capital in Farmers’ ICT Use and Continuation: A Perspective on Digital Inequality

A common discourse asserts that the lack of resource capital negatively impacts the rural poor’s access to information and communication technology (ICT) and thus prevents them from participating in a digital society. However, little is known about how other forms of capital affect rural inhabitants’ intent to use or continue using ICT. To fill this gap, this study proposes a theoretical model of five constructs representing four forms of capital, namely: psychological, cultural/human, social, and economic. Data were collected from 118 respondents drawn from four villages of Durgapur upazila under Rajshahi district, Bangladesh, using a structured interview schedule. Multiple regression analysis was performed to test the five hypotheses. The results of this study reveal that psychological capital, as a form of extrinsic motivation; social capital; and cultural/human capital were positive and significantly influenced users’ intent to use ICT, while intrinsic motivation and perceived cost as economic capital did not. The model predicts 52.9 percent (R² = 0.529) of the variance of intent to use ICT. The study further explored interesting statistics that illustrate the importance of considering other forms of capital beyond economic capital in promoting ICT-enabled extension services for rural clientele. The study concludes with several policy recommendations to address digital inequality in rural Bangladesh.