Use of Information and Communication Technologies in Rural Mersin (Turkey); Prospects For Rural Development

Rural development is playing a crucial role in developing countries to alleviate poverty in rural areas. Information and communication and technologies can be an important instrument in of support of rural development and poverty alleviation by providing equal access opportunity to knowledge and market information, basic public (health, education) and financial services. The relationship between demographic characteristics and use of ICT in rural areas was assessed in this study by a survey carried out in two villages in Mersin province (Turkey) with distinct high and low educational and income profiles. The linkage between demographic variables (e.g. income, education, age, gender) and use of information technologies by rural household including number of personal computers, access to internet and connection time as well as telephone and television services were explored. The use of information technologies in poverty alleviation in rural areas was further discussed.