Evaluation Of The Role Of Mobile Phone Communication In Accessing Market Information By Horticultural Farmers In Kirinyaga County, Kenya

Abstract

This study sought to evaluate the role of mobile phone communication in accessing market information by horticultural farmers in Mwea Sub County, Kirinyaga County. In this area, horticultural farming is a major livelihood for the farmers. However, the farmers are faced by challenges of accessibility of markets and market information hence end up fetching poor prices for their produce resulting in low income. The objectives of the study were to establish the extent to which mobile phone communication is used in accessing market information; to analyze the factors that influence adoption of mobile phone communication in accessing market information and to establish various challenges that horticultural farmers in the area face in accessing market information. Purposive sampling was used to select the population of the study which consisted of 500 farmers from Kangai horticultural farmers group in Mwea Sub County. A sample size of 97 respondents was obtained using Mugenda and Mugenda (2003) approach. Systematic random sampling was used to select the households. Data was collected using a semi-structured questionnaire and an interview guide. The response rate was 84 respondents. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the extent to which mobile phones were used by the farmers in accessing market information; the factors that influenced adoption of mobile phone communication in accessing market information as well as the challenges that farmers faced in accessing market information. The results showed that only 20.2% of the farmers used mobile phones to access market information. Most farmers used mobile phones mostly to communicate with friends and relatives. Among other communication channels used, middlemen were used to a very great extent (median=5), followed by fellow farmers to a moderate extent (median= 3). Extension officers were rare channels used to access market information because they were mostly contacted to access information on farm inputs and disease control. The radio and television were also used to a very low extent. The two were mostly for entertainment but not to access market information. Computer internet and newspapers were also used to a very low extent mostly due to low literacy level and high cost. Lack of training on technology use, technology cost, difficulty in usage and lack of awareness of the technology were the major factors that influenced adoption of mobile phone communication in market information access as reported by 84.5%, 82.1%, 67.9% and 65.5% respectively. The least considered factor was distrust (7.1%). Based on the above findings, the study recommends that to improve markets and market information access, there is need for awareness and training programmes on use of mobile phone communication to access market information. This can be done by the government of Kenya through the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries, the Ministry of Information Communications and Technology as well as the private sector agricultural information providers. With time, as farmers accumulate more knowledge, they will fetch better prices for their produce, increase their income hence improve their livelihoods.