An Assessment on the Use of Mobile Phones in the Dissemination of Agricultural Market Information to Small Scale Rice Growers in Mkuranga District in Tanzania

Abstract

This study evaluates the use of mobile phone technology in the dissemination of agricultural market information to small scale rice growers in Mkuranga District in Tanzania. It specifically assessed the type of agricultural market information that farmers send or receive using mobile phones in daily activities of small scale rice growers. The study identified the challenges that farmers face on using mobile phones in their agriculture business and found out the best practices or solutions in using farmers’ mobile phones in relation to agricultural activities. The study was conducted at Mkuranga district located in the coastal region of Tanzania. The research also involved a sample size of 50 respondents drawn from a pool of farmers and extension officers, who were selected through convenience and purposively sampling techniques. The data was collected through interviews and questionnaires. The collected data was analyzed, discussed and presented through the use of figures, tables as well as text. The findings of the study revealed that the use of mobile phone technology in the dissemination of agricultural market information to small scale rice growers is facing a lot of problems caused by farmers’ poverty. They cannot purchase mobile phones and use them; for those who bought mobile phones, they are not able to buy air time credit. Often, technical problems of using mobile phones for searching for agriculture related information of their needs were found. Some other issues were found for example: infrastructure such as internet and websites for easy retrieving of information was needed, and poor government budget for internet infrastructure resulted in difficulties for the extension officer to deliver their services in a proper way.