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Determinants of Awareness and Use ICT-based Market Information Services in Developing-Country Agriculture: The Case of Smallholder Farmers in Kenya

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  • Okello, Julius J.
  • Kirui, Oliver K.
  • Gitonga, Zachary M.
  • Njiraini, Georgina W.
  • Nzuma, Jonathan M.

Abstract

Access by smallholder farmers to markets has traditionally been constrained by lack of market information. Yet progress in smallholder agriculture is inconceivable without greater market participation. The desire to strengthen farmer access to market has thus resulted in the emergence of many agricultural projects that use Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in developing countries over the last decade. These technologies focus on providing market information services (MIS) to farmers. This study uses regression techniques and data collected from 379 smallholder farmers in Kenya to examine the conditioners of awareness and use of ICT-based MIS. The study finds that transaction costs, the characteristics of the area in which ICT-based projects are implemented and farmer endowments with human and financial capital play an important role in smallholder farmers’ awareness, use and/or extent of use of ICT-based MIS projects. It concludes that awareness and the use of ICT-based MIS is driven by farmer, farm and location-specific characteristics as well as various capital endowment factors. The study discusses the implications of these findings for policy and practice.

Suggested Citation

  • Okello, Julius J. & Kirui, Oliver K. & Gitonga, Zachary M. & Njiraini, Georgina W. & Nzuma, Jonathan M., 2014. "Determinants of Awareness and Use ICT-based Market Information Services in Developing-Country Agriculture: The Case of Smallholder Farmers in Kenya," Quarterly Journal of International Agriculture, Humboldt-Universitaat zu Berlin, vol. 53(3), pages 1-20, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:ags:qjiage:195738
    DOI: 10.22004/ag.econ.195738
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    2. Ojo, Temitope & Ogundeji, Abiodun A. & Belle, Johannes A. & Demont, Matty, 2021. "A Three-Stage Approach of Understanding Climate Change Perception and Adaptation Strategies Among Smallholder Farmers in South Africa," 2021 Conference, August 17-31, 2021, Virtual 315854, International Association of Agricultural Economists.
    3. Christopher Ugochukwu Nwafor & Abiodun A. Ogundeji & Carlu van der Westhuizen, 2020. "Adoption of ICT-Based Information Sources and Market Participation among Smallholder Livestock Farmers in South Africa," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 10(2), pages 1-13, February.
    4. Fuhong Zhang & Apurbo Sarkar & Hongyu Wang, 2021. "Does Internet and Information Technology Help Farmers to Maximize Profit: A Cross-Sectional Study of Apple Farmers in Shandong, China," Land, MDPI, vol. 10(4), pages 1-18, April.

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