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The use of mobile phones by Kenyan export-orientated small-scale farmers: insights from fruit and vegetable farming in the Mt. Kenya region

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  • Peter Dannenberg
  • Tobia Lakes

Abstract

In recent years, mobile phones have become a common feature in business and society in Kenya and are increasingly used in farming. This is also the case for export-orientated small-scale farmers. The aim of this paper is to study the role of mobile phone use by Kenyan export-orientated small-scale fresh fruit and vegetable famers (ffv). We focus on farmers in the Mt. Kenya region using data from questionnaires and expert interviews. We identify four different types of exchange for which mobile phones are used by these farmers: 1. transactions, 2. information, 3. complex knowledge and 4. organization and networking. Our results suggest that the use of mobile phones can improve the farmers? possibilities for payment, production, marketing, and knowledge transfer, and their competitiveness and integration in international value chains. However, so far the advantages are mostly limited to simple communication and payment; the broad introduction of new applications (with the exception of mobile payment) has not yet taken place.

Suggested Citation

  • Peter Dannenberg & Tobia Lakes, 2013. "The use of mobile phones by Kenyan export-orientated small-scale farmers: insights from fruit and vegetable farming in the Mt. Kenya region," Economia agro-alimentare, FrancoAngeli Editore, vol. 15(3), pages 55-75.
    • Handle: RePEc:fan:ecaqec:v:html10.3280/ecag2013-003005
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Stefan Ouma, 2010. "Global Standards, Local Realities: Private Agrifood Governance and the Restructuring of the Kenyan Horticulture Industry," Economic Geography, Clark University, vol. 86(2), pages 197-222, April.
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    8. Peter Dannenberg & Gilbert M. Nduru, 2013. "Practices In International Value Chains: The Case Of The Kenyan Fruit And Vegetable Chain Beyond The Exclusion Debate," Tijdschrift voor Economische en Sociale Geografie, Royal Dutch Geographical Society KNAG, vol. 104(1), pages 41-56, February.
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    Cited by:

    1. Krone Madlen & Dannenberg Peter, 2018. "Analysing the effects of information and communication technologies (ICTs) on the integration of East African farmers in a value chain context," ZFW – Advances in Economic Geography, De Gruyter, vol. 62(1), pages 65-81, March.
    2. Aarti Krishnan & Chistopher Foster, 2018. "A Quantitative Approach to Innovation in Agricultural Value Chains: Evidence from Kenyan Horticulture," The European Journal of Development Research, Palgrave Macmillan;European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes (EADI), vol. 30(1), pages 108-135, January.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • Q17 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Agriculture - - - Agriculture in International Trade
    • F63 - International Economics - - Economic Impacts of Globalization - - - Economic Development

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