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Using A Smartphone App To Collect Data On Smallholder Farming Systems In Zambia

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  • Daum, Thomas
  • Buchwald, Hannes
  • Gerlicher, Ansgar
  • Birner, Regina

Abstract

One challenge of collecting socioeconomic data, such as data on time use, is recall biases. While time-use researchers have continuously developed new methods to make data collection more accurate and easy, these methods are difficult to use in developing countries, where study participants may have low literacy levels and no “clock”-based concepts of time. To contribute to the closing of this research gap, we developed a picture-based smartphone app called “Time-Tracker” that allows data recording in real time to avoid recall biases. We pilot tested the app in rural Zambia, collecting 2790 data days. In this paper, we compare the data recorded with the app to data collected with 24-hours recall questions. The results confirm the literature on recall biases, suggesting that using the app leads to valid results. We conclude that smartphone apps using visual tools provide new opportunities for researchers collecting socioeconomic data in developing countries.

Suggested Citation

  • Daum, Thomas & Buchwald, Hannes & Gerlicher, Ansgar & Birner, Regina, 2018. "Using A Smartphone App To Collect Data On Smallholder Farming Systems In Zambia," 58th Annual Conference, Kiel, Germany, September 12-14, 2018 275839, German Association of Agricultural Economists (GEWISOLA).
  • Handle: RePEc:ags:gewi18:275839
    DOI: 10.22004/ag.econ.275839
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Thomas Daum & Regina Birner, 2017. "The neglected governance challenges of agricultural mechanisation in Africa – insights from Ghana," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 9(5), pages 959-979, October.
    2. Joeri Minnen, 2014. "Modular Online Time Use Survey (MOTUS) – Translating an existing method in the 21st century," electronic International Journal of Time Use Research, Research Institute on Professions (Forschungsinstitut Freie Berufe (FFB)) and The International Association for Time Use Research (IATUR), vol. 11(1), pages 73-93, December.
    3. Arthi, Vellore & Beegle, Kathleen & De Weerdt, Joachim & Palacios-López, Amparo, 2018. "Not your average job: Measuring farm labor in Tanzania," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 130(C), pages 160-172.
    4. Juster, F Thomas & Stafford, Frank P, 1991. "The Allocation of Time: Empirical Findings, Behavioral Models, and Problems of Measurement," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 29(2), pages 471-522, June.
    5. Yuta Masuda & Lea Fortmann & Mary Gugerty & Marla Smith-Nilson & Joseph Cook, 2014. "Pictorial Approaches for Measuring Time Use in Rural Ethiopia," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 115(1), pages 467-482, January.
    6. Collier, Paul & Dercon, Stefan, 2014. "African Agriculture in 50Years: Smallholders in a Rapidly Changing World?," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 63(C), pages 92-101.
    7. Menon, Geeta, 1993. "The Effects of Accessibility of Information in Memory on Judgments of Behavioral Frequency," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 20(3), pages 431-440, December.
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    Cited by:

    1. Thomas Daum & Regina Birner, 2022. "The forgotten agriculture-nutrition link: farm technologies and human energy requirements," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 14(2), pages 395-409, April.
    2. Adu-Baffour, Ferdinand & Daum, Thomas & Birner, Regina, 2019. "Can small farms benefit from big companies’ initiatives to promote mechanization in Africa? A case study from Zambia," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 84(C), pages 133-145.
    3. Omulo, Godfrey & Kumeh, Eric Mensah, 2020. "Farmer-to-farmer digital network as a strategy to strengthen agricultural performance in Kenya: A research note on ‘Wefarm’ platform," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 158(C).

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    Keywords

    Agribusiness; Labor and Human Capital; Productivity Analysis;
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