The Impact of Information and Communication Technologies in Improving Crop Productivity among Youths in Misungwi and Kilosa Districts, Tanzania

Abstract

There has been significant growth in the development of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) in Africa over the past decade. This study looked at the evidence on the role of emerging ICTs namely, mobile phones and computers in crop productivity sector in Tanzania with lessons from Misungwi and Kilosa districts. The study investigated the manner in which young farmers' access to ICTs would help improve crop productivity. A cross-sectional research design with multistage sampling was employed. About 400 respondents and 11 key informants participated in the household survey and in-depth interview, respectively. Propensity Score Matching (PSM) and Inverse Probability Weighted Adjusted Regression (IPWRA) techniques were used to analyze data on the impact of ICTs on crop productivity. The results show that adopters of ICTs had higher productivity compared to non-adopters at 1% level of significance. The findings consolidate the need of promoting ICTs penetration and/or adopting for having inclusive development in enhancing crop productivity. The Government of Tanzania (GoT) through Tanzania Communication and Regulatory Authority (TCRA) is urged to formulate and implement policies that enable universal access mechanisms of ICTs via low pricing and sharing schemes, and increase the development of its infrastructure needed for penetration to the community and especially in the rural areas.