Uses of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in Agriculture and Rural Development in Sub-Saharan Africa

Maumbe, Blessing M.; Okello, Julius Juma

doi:10.4018/978-1-4666-3607-1.ch009

Cited by 8 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 7 publications

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“…From this end, most of the disadvantages of using the smartphones were related to skills on the proper use of the smartphone and the problem of reliable internet connectivity. As much as physical infrastructural and knowledge gaps in the use of ICTs are common constraints mentioned in many studies, it is also becoming less and less persistent due to the growing investment and rapid ICT expansion in rural Africa (Asongu and Boateng 2018;Maumbe and Okello 2013;Adam 2012). Despite some challenges expressed by few interviewed farmers, our quantitative results also corroborated that previous exposure or being an owner of a mobile phone or a smartphone was not a significant factor to influence collective action in both the intervention and nonintervention groups.…”

Section: Trade-offs Associated With Smartphone Usementioning

confidence: 99%

Communicative interventions for collective action in the management of potato late blight: evidence from a framed field game experiment in Ethiopia

et al. 2020

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Potato late blight remains a threat to food security and livelihood of millions of people in Ethiopia. Despite a rapid dispersal of the disease pathogen and farmers’ interdependency in managing it, the literature on agricultural extension and communication tends to frame the disease and its management as a problem of the individual farmer. This study appreciates late blight as a collective action problem whose management requires a corresponding re-configuration in information sharing and communicative practices. We employ a framed field game experiment with a mixed quantitative and qualitative method to explore how and to what extent different types and combinations of communicative interventions affect collective action in the management of the disease among farmers in Ethiopia. Interestingly, our quantitative findings revealed that the provision of technical information about interdependency involved in the management of the disease and social monitoring information about the management practices of other farmers negatively affected collective action. However, collective action performance significantly improved when farmers were given the opportunity to interactively communicate about their management strategies. Further qualitative investigation sheds light on how farmers used and made sense of the different communicative interventions to inform and adjust their individual decisions, coordinate collective strategies, pressure free-riders, and develop a shared identity. It is concluded that interventions that mainly promote the provision of technical and social information can be counterproductive in managing collective action problems such as late blight unless it is complemented with interactive communication and deliberation processes.

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Section: Trade-offs Associated With Smartphone Usementioning

confidence: 99%

Communicative interventions for collective action in the management of potato late blight: evidence from a framed field game experiment in Ethiopia

et al. 2020

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“…It is obvious, seasonality and importation of certain agricultural produce can contribute to price fluctuation, yet lack of access to information on the ready market can contribute greatly to high price fluctuations (Barrett, 2008;Maumbe and Okello, 2013). Moreover, one of the main challenges associated with smallholder farmers in Africa is lack of access to the market is lack, or asymmetry, of information (Barrett, 2008) on the price of products, inputs, credit markets and buyers.…”

Section: Factors Promoting High Price Fluctuationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Maumbe and Okello (2013:2) mention that, "The consequences of information asymmetry are problems of moral hazard and opportunistic behaviour by traders and money lenders towards smallholder farmers." Besides, the nature of exchange process associated with it can lead to high transaction costs, which impede smallholder farmers' access to better-paying markets and can lead to entrenched poverty as smallholder farmers are a force to accept low prices for their produce in their market participation (Maumbe and Okello, 2013). The smallholder farmers in Ghana also encounter this problem.…”

Section: Factors Promoting High Price Fluctuationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Many factors contribute to high price fluctuations of agricultural produce, however, the lack of access to market information was discovered in the current study as one of the major contributing factors to high price fluctuation. It has forced many farmers interviewed to the problem of 'low-level equilibrium poverty trap ' (Doward et al, 2003;Maumbe and Okello, 2013).…”

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confidence: 99%

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High Price Fluctuations: A Major Marketing Problem and a Deterrent to Smallholders Market Participation in Ghana

Mensah¹

2020

IJAR

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High price fluctuations or volatilities in agricultural markets is one of the major marketing problems affecting smallholder farmers livelihood and market access in rural areas of Ghana. It is discovered to be a source of high transaction costs and risks and a deterrent to smallholder farmers market participation. This problem is associated with factors, such as poor enabling environment, lack of price standardisation system and lack of marketing information. The purpose of this study was to explore specific ways high price fluctuation impact smallholder farmers market access in Ghana to recommend possible ways of addressing this problem to improve the livelihoods of smallholder farmers. Mixed-method approach was adopted to gather data from 130 smallholder farmers, 35 key informants and 10 market agents (traders) in Bono East and Ashanti Regions of Ghana. The participants identified high price fluctuations as a major marketing problem affecting smallholder agriculture in the study areas. Also, it was discovered to be a source of high transaction costs and risks preventing market participation.

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“…The government does this on the basis of increasing public engagement and enhancing the levels of governance, accountability, transparency, and rule of law (Kamar, 2006;UNESCO, 2014). However, low accountability for government programmes and services persists, allowing for corruption and poor service delivery (Maumbe & Okello, 2013;Njuguna, Santani, www.ijcab.org Bills, Bryant, & Bryant, 2014). Low accountability coupled with restricted access to information is a concern for the Kenyan citizens who wish to access and use information on government programmes and services for tracking (Namande, 2012).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Utilization and Dissemination of Information Resources in District Information and Documentation Centres in Kisumu County, Kenya

Wesonga¹,

Wamae²

2020

IJCAB

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Access to government-related information through District Information and Documentation Centres (DIDCs) is essential in monitoring development programs in counties and the nation at large. However, Kenyans remain detached from the government because of low levels of accountability. Low levels of accountability are associated with corruption, mismanagement, and poor service delivery which are likely to slow down development projects in the sub-counties. This study sought to assess utilization and dissemination of information resources in DIDCs in Kisumu County. This study aimed to: determine the level of awareness among users of DIDCs, establish the extent to which users utilize DIDCs, describe the strategies that DIDC staff employ to facilitate user utilization of information resources in DIDCs, and examine the challenges that DIDC staff face in providing information to users. The study was guided by Richard Oliver’s Expectancy Disconfirmation Theory. This study employed the descriptive survey design and mixed-methods approach to investigate the research objectives. The study was conducted in four sub-counties of Kisumu County: Kisumu Central, Seme, Muhoroni, and Nyando. The sub-counties were purposely selected because they host DIDCs in densely populated areas in their respective ministries with a target population of 205,935. Using Taro Yarmane’s formula, the study used a sample of 400 users and 20 DIDC staff. Random sampling was used to select participants of the study. DIDC User Questionnaires and DIDC Staff Interview Schedule were used to collect quantitative and qualitative data respectively. The data collection instruments were piloted with 10% of the participants. Reliability was determined using the test-retest method. Construct validity of the data collection instruments was ensured by deriving the questionnaire items from evidence presented in literature relevant to this study. Quantitative data was analysed using descriptive statistics like frequency tables and percentages. Qualitative data was categorized into themes and sub-themes as they emerged to make meaningful narratives for purposes of triangulating the quantitative results. Findings suggest that a significant number of users lack awareness on the products and services offered by DIDCs. This is associated with reduced visits and utilization of information resources in DIDCs. The study recommends use of workshops and open-days to create awareness about the products and services, and adequate funding for staffing and procurement of current and relevant documents. Librarians, information technologists, and records management personnel, and policy makers may use the findings of this study to improve service delivery for user awareness and utilization, and enhance users’ experiences in using government documentation centres for information seeking.

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Uses of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in Agriculture and Rural Development in Sub-Saharan Africa

Cited by 8 publications

References 7 publications

Communicative interventions for collective action in the management of potato late blight: evidence from a framed field game experiment in Ethiopia

Communicative interventions for collective action in the management of potato late blight: evidence from a framed field game experiment in Ethiopia

High Price Fluctuations: A Major Marketing Problem and a Deterrent to Smallholders Market Participation in Ghana

Utilization and Dissemination of Information Resources in District Information and Documentation Centres in Kisumu County, Kenya

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