Agricultural information access and the use of ICTS among smallholder farmers

Abstract

The present study was carried out to investigate on the contribution of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) towards agricultural information access among smallholder farmers. The study employed a cross-sectional research design to survey a total of 120 randomly selected household heads from 10 villages in Bembeke Extension Planning Area (EPA) in Dedza District, Malawi. The main data collecting instruments were semi-structured questionnaire and key informant interviews. Findings showed that the surveyed smallholder farmers had limited access to relevant and accurate information that would help them to boost their agricultural production and marketing of farm produce. This was shown by a significant percentage of the respondents who relied on their own previous experience or fellow farmers and extension officers as means of providing access to most of agriculture related information. A small percentage of respondents accessed agricultural information through radio, TV and mobile phones, which were the only ICT tools used. Some of the factors that affect the choice and use of ICT tools amongst respondents were high costs of acquiring the tools and poor enabling infrastructures. The study thus recommends that the Government through the relevant ministry should create awareness to smallholder farmers on the importance of accessing current agricultural information from credible sources and the opportunities that ICTs offer for timely access to information. Moreover, the Government should create an enabling environment for the growth of ICT industry and scale out the establishment of rural tele-centers, among other recommendations.