ملخص المقالة :
The place of information in addressing market access and participation limitation, which hinders farmer’s welfare and poverty reduction efforts in many developing countries, cannot be over-emphasized. This study therefore examined the use of mobile phone in the marketing of food crops among farming households in rural south east, Nigeria. A multi stage sampling procedures was used in the selection of location and 180 farming households sampled for this study, from which data were collected. The data were analyzed using probit regression model and Z – statistic procedure. Result of the analysis showed that knowledge of the GSM technology, quantity of crops produced, farm size, perceived need for information, distance to markets and income were major determinants of mobile phone use among the respondents. The result of the Z-test statistics also showed that among the selected socio-economic characteristics, educational attainment and age of the respondents had significant differences between users and non-users of mobile phones. The study calls for enlightenment campaign in order to sensitize the rural people on the importance of GSM technology in the transaction of their businesses, improvement in the services provided by the mobile phone service centers/ providers among other things.
المصادر:
1) Abel – Ratovo, H. L., Rahelizatovo, N. C and Okello, J. J. (2012). Ownership and Use of Mobile Phones for Agricultural Transactions by Traders. The Case of the Analanjirofo and Atsinanana Regions of Madagascar. Journal of Agricultural Extension and Rural Development ,4(10):305 -317.
2) Adesina, A. (2012). Agricultural Transformation Agenda: Repositioning Agriculture to Drive Nigeria’s Economy. Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD) Report, www.fmad.org.
3) Adejobi, A., Amaza, P., and Ayoola, G. (2006). Enhancing the Access of Rural Households toOutput Markets for Increased Farm Incomes. A poster Presented for Presentation at the International Association of Agricultural Economist Conference, Gold Coast, Australia, August 12-18
4) Agwu, N. M., Anyanwu, C. I., Mendie, E. I., (2013). Socio-Economic Determinants of Commercialization among Smallholder Farmers in Abia State, Nigeria. Greener Journal of Agricultural Science, 2(8)392-397.
5) Babaita, S. I. (2003). The Structure of Marketing System in Olujide, J. O and Bamiduro, J. A (Edn) Elements of Marketing management I, www.unilorin.edu.ng/publications/babaita/Thestructureof marketingsystem.pdf.
6) Barrett, C. (2008). Smallholder Market Participation: Concepts and Evidence from Eastern and Southern Africa. Food Policy 34(2):299-317.
7) Barret, C. and Moser, C.M. (2003). The Complex Dynamics of Smallholder Technology Adoption: The Case Study of SRI in Madagascar Cornell University, Ithaca, New York: 46 Pp.
8) Bolarinwa, K. K. and Oyeyinka, R. A. (2011). Use of Cell Phone by Farmers and its Implication on Farmers’ Production Capacity in Oyo State, Nigeria, International Journal of Biological, Veterinary, Agricultural and Food Engineering, 5 (3):1-6.
9) CAT. (2007). Information for Rural Development: The ACP States Identify their Priorities. SPORE, No. 67.Washington, Netherlands.
10)Hayden, E. and Porath, D. (2006) Statistical Methods to Develop Rating Models in Berid E., and Robert, R (Edn) The Basel II Risk Parameters – Estimation, Validation, and Stress Testing, Springer Verlag, Berlin.
11) Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). (2008). Nigeria atlas of electoral constituencies. O. Balogun (Ed), INEC, Abuja, Nigeria.
12)International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) (2011), Market for Rural Poor, www.ifad.org/poverty/chapter5.pdf Accessed on 28/10/14
13)Jagun, A., R. Heeks and J. Whalley (2007). Mobile Telephony and Developing Country Micro-enterprise: A Nigerian Case Study (Developing Informatics Working Paper Series, No. 29. Manchester, UK: University of Manchester Institute for Development Policy and Management (IDPM).
14)Key N., Sadoulet E., de Janvry A. (2000).Transactions costs and agricultural household supply response. American Journal of Agricultural Economics. 82(1):245-259.
15)Kirui, O. K, Okello, J. J and Nyikal, R. A. (2012). Determinants of Use and Intensity of Use of Mobile Phone – based Money Transfer Services in Services in Small holder Agriculture: Case of Kenya.
Selected Paper Prepared for Presentation at the International Association of Agricultural Economists (IAAE) Triennial Conference, Foz d Iguaçu, Brazil, 18-24 August, 2012.
16)Krishana, A. (2004). Escaping Poverty and Becoming Poor: Who wins, Who Loses and Why? World Development. 32, 121 – 136
17)Martey, E, Hassan, R. M. A., Kuwornu, J. K. M. (2012). Commercialization of Smallholder Agriculture in Ghana: A Tobit regression analysis. African Journal of Agricultural Research Vol. 7(14), pp. 2131-2141, 12 April, 2012 Available online at http://www.academicjournals.org/AJAR
18)Mihika, B. (2007). Crop Problems? Farmers can text IIT Bombay for Answers. Retrieved from http://www.indianexpress.com/story/248582.html.
i. Minot, N. (2007). Are Poor, Remote Area Left Behind in Agricultural Development: The Case of Tanzania. Journal of African Economics, 17, 239-276
19)National Population Commission (NPC) (2007). Official Results of the 2006 Population Census. NPC, Abuja.
20)Nwachukwu, I. N. and Oteh. U. O. (2010). Analysis of Brand Preference for Vegetable Oil in Abia State, Nigeria. The Nigerian Agricultural Journal, 41(1): 129-133.
21)Okoedo-Okojie, D. U. and Omoregbee, F. E. (2012). Determinants of Access and Farmers Use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) in Edo State, Nigeria, Journal of Applied Science, Environment and Management. 16(1):41-44.
22)Ohen, S. B., Etuk, E. A. and Onoja, J. A. (2013). Analysis of Market Participation by Rice Farmers in Southern, Nigeria, Journal of Economics and Sustainable Development, 4(7): 6-11.
23)Olwande, J., Mathenge, M., (2010), Market Participation among the Poor Rural Households in Kenya. Tegemeo Institute of Agricultural Policy and Development.
24)Okello, J. J. (2011). Use of Information and Communication Tools and Services by Rural Grain Traders: The Case of Kenyan Maize Traders. International Journal of ICT Research and Development, 2:39-53.
25)Okwu, O. J and Irokaa, T. I. (2011). An Assessment of Farmers’ Use of New Information and Communication Technologies as sources of Agricultural Information in Ushango Local Government Area of Benue State, Nigeria. Journal of Sustainable Development in Africa, 13 (2):41-52.
26)Omiti, J. M., Otieno, D. J., Nyanamba, T. O., and McCullough, E. (2009). Factors Influencing the Intensity of Market Participation by Smallholder Farmers: A case Study of Rural and Peri-urban Areaof Kenya, African Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics, 3(1):57-82.
27)Peter, P. (1999). Agricultural Commercialization, Rural Economy and Household Livelihoods in Malawi, 1990-1997. Havard Insitute for International Development (HIID) Havard, www.eldis.org/static
28)Rogers, A. L. (2007) Marketing Systems – A core Macro marketing Concept, Journal of Mcro Marketing, 27 (3):227-242
29)Sekabira, H. (2012). Determinants for Adaptation of ICT based Market Information Services by Smallholder Farmers and Traders in Mayuge District, Uganda. M.Sc. thesis submitted to the Directorate of Research and Graduate Training, Makerere University, Uganda.
30)Shilpi, F. and Umali-Deininger, D. (2008). Market Facilities and Agricultural Marketing: Evidence from Tamil Nadu, India, Agricultural Economics, 39(3):281-294
31)Singh, S. (2006). Selected Success Stories on Agricultural Information Systems. Emerald Group Publishing Limited, Pathumthani, available from http://www.apaari.org
32)Von Braun J., Bouis, H., Kennedy, E. (1994). Conceptual framework. In: von Braun J and E. Kennedy (eds), Agricultural commercialization, economic development, and nutrition. Johns Hopkin University Press, Baltimore, Maryland, USA. pp. 9 –33.
33)Warren, M. (2003). Farmers and the Internet, Six Years on. EFITA Conference, Debrecen, Hungary.http://www.cieseerx.ist.psu.edu.101.1.3.3418.pdf.
34)Yanagizawa. M. (2009). as cited in Anuakpado, P. A. (2013). Factors Affecting the Use of GSM Technology in the Marketing of Food Crops among Farming Households in Abia State, Nigeria. B.Sc thesis, submitted to the Department of Marketing, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Nigeria.
35)Zamasiya, B., Mango, N., Nyikahadzoi, K., and Siziba, S. (2014). Determinants of Soybean Market Participation by Smallholder Farmers in Zimbabwe, Journal of Development and Agricultural Economics, 6(2): 49-58.
