Sustainable Information Exchange and Market Access: Use of Mobile Phone in the Marketing of Food Crops by Farming Households in Rural South East Nigeria

Abstract

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.