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RESEARCH PRODUCT

The Developmental Contribution From Mobile Phones Across the Agricultural Value Chain in Rural Africa

Bjørn FuruholtEdmund Matotay

subject

Economic growthVDP::Social science: 200::Economics: 210Developing countryVDP::Technology: 500::Information and communication technology: 550LivelihoodVDP::Agriculture and fishery disciplines: 900::Agriculture disciplines: 910Mobile phoneInformation and Communications TechnologyPrimary sector of the economyAgricultural value chainBusinessRural areaInformation SystemsLeast Developed Countries

description

Published version of an article from the journal: The Electronic Journal of Information Systems in Developing Countries. Also available fro the publisher: http://www.ejisdc.org/Ojs2/index.php/ejisdc/article/viewFile/849/377 The most widespread information and communication technology (ICT) in developing countries today is the mobile phone. The majority of people in the least developed countries still live in rural areas and their livelihood depends on the primary industries. This study investigates the use of mobile phones among farmers in rural Tanzania in order to supply empirical data on the developmental role of this technology. The results show that the improved access to communication and information that mobile phones represent affects the entire cyclic farming life during the year and has resulted in considerable changes in the entire livelihood constructs, increased opportunities and reduced risks for rural farmers.

yearjournalcountryeditionlanguage
2011-08-01The Electronic Journal of Information Systems in Developing Countries
https://doi.org/10.1002/j.1681-4835.2011.tb00343.x