Mobile applications in improving communication and information delivery for agricultural development in Uganda: challenges and opportunities

Abstract

Small scale farmers inhabiting the highly dissected highlands in Kabale district, Uganda lack access to appropriate information necessary to apply methods and technologies for increasing agricultural productivity and improving the management of the natural resource base. Their information needs are characteristically changing over time in such a way that they required access to certain information not available due to limiting communication services. To address this shortcoming, African highlands Initiative (AHI) designed an action research project funded by IDRC through its ACACIA initiative, which introduced an effective information chain to connect farmers to appropriate information providers through telecentres and village information centres. The centres were equipped with portable phones among other information and communication technologies including print materials like leaflets, brochures, pamphlets, research report and books. The paper discusses the dynamics of using portable phones among small holder farmers isolating strength, weakness and threats while analysing insights associated with results patterns. Research findings showed that use of phone was appreciated by rural communities as easy, fast and convenient way to communicate and get prompt answers of respective problems. Farmers were more excited about the use of phone than other information and communication technologies. Use of mobile phones to access information differed from one parish to another. Information on marketing is mostly needed (100%), post-harvest handling (98%), improved seed management (93%) and natural resources management (71%). Further, it was revealed that generally more male farmers (59.3%) used phones than female farmers (40.7%). However more female farmers (66.7%) requested information on NRM and agriculture compared to male farmers (33.3%). Despite some challenges such as poor phone network and distances from calling centre, the use of phone in the study area was accompanied by positive outcomes, and opened a range of opportunities including emerging of strong social groups working together collectively to achieve a common goal. This is demonstrated by farmers coming together to market their produce. Based on project results the fastest growth of the mobile in the country provides opportunities for various actors along commodity chain (production to end user) to look into possibilities of using mobile applications to boost agricultural development that accounts for 30.2 % of the county’s GDP