An Ict Model for Increased Adoption of Agricultural Input Information by Cereal Farmers in Developing Countries: a Case in Sikasso, Mali

Abstract

Use of agricultural inputs by small-scale cereal farmers constitutes the basis for an improvement of their agricultural productivity. Such use is related to the adoption of agricultural input information disseminated by Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs). ICT services have been set up in developing countries to disseminate agricultural input information. We can cite the ICT services Senekela and MyAgro in Mali; Nokia Life in India, Indonesia, Nigeria and China; MFarm in Kenya; IFFCO (Indian Farmers Fertilizer Cooperative Limited) Airtel Initiative and E-choupal in India; TigoKilimo in Tanzania; Ukisaan and Kissan in Pakistan. Hence, farmers have been exposed to ICT on agricultural input information in developing countries. Despite the availability of these different ICTs channels in the agricultural input information sector, adoption of agricultural input information remains a problem for small-scale cereal farmers. That problem is linked to the low use of these ICT services by small-scale cereal farmers. Furthermore, the low use was restrained by certain factors. Therefore, an investigation needed to be conducted into these factors affecting small-scale cereal farmers’ use of ICT on agricultural input information and their relationships to inform the design and delivery of this information service in developing countries using the case of Sikasso in Mali to gather data. The specific objectives are: The broad objective of this study is to propose an ICT model for increased adoption of agricultural input information. The specific objectives are: 1. To establish farmers’ perception of ICT on agricultural input information and to identify the effects of this perception on the use of these ICTs. 2. To establish farmers’ influence on each other in the use of ICT on agricultural input information and to identify the effects of this influence on the use of these ICTs. 3. To establish the challenges faced by farmers in the use of ICT on agricultural input information and to identify the effects of these challenges in the use of these ICTs. 4. To propose an ICT model for increased adoption of agricultural input information. This study was conducted in Sikasso, Mali through quantitative methods. A positivist philosophical point of view was adopted for this research. A pilot study was conducted to validate the research instrument and the proposed model. Its results were very useful in confirming the proposed model based on the literature review in the field of use of ICT by small-scale cereal farmers to adopt (access and use) agricultural input information in developing countries. However, some items were dropped to enhance the instrument VI reliability and validity. The main study was cross-sectional. Data was collected from 222 respondents against a target of 200. The model was analysed using Partial Least Square Structural Equation Model (PLS-SEM) following the guidelines available in the field of Information Systems Research. The study proposed a model for small-scale cereal farmers that was highly predictive and explicative of use of ICT by small-scale cereal farmers in developing countries. This research has made a theoretical contribution: It has proposed a new model in the study of ICT adoption/use. Methodological contributions were also made by proposing an updated guideline for the use of PLS in Information System research for an exploratory study, by developing a method to translate a survey instrument from English into French and Bambara (Nko), by contributing to the debate of how to establish the discriminant validity. The research made a practical and managerial contribution by proposing to the ICT services managers a model that they should take into account before deploying any such service to cereal farmers. We pointed out where further inquiries could be taken from this research.