The role of mobile phones as a tool for agricultural extension services among smallholder farmers in Kiambu County

Abstract

Mobile phones can play a key role in providing smallholder farmers with information they need to improve their agricultural practice crops production, credits, inpul supply, pest and disease control, post-harvest techniques and improving market access. They can be used to strengthen the capacities of rural development workers, extension workers, farmer organizations and rural communities as a whole. The general objective of this project was to analyze the role of mobile phones as a tool for agricultural extension services among smallholder farmers in Kiambu County. The researcher used the descriptive survey design. The targeted population of the survey was small scale farmers who are resident in Kiambu County. Data was collected from this primary source. The collection of primary data was done using a structured questionnaire. Data was analyzed using qualitative and quantitative techniques The study concludes that mobile phones playa great role in provision of market information, in provision of information on best agricultural practices, in provision of information of farmers' management of input and output supply chains and provision of agricultural financial services among smallholder farmers in Kiambu County.

The study concludes that mobile phones play a significant role in provision information of farmers' management of input and output supply chains among smallholder farmers in Kiambu County. The study recommends that the role of mobile phones as a tool for agricultural extension services among smallholder farmers should be made more specific to address needs of farmers like in the provision of market information, provision of information on best agriculture practices, provision of information of farmers' management of input and output supply chains and provision of agricultural financial services.The study further recommends that the role of mobile phones in provision information of farmers' management of input and output supply chains among smallholder farmers should be enhanced so as to increase the productivity of small scale farmers.