Analysis of Extent and Effects of Mobile Phone Use on Productivity of Climate-smart Horticulture Farmers in Taita-taveta County, Kenya

Abstract

Horticulture farmers continue to experience climate change-related problems despite advancement in technologies such as mobile phones. Currently, mobile phone is the most commonly used tool in communication. Previous studies have shown that application of mobile phones in farming helps to reduce information asymmetry and improve productivity. However, there is little evidence on whether farmers are using their phones to build resilience and improve horticultural productivity within the context of climate change, commonly referred to as climate-smart horticulture (CSH). This study analyzed the extent and effect of mobile phone use on productivity of climate-smart horticulture farmers in Taita-Taveta County. Primary data was collected from a random sample of 403 green gram and tomato farmers. Paired t-test statistics were used to characterize the adoption of climate-smart horticulture practices between users of mobile phone and non-users. Binary logit model was applied to examine the factors influencing mobile phone use on climate-smart horticulture. Negative binomial regression was applied to assess the determinants of adoption of the number of climate-smart horticulture practices. Productivity was measured using partial factor productivity. Tobit model (censored from below) was applied to analyze the effect of mobile phone use on productivity of climate-smart horticulture farmers. Results show that a significantly higher percentage of mobile phone users adopted climate-smart horticulture practices than non-users. Trust on the information transmitted through mobile phones, access to electricity (hydro-electricity and solar power), access to credit and the number of CSH practices adopted significantly influenced the use of mobile phone on climate-smart horticulture. Gender (being a male farmer), education, farming experience, mobile phone use on CSH and CSH awareness positively determined the number of CSH practices adopted. xv However, farm size and climate change awareness negatively affected the number of CSH practices adopted by farmers. Partial factor productivity scores showed that farmers who produced tomatoes were more productive than green gram and both crop producers. Tobit regression (censored from below) results showed that mobile phone use improved productivity of climate-smart horticulture farmers by 90%. Other factors including education, gender, farming experience and climate-smart horticulture awareness positively influenced productivity. There is need to develop a mobile phone supported digital hub that will provide specific climate-smart horticulture information to farmers to build resilience to climate change and improve productivity. The County government of Taita-Taveta should also collaborate with other development partners such as Kenya climate smart agriculture project (KCSAP) to build the capacity of agricultural extension workers to improve dissemination of climate-smart horticulture knowledge and skills to farmers. Key words: Mobile phone, climate-smart horticulture, productivity, tomato, green gram.