The role played by mobile phone communication in diffusion of dairy Goats rearing in Mutonguni Division, Kitui County. Kenya.

Abstract

The study investigated how dairy goat farmers used mobile phones in dairy goat rearing. The dairy goat farmers targeted were widows, caregivers and orphans in a World Vision project. Kenya is of concern because dairy goat rearing has reduced the perennial inflow of relief food into the area. Mobile phone technology has penetrated virtually all sectors of the economy. However, in agriculture, information repository is still lacking to inform integration of the technology into agricultural sector especially agricultural extension services. Little is known regarding use of mobile phone for the livelihoods of those within the resource-constrained environments. Several countries are exploiting mobile phone technology to develop their agriculture as it provides new opportunities for rural farmers to obtain access to information in agricultural technology. Such countries include India, Nigeria and Uganda where the use of mobile phone has increased agricultural productivity. In Kenya, the study found out that mobile phone communication among farmers helped in enhancing rate of diffusion of dairy goat rearing thus reducing the period required to build the critical mass necessary to sustain the project. Household survey collected information from 100 dairy goat farmers on heterogeneous variables around ownership and use of mobile phones in keeping of dairy goats. The household survey was enriched by Focus group discussions and Key informant interviews. 99% of farmers interviewed own or have access to mobile phones with a key significant fact that 95 % of these farmers use mobile phone money transfer services at least once in a month. I recommend that the government puts measures that will lower the cost of mobile phone calls as this will benefit the farmers to transact their businesses faster and cheaply