Factors constraining rural households’ use of mobile phones in accessing agricultural information in Southern Ethiopia

Abstract

This study examined factors constraining the use of mobile phones in accessing agricultural information by rural households in southern Ethiopia. A survey was employed to collect data from 320 randomly selected respondents. The result revealed that variables such as age, level of education, annual income, money spent on mobile phone per day; farm distance to the nearest town, ownership of mobile phones, mobile phone having handset FM radio and information need and seeking behaviour were important factors that affect the use of mobile phones in communicating agricultural information. The Bureau of Agriculture should consider these identified factors when designing strategies for dissemination of agricultural information using mobile phones.

Keywords:

• agriculture
• agricultural information
• mobile phone
• Ethiopia