Use of mobile phone mediated platform (Kulima) in dissemination of information on common bean production in Bukomansimbi and Rakai districts, Uganda

Abstract

Mobile phones have been adopted by many organisations for use in providing agricultural information to farmers in Uganda. However, evidence of the use Kulima mobile phone-mediated platform to address households’ agricultural information asymmetry is relatively scant. This study sought to find out how the use of the mobile phone-mediated platform complemented the conventional extension system to reach more common bean farmers in Rakai and Bukomansimbi districts. The study adopted a cross-sectional research design involving the use of semi-structured interviews, key informant interviews, observations, and focus group discussions to collect both quantitative and qualitative data. Quantitative data was analysed using STATA, while constant comparative analysis was applied to qualitative data. Data was collected from 270 randomly selected respondents from Rakai and Bukomansimbi districts. Pre-tested questionnaires were used to collect data on the demographic characteristics of respondents, Village Extension Agents (VEAs), and farmers’ competencies and perceived benefits of the use of the Kulima mobile phone-mediated platform. Principal component analysis (PCA) and regression analysis were run to determine the association between socio socio-demographic characteristics of respondents and the use of mobile phone-mediated platform. Farmers from the study area perceived mobile phone-mediated platform to provide timely (80%), relevant (85%), and reliable (85%) information on common bean production. Results further indicated that crop production and post-harvest handling-related information was the most accessed information from the Kulima platform. About 82% of Village Extension Agents (VEAs) had limited skills in updating keywords and the relevance of updating them. In addition, the age of respondents negatively affected the use of the mobile phone-mediated platform, and household incomes positively influenced the likelihood (P<0.05) of using Kulima mobile phone-mediated platform to access information disseminated on bean production. Gaps in training and backstopping of VEAs to implement the Kulima mobile phone-mediated platform is likely to limit the potential benefits of e-extension. Hence, a more robust and practical capacity-building and back-stopping program is recommended to increase VEAs competencies in areas of updating keywords and other information. This should go on until CEDO coordinators are sure that the VEAs are confident and capable of handling the system effectively.