UTILIZATION OF MOBILE PHONE AMONG PASTORALISTS: THE CASE OF GODE DISTRICT, ETHIOPIAN SOMALI REGIONAL STATE

Abstract

The assessment of utilization of mobile phone among pastoralists aims at identifying factors affecting the utilization of mobile phone among pastoralists and how mobile phone is utilized by pastoralists in Gode woreda of Somali regional state of Ethiopia. The survey was conducted in Gode woreda to collect data from 121 households for the year 2015. Different factors affect the utilization of mobile phone among pastoralists. These factors are age, lack of skills to utilize features of mobile phone, livestock holding and fear of costs of mobile phone. Mobile phone is utilized by pastoralists for different activities; for example it used in animal production activities. So, in order to improve utilization of mobile phone by pastoralists, it is recommended that access to electricity should be implemented in the study area, awareness on the advantages of mobile phone should be given for the pastoralists in the study area to avoid the fear costs of mobile phone, poor network connection should be improved by installing additional antenna, women participation in use of mobile phone should be promoted by giving them awareness, adult education should be improved to help the aged people use mobile phone and let users of mobile phone help each other in managing mobile phone features