DETERMINANTS OF AGRICULTURAL MARKET INFORMATION SEEKING BEHAVIOUR VIA MOBILE PHONE: THE CASE OF HARAMAYA DISTRICT RURAL HOUSEHOLDS, EAST HARARGHE ZONE, ETHIOPIA

Abstract

Households differ in their level of agricultural market information seeking behaviour via mobile phone. Such diversity among households could relate to various economic, situational, social, personal, psychological, institutional factors. Understanding reasons behind such diversity and households current level of information seeking behaviour is ultimate importance. The objectives of this study were to examine the status of household agricultural market information seeking behaviour, to identify determinants of household agricultural market information seeking behaviour and to identify the major constraints of households agricultural market information seeking behaviour via mobile phone. Out of 33 kebeles of Haramaya district, four kebeles were selected purposively. Simple random sampling technique (lottery method) was used to select 150 sample households. Primary data were collected from the respondents through interview schedules, focus group discussion and key informant interviews. Secondary data were collected by reviewing relevant materials. The quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistical tools; Statistical tests (chi-square, and ANOVA) and ordered logit model were used to assess differences and to make estimated prediction of factors behind agricultural market information seeking behaviour via mobile phone. The levels of respondents’ agricultural market information seeking behavior were analyzed by using mean and standard deviation of the score from different sources. The finding of the study shows that majority of sample respondent fall into the medium category of information seeking behaviour level. Household agricultural market information seeking behaviour was positively and significantly affected by year of schooling, participation in agricultural training, land holding, Perception on information sources, mobile phone using experience while, cost of information, family size, extension contact, distance to nearest market, livestock holding affects negatively and significantly. The constraints that hold back households from having appropriate agricultural market information seeking behaviour via mobile phone were lack of basic mobile phone know how, farmer lack awareness, language understanding problem and difficult for recharge the phone for searching agricultural market information purpose. The study recommends that, policy and development interventions in the study area should give emphasis to the improvement household agricultural market information seeking behaviour via mobile phone, which would ultimately helpful to inform information service providers on what strategies to adopt for agricultural market information dissemination by applying relevant information