Influence of socio-demographic factors on the use of mobile phones in accessing rice information on climate change adaptation in Tanzania
| Date | 05 November 2018 |
| Pages | 566-584 |
| Published date | 05 November 2018 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/GKMC-01-2018-0006 |
| Author | Nicholaus Mwalukasa,Malongo R.S. Mlozi,Camilius A. Sanga |
| Subject Matter | Library & information science,Information behaviour & retrieval,Information in society,Information literacy,Library & information services |
Influence of socio-demographic
factors on the use of mobile
phones in accessing rice
information on climate change
adaptation in Tanzania
Nicholaus Mwalukasa
Information and Record Studies, Sokoine University of Agriculture,
Morogoro, United Republic of Tanzania, and
Malongo R.S. Mlozi and Camilius A. Sanga
Sokoine University of Agriculture, Morogoro, United Republic of Tanzania
Abstract
Purpose –The purpose of this study was to examine socio-demographic factors influencing the use of
mobile phones in accessing rice information on climate change adaptation by rain-fedfarmers in Tanzania
with referenceto Morogoro region.
Design/methodology/approach –A cross-sectional researchdesign was used to collect data from 400
randomly selectedrain-fed rice farmers owning mobile phones. Semi-structuredquestionnaires were used for
data collection in eight selectedwards in two districts of Kilombero and Kilosa districts in Morogoro Region,
Tanzania.
Findings –The findings of the study showed thatthe use of mobile phones to access rice information on
climate change adaptationwas statistically significantly influenced by respondents’sex,age, education level,
marital status, farm size, farmingexperience, radio ownership and off-farm incomes. Furthermore,the use of
mobile phones in accessingrice information on climate change adaptationamong the study districts was not
statisticallysignificant.
Practical implications –This paper provides practical recommendations on how to improve
accessibility of rice information through mobile phones on climate change adaptation. Implementation of
information delivery system to farmers using mobile phones without ascertaining farmers’socio-
demographiccharacteristics leads to resource underutilization.
Originality/value –The paper provides appropriate knowledge that is needed in improving access to
information throughmobile phones by Tanzanian farmers and in other communitiesin developing countries
with the aid of the additional theoreticalmoderators of unified theory of acceptance and use of technology as
the research findingssuggest. Moderators’variables have high influence on farmers’useof mobile phones on
accessingrice information on climate change adaptation.
Keywords Tanzania, Climate change, Mobile phones, Information access, Morogoro,
Socio-demographic factors
Paper type Research paper
1. Introduction
Rice (Oryza spp.) is the second most grown among the three leadingcereal food crops in the
world; first being maize (Zea mays) and third being wheat (Triticum spp.). The world rice
production is about 482 million metric tonnes and the leading rice producing countries are
GKMC
67,8/9
566
Received17 January 2018
Revised2 August 2018
6 September2018
Accepted10 September 2018
GlobalKnowledge, Memory and
Communication
Vol.67 No. 8/9, 2018
pp. 566-584
© Emerald Publishing Limited
2514-9342
DOI 10.1108/GKMC-01-2018-0006
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on Emerald Insight at:
www.emeraldinsight.com/2514-9342.htm
China and India with the former producing 215.7 and the latter producing 161.3 million
metric tons (USA Department of Agriculture[USDA], 2017a). Africa produces an average of
30.8 million metric tonnes ofrice per year under rain-fed upland and aquatic ecologies in 40
countries on nearly 10 million hectares (Food and Agriculture Organization [FAO], 2017).
Rice production in Africa is constrained with outdated production systems, biotic and
abiotic constraints as well as low investment in production technologies, thus, only 60 per
cent of the consumer demand is met through local production: the rest is imported (Zenna
et al.,2016).
Tanzania produces 2.6 millionmetric tonnes of rice per year (USDA, 2017b). This annual
production is rated as relatively low as it does not meet local rice demand. Consequently,
Tanzania imported a total of 2.0 million metrictons of the rice in 2016 to meet its domestic
demand (USDA, 2017b). In Tanzania, rice is mostly produced in five regions including
Mbeya, Morogoro, Mwanza Shinyanga and Tabora, which produce over 60 per cent of
national production,Morogoro region being the second largest producer (URT, 2014). Rice is
mostly grown by smallholders under rain-fed conditions (United Republic of Tanzania
[URT], 2017).
Regrettably, most of the rain-fed rice production is vulnerable to impacts of climate
change such as the now common irregular patterns of rainfall (Tumbo et al., 2015;Tumbo
and Sanga, 2015). As a consequence, rice production in Tanzania has declined. This has
serious implications on local food security and farmers’livelihood (URT, 2010;Bucheyeki
et al., 2011;Rural Livelihood Development Company [RLDC], 2011). Rice production is
constrained by a number of factors, which include lack of adoption of technological
innovations such as use of improved seeds, fertilizers, herbicides, appropriate and low
adoption of rainwater harvesting and post-harvest technologies (Boniphace et al.,2015;
Msangya and Yihuan, 2016). In addition, smallholder farmers lack information that would
immensely increase their rice production and productivity, especially that which addresses
climate change adaptation(Komba and Muchapondwa, 2012).
Information is crucial in makingright decisions in agricultural production. Each stage of
agricultural production requiresa number of specifications or decisions that a farmer needs
to make for climate change adaptation (Umunakwe et al.,2014). Farmers need information
on the most adequate types of rice seed, pest, weed and agronomic practices for climate
change adaptation. The importance of informationrelated to farmers’adaptation to climate
change has been emphasizedby previous studies (Mittal et al., 2010;Ospina and Heek, 2010;
Ospina and Heeks, 2011;Churi etal.,2012).
The major source of information in most developing countries includingTanzania is the
use of public agricultural extension officerswho disseminate knowledge and skills on good
rice production practices. Extension officers, however, are inadequate (Daniel, 2013) as the
number of farmers per agricultural extension officer is 2,500 (Ragasa et al., 2015). The
extension agent–farmer ratio is high, which reflects that most farmers cannot access
extension services from the village agricultural extension officers. For that reason, it is
conceived that information and communication technologies (ICTs) through the use of
mobile phones, television and radio can complement the extension staff efforts. It can also
enhance farmers’decision-making efforts by providing information about the best time to
plant, water requirement, and which fertilizer is to be used under the changing climate
(Ospina and Heeks, 2011;Umunakweet al.,2014). There are, however, some shortcomingsin
the use of ICTs. For example, to access rice information for adaptation to climate change
through radio and television, farmers have to listen or watch at the time the programme is
broadcast (Mwamakimbula, 2014).In addition, mobile phones can be used with other ICTs
like radio and televisionto access various information (Sanga et al., 2013).
Factors
influencing
mobile phone
use
567
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