Socio-Economic Factors Influencing Use of ICT Tools by Rural Agrientrepreneurs in Kenya

Abstract

Recently, there has been emergence in the use of modern Information Communication Technologies (ICTs) in the different operations of agrienterprises. This ranges from the provision of agricultural information to marketing of agricultural products through the use of cellular phones, radio and television. Despite the potential of these ICT tools to enhance efficiency in agrienterprises' operations, there is low capacity and usage of these tools in rural agrienterprises. The aim of this study was to determine and quantify the socio-economic factors influencing decision by smallholder agrientrepreneurs to use ICT tools in their agrienterprises, describe and characterize structure of ICT usage in rural Kenya. The study used multistage sampling to select a sample of 183 pineapple agrientrepreneurs in Gatundu North Sub-County, Kiambu County. Data was collected with the help of a structured questionnaire. Using multivariate probit model to evaluate the socio-economic factors influencing the decision to use ICT tools, the study found that age, education, household size, farm size, group membership, extension contact, credit access and installation of electricity significantly influenced the decision to use ICT tools in agricultural transactions. The study therefore recommends policy interventions to enhance access to credit, collective action, electricity access and reduction of illiteracy levels among agrientrepreneurs through training and extension services.