The key objective of the study is to examine the use of mobile phones by the farmers how smartly they can utilize for their agricularal development. The study is designed to achieve specific objectives, which are: Exploring the use of cell phone pertaining to access and receipt of agricultural information. Investigating the understanding the technology and participation of the farmers in receiving mobile phone based services. Examining the obstacles that the famers face in terms access and getting information related to agriculture products, process.
Bangladesh is predominantly an agrarian country. Despite several challenges, the country has achieved self-sufficiency in cereal food production. It is already evident that e-agriculture especially the expansion of mobile phone has tremendously boosted up the agricultural production in Bangladesh. Couples of vibrant mobile based agro advisory initiatives have also been evolved in last decade. The present study has been made to find out the status of the farmers in understanding and participation in access to agricultural information using mobile phone. Ten farmers were randomly selected from Dhamrai upazila of Dhaka district and Manikganj Sadar upazilla of Manikganj district. Semi-structured questionary-based survey, FGD was done.
Table of Contents
1.0 Introduction
2.0 Review of Literature
3.0 Research Methods
4.0 Results and Discussions
5.0 Conclusion and Recommendations
6.0 References
Research Objectives and Topics
This study aims to evaluate how farmers in Bangladesh utilize mobile phones to access agricultural information, examining their understanding of these technologies, their level of participation in mobile-based advisory services, and the specific obstacles they encounter during this process.
- The role of mobile communication in agricultural productivity.
- Farmer engagement with government and private e-agriculture initiatives.
- Utilization patterns of mobile phones for accessing market, input, and weather data.
- Identification of technical and financial barriers, such as internet costs and service accessibility.
- Policy implications for enhancing e-agriculture advisory systems.
Excerpt from the Book
4.2 Use of mobile phone in receiving Agricultural information
The following table-1 shows the extent of use of mobile phones in receiving agricultural information. Contact with fertilizer/pesticide dealers was the highest to whom the respondents connected (WM 3.6) followed by the contact with progressive farmers (WM 3.5) and sub assistant agriculture officer (WM3.4). Respondents used mobile phone moderately to contact with businessman for knowing market rate. Few farmers were showed interest(WM 1.7/1.6) to contact agricultural help service center(16123/3331) or NGO workers. Although they’re some mobile phone-based initiatives are providing agro advisory services, but respondents contacted a little with them. Lack of information/campaigning about the services was the main reason for that. Table-1 showed that farmers were frequently contacted with fertilizer/pesticide dealer/progressive farmers and extension workers (SAAO).From FGD it was clear that farmers were very comfortable to contact with extension workers like Sub Assistant Agriculture Officer, even Agriculture Extension Officer. This indicates that farmers had easy access in agricultural information using mobile phone. During FGD, respondents opined that received information were very beneficial to them in cultivation of crop. Using mobile phone they also saved time and money which leads to reduce the production cost. This data presented that respondents were understandable and participatory in accessing/receiving agricultural information using mobile phone.
Summary of Chapters
1.0 Introduction: This chapter contextualizes the importance of agriculture in the Bangladeshi economy and highlights the emerging role of mobile-based ICT tools in providing essential agricultural advisory services.
2.0 Review of Literature: The chapter explores global and local studies regarding ICT adoption in agriculture, focusing on how mobile phones bridge communication gaps and improve productivity for rural farmers.
3.0 Research Methods: This section details the mixed-methodological approach used, including surveys and focus group discussions conducted among farmers in the Dhamrai and Manikganj districts.
4.0 Results and Discussions: The chapter presents the empirical findings, highlighting that mobile phones are primarily used for input-related queries and dealer contact, while also identifying key challenges like mobile internet costs.
5.0 Conclusion and Recommendations: The study concludes that mobile phones have a positive impact on agricultural practice and suggests that increased awareness campaigns and reduced internet costs are necessary for further scaling these benefits.
6.0 References: This chapter lists the academic literature and reports consulted for the study.
Keywords
Agriculture, Information, Mobile phone, Usage, Bangladesh, E-agriculture, Farmers, ICT, Advisory Services, Productivity, Rural Development, Digital Bangladesh, Fertilizer, Market linkage.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research?
The research investigates the current status, adoption, and usefulness of mobile-based ICT services for farmers in Bangladesh regarding the access and receipt of agricultural information.
Which specific areas are the main thematic focuses?
The primary themes include the types of agricultural information sought, frequency of mobile phone usage, the impact on farming productivity, and the identification of barriers to using mobile technology in agriculture.
What is the primary objective of this study?
The main objective is to determine how smartly farmers use mobile phones for agricultural development and to understand their participation levels in existing mobile-based advisory initiatives.
Which scientific methodology was applied?
The study utilized a mixed-methodological approach, incorporating semi-structured questionnaires and focus group discussions (FGDs) with a sample of 10 selected farmers from Dhamrai and Manikganj.
What aspects of agricultural life are covered in the main section?
The analysis covers the demographics of respondents, the frequency of contact with various agricultural stakeholders, the specific types of information demanded, and the challenges faced, such as costs and connectivity.
Which keywords define this study?
Key terms include Agriculture, Information, Mobile phone, Usage, Bangladesh, E-agriculture, Productivity, and ICT.
How did internet charges affect the participants?
The study found that internet costs were ranked as the highest barrier for farmers using mobile phones to access agricultural information, often ranking above technical or network issues.
What type of agricultural information do farmers seek most often?
The research concludes that information related to seed/fertilizer inputs is the most frequently sought, followed by market rate information and crop variety selection.
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- Dr. Mohammad Rezaul Karim (Autor:in), E-Agriculture and Smart Farmers. Mobile Phone Use for Agricultural Information, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1303144
