A Systematic Analysis of Mobile Phone Use by Smallholder Farmers in Nigeria

Abstract

This study aims at systematically analyzing the influence of the factors that determine mobile phone use on the farming ecosystem. A systematic literature review was used to extract the determinants of mobile phone use and the farming activities that mobile phones are used for. The focus was on Nigeria’s rural context. The extracted data were used as system variables to develop a qualitative system dynamics model. The use of system dynamics modeling provided a means of accounting for the complex interactions and relationships between system variables. This also offered a unique dimension in understanding the influence of mobile phone technology on agricultural growth and development. The major feedback loops in the model indicated reinforcing loops in virtuous circles. These show that the use of mobile phone technology has a positive influence on farm productivity and the over-all well-being of farmers. The study concludes with implications for policies geared towards mobile phone use in farming.