Abstract:

The study analyses Information Communication Technology with a view to ascertain problems and prospects on crop marketing in the Agriculture Sector in Zambia. The inevitable gap between the potential and the extent to which Information Communication Technology is meeting crop marketing in the Agriculture Sector has continued to prompt further research into how the benefits of Information Communication Technology can be better allied. The study used both primary and secondary data to establish the problems and prospects of Information Communication Technology on crop marketing in the Agriculture Sector. The total population for the three districts analyzed comprising six camps under study was 7840; and the sample was 290.

The findings revealed that some benefits to be gained by farmers, traders and agricultural workers using Information Communication Technology in crop marketing were that of interactivity which created opportunities and awareness on the availability of crops’ quality, quantity and location. The study concluded that timely knowledge about who was buying the crops, how much one paid and where they were located could be an important tool in decision making by traders, farmers and agricultural extension workers. It enables them to balance their activities. Unfortunately, information on crop marketing rarely reached farmers in rural areas due to poor signals and electricity power outages. It was therefore recommended that establishing market information centers and tele centers in rural areas could boost access to crop marketing information.

Keywords: Information Communication Technology, Crop Marketing, Problems, Prospects.

References:

[1].   Ahmed, M (2014): Impact of Information and Communication Technologies in Agriculture Development. Journal of Basic and Applied Scientific Research, Vol.4 (1), pp. 281-288.

[2].   Aker, J.C. (2010): Information from Markets near and Far: Mobile Phones and Agricultural Markets in Niger. American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, 2 (3), PP. 46-59.

[3].   Central Statistics Office (CSO) (2018) Census of Population Summary Report: Government Printers, Lusaka.

[4].   Chaula Hopestone Kayiska (2014): The role of ICTs in Agricultural Production in Africa; Journal of Development and Agricultural Economics, Vol. 6 (7), pp. 279-289, July, 2014.

[5].   Chikumbi C, Harihareswara H, Kwebiiha, Z Pathak, A Bansal, R Ndungu, A Kasebele A and Nanjero W (2016) Government Payments Flow Diagnostic– Zambia; FSD Zambia, UNCDF, MM4P and BTCA.

[6].   Cookey, M. (2003): Factors affecting the development of marketing in Zambia. Continuum Publishing Company: London.

[7].   Gorard, S and Madden, L. (2003):” Logged on to learning? Assessing the impact of technology on participation in long life learning,’’ international journal of lifelong education, Vol., 22, No .3, pp.281-296.

[8].   Hailu, B. (2009). "The Impact of agricultural policies on small holder’s innovation capacities. M. SC thesis communicational and innovation studies group. Wageningen university department of social science.

[9].   Halewood, N.J; Surya, P. (2012): Mobilising the Agricultural Value Chain in 2012, Information and Communication for Development – Maximising Mobile, World Bank, Washington D.C.

[10].  Hall, A., Clark N. and Frost. A. (2010). ‘‘Bottom-Up, Bottom-Line: Development-Relevant Enterprises in East Africa and their Significance for Agricultural Innovation.’’ RIU Discussion Paper Series #2010- 002, July 2010, Research into Use (RIU), UK.

[11].  Kiplang’at, J., and Ocholla D.N (2005). ‘‘Diffusion of Information and Communication Technologies in Communication of Agricultural Information among Agricultural Researchers and Extension Workers in Kenya’’ South Africa Journal Libraries and Information Science 71 (3): 234246.

[12].  Kleich, U (2017): Farmers and traders’ sources of market information in Lira District, Uganda journal of Agricultural Science, Vol .9, pp.693-700.

[13].  Kohli, R., and Devaraj, S. (2018). Measuring information technology payoff: A meta-analysis of structural variables in firm-level empirical research. Information Systems Research, 14(2), 127-145.

[14].  McKinsey (2013): Lions Go Digital: The Internet’s Transformative Potential in Africa, on www.mackinsey.com.

[15].  Mwakaje, Agnes Godfrey (2010): Information and Communication Technology for Rural Farmers Market Access in Tanzania. Journal of Information Techno- logy Impact; Vol. 10, No. 2; pp. 111-128.

[16].  Nnadi, F.N., Chikaire, J., Ejiogu-Okereke, N. and Nwakwasi, R. N. (2010) Information and Communication Technology (ICT) For Food Production and Distribution. Proceedings of the 44th Annual Conferences of Agriculture Society of Nigeria Held at Ladoke Akinkal University of Technology, Oyo State. 18th-22nd October.

[17].  Pant, P., L. and Odame, H., H. (2008). "Assuaging social Innovation in agriculture research and development partnership”. A paper prepared for workshop “Rethinking Impact”, Cali-Colombia, March 26-27, 2008.

[18].  Rafea, A. (2009). Managing Agriculture Knowledge: Role of Information and Communication technology. Think piece for CGIAR Science Forum Workshop on ICTs Transforming Agricultural Science, Research and Technology Generation. Wageningen, Netherlands 16-17 June.

[19].  Sarvanan, R. (2010) ICTs for Agricultural Extension-Global Experiments, Innovations and Experiences: New India Publishing Agency, New Delhi.

[20].  Seshamani V and E Kabala (2016) Mobile Technology and Poverty Reduction in Zambia: A SWOT Analysis; IOSR Journal of Economics and Finance (IOSRJEF) e-ISSN: 2321-5933, p-ISSN: 2321-5925.Volume 7, Issue 3. Ver. III (May. - Jun. 2016), PP 61-74.

[21].  Sharma, V.P., (2003) Improving Access Information Management, Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Development Proceedings India.

[22].  World Bank. (2018) ‘‘Agricultural Innovation Systems; From Diagnostics towards Operational Practices’’ Agriculture and Rural Development Discussion Paper.

[23].  World Bank Group (2016). Digital Dividends. World Development Report.

[24].  Zambia National Farmers’ Union (ZNFU) (2016): The ZNFU Submission on the Role of ICTs in National Development, submitted to the Parliamentary Committee on Communication, Transport, Works and Supply, 4th January, 2016.