DETERMINANTS OF THE AWARENESS AND USE OF ELECTRONIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS: EVIDENCE FROM FARMERS IN BURKINA FASO

Abstract

The use of information systems using mobile phone support is important in agriculture in terms of generating efficiencies in production and improving farmers' incomes. In Burkina Faso, despite the increasing spread of a wide variety of agricultural information via mobile phones since the 2000s, few farmers have adopted such an electronic information system. This research aims to empirically analyse the factors that influence the awareness and use of electronic information systems by producers. Primary data were collected from a sample of 210 grain producers and analysed using descriptive statistics and a logit sequential model. Descriptive statistics indicated that farmers interviewed had an unmet need for timely access to relevant, reliable, continuously available, and unfragmented information. The econometric results suggest that a high number of years of schooling for the head of household, regular contact with extension agents and technical assistance from market information systems (MIS) management structures influence awareness of electronic information systems. With regard to the actual use of the services offered by these information systems, the presence of educated members in the household, the size of the farm, the perceived relevance of non-commercial benefits derived from the information disseminated and access to agricultural financing appear as significant determinants. These results have required more targeted public policies.

Keywords

• adoption
• electronic information system
• agricultural information
• farmers
• Burkina Faso