Preprint Article Version 1 Preserved in Portico This version is not peer-reviewed

Adoption of ICT-based Information Sources and Market Participation among Smallholder Livestock Farmers in South Africa

Version 1 : Received: 16 December 2019 / Approved: 17 December 2019 / Online: 17 December 2019 (09:59:33 CET)

A peer-reviewed article of this Preprint also exists.

Nwafor, C.U.; Ogundeji, A.A.; van der Westhuizen, C. Adoption of ICT-Based Information Sources and Market Participation among Smallholder Livestock Farmers in South Africa. Agriculture 2020, 10, 44. Nwafor, C.U.; Ogundeji, A.A.; van der Westhuizen, C. Adoption of ICT-Based Information Sources and Market Participation among Smallholder Livestock Farmers in South Africa. Agriculture 2020, 10, 44.

Abstract

The study explored the contribution of ICT-based information sources to market participation among smallholder livestock farmers. Use of ICTs is considered paramount for providing smallholder farmers with required market information, in order to reduce market asymmetries. A Double Hurdle regression was utilized to analyze data collected from 150 smallholder livestock farmers in the study area. The results show that while use of ICT-based market information sources significantly influenced market participation, the effect of using ICT-based information sources on intensity of market participation was not significant. Other variables shown to influence both market participation and the intensity of market participation were age, additional income and membership of farmer cooperatives. This suggests the need to also consider other associated factors in the application of interventions which utilize ICT-based information sources in achieving planned market interventions.

Keywords

double hurdle; ICTs; market participation; information source; probit; regression model; smallholder farmer; livestock

Subject

Computer Science and Mathematics, Information Systems

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