Can Mobile Phones Bridge the Information Gap? An Assessment of Mobile Phone Usage and Agricultural Market Information Access for Smallholder Farmers in Kasulu District, Tanzania

Abstract

Agriculture forms the economic foundation of rural Tanzania, yet smallholder farmers’ access to timely and accurate agricultural market information remains limited, undermining their bargaining power and income. While mobile phone technology is widely regarded as a tool to connect farmers with markets, empirical evidence of its impact in regions like Kasulu District is lacking. This study examined the effect of mobile phone usage on agricultural market information access among 315 smallholder farmers in Kasulu, Tanzania, addressing three objectives: assessing the level of information access; evaluating mobile phone usage’s influence and, exploring socio-demographic moderators (age, sex, marital status, education). A cross-sectional survey design utilised multi-stage clustered random sampling, with data collected via structured interviews (Kobo Collect) and analysed through descriptive statistics and ordered logistic regression. Findings indicated 86.67% of households had low to moderate market information access. Mobile phone usage significantly improved access (OR = 1.90, p< 0.01), with sex moderating this relationship: female-headed households exhibited stronger effects (p= 0.05), while other factors showed no significant impact. The study concludes that mobile phones are pivotal in bridging information gaps, particularly for women, and recommends promoting mobile technology adoption alongside gender-sensitive interventions to enhance equitable access. These insights inform policies aimed at reducing information asymmetry and fostering sustainable agricultural development in Tanzania.