Smallholder Farmers’ Perception on Mobile Phone Advisory Potential in Farming in Bhagalpur, India

Abstract

Mobile phones become an omnipotent device in human interface and interpersonal communication and itself become a paramount tool for grassroots agricultural extension linkage. It was investigated to extrapolate smallholder farmers' perception of Mobile Phone Advisory Potential in Farming. Data were collected from 120 (one hundred twenty) farmers and it was found most of the farmers were middle age group (50%), education level up to Secondary level (35.84%) and annual income INR 3 to 4 lakhs (33%). The respondent's perception on Mobile Phone Advisory Potential in farming was, prospective tools to reach the unreached; any time retrieval of the message; better decision-makers; message relevance in sustainable mobile advisory usage; and high mobility to users. Farmer's decision making in farming is positively and significantly correlated with information access level (0.458**) social esteem and upscaling of mobile advisory usage (0.318*) and better information sharing and feedback (0.304*). Result also revealed that 54.17 per cent of farmers possessed a smartphone and use WhatsApp. Bihar Krishi Application (45%) and Social media youtube (48.33%) are getting popularity among the farming community in decision making. From the study it can be concluded that more agricultural related information should be made available in social media, agricultural information available in social media should be more localised and customised. Grassroots extension functionaries, viz. agri-input dealers and progressive farmers should be trained to used more ICT tools in general and smartphone in particular.