Impact of Mobile-Based Extension Service on Wheat yield among Rural Farmers of Settat Province, Morocco

Abstract

Despite the undeniable advantages of innovative agricultural production technology, their adoption rate in Morocco is relatively low. In addition to research institutes and private institutions, agricultural information is provided by extension agents who are limited in terms of financial and logistical resources. In this study, we examine, on the one hand, the factors influencing the adoption of mobile phones to access extension services. On the other, we measure the impact of this adoption on wheat production and farmers’ income in the province of Settat (Morocco). In this study we use data collected through a survey of 130 farmers from the province of Settat (Morocco). As analysis methods, we use stratified sampling, descriptive statistics, and the propensity score matching model. The results revealed that farmers who use their mobile phones for extension purposes have slightly higher wheat production than those who do not. The developed model showed that the adoption of mobile phone-based extension services is influenced by farmer's age, educational level, primary source of income, the use of inorganic fertilizers, access to credit and the availability of road infrastructure. The study is a contribution to the efforts of various national stakeholders who have launched a national strategy focused on the digitalisation of extension services. Keywords: Adoption, Extension services, wheat production, Propensity score matching, Mobile phones.