Mobile phone and beef cattle marketing: The case of Girar Jarso district of Oromia region, Ethiopia

Abstract

Mobile phone serves as a means for the farmers to have access to beef cattle markets. This study is designed to assess the contributions, determinants, and constraints in the use of the mobile phone for beef cattle marketing. In this study, 59% of the respondents were mobile phone users and 41% were nonusers. Major contributions of mobile phone were to save time in search for the market, disseminate market information among farmers, and make informed marketing decisions. The logit model result indicated that gender, education level, total annual income, credit access, cattle market information access, and the number of beef cattle owned were significant determinants of mobile phone use in the study area. Moreover, poor extension service, lack of operating skill, poor network coverage, problem of electricity, and high cost of mobile phone were constraints to use a mobile phone. Thus, mobile phone is an essential ICT tool that enhances beef cattle marketing in the area even if it was not at full potential. Therefore, the government should fulfill essential infrastructures for farmers and also should promote training and education for extension agents and for the farmers, which is crucial to improve farmers’ beef cattle marketing process in the study area.