Mobile Phone as a Communication Device for Seeking Agricultural Information by the Rural Farm Women in Bangladesh

Abstract

Mobile phone helps in communication and thus, lead to accessing information is gaining popularity in Bangladesh along with many developing countries.In the remote rural areas where mobile network is not up to the expectation yet and scarcity of information is a stark, rural farm women entrepreneur trying to seek information through mobile phone. The focus of the study was to determine the extent and types of information seeking through mobile phones by the rural farm women and explore the contribution of selected characteristics of the rural farm women on the extent of information seeking through mobile phones. The study was conducted in two geographic locations, in the Northern part of Bangladesh Doholpara, and  Dakkhinkharibari village under DimlaUpazila, and in the Southern part Borokupot village of ShyamnagarUpazila. A multi-stage sampling technique was followed in conducting the study. The present study was conducted on 150 sampled rural farm women which comprised of 50 from each farm enterprise's crop, fisheries, and livestock. Data were collected by a pre-tested interview schedule that was prepared with simple and direct questions with different appropriate scales from September to December 2020. Along with descriptive statistics, correlation and multiple regression analysis were also performed. The major findings revealed that the majority of the rural farm women of each three farm enterprises (crop, fisheries, and livestock) in the study area were found in a category of those who seek agricultural information through mobile phone at a medium to a higher level. Findings also revealed that in all three agricultural farm enterprises, rural farm women mostly seek market information i.e. calling market centers, traders, and dealers for checking market price followed by collecting weather forecast and contact with experts during an emergency like information regarding diseases of fish, selection fish fries and contact with the veterinary surgeon or quack doctor regarding domestics animal. Among profile characteristics, family size, experience in managing the farm, attitude towards the mobile phone, and organizational participation were identified as the important contributing factors of the rural farm women in seeking information through mobile phone.