Portal to address agricultural information needs of banana farmers in Embu County
Date
2013
Authors
Ireri, Evelyn Wanjiru
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Strathmore University
Abstract
Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) are important tools to
use in agriculture today. This is more so because ICTs can make significant
contribution in increasing efficiency, productivity and sustainabiIity of smallscale
farmers. The greatest challenge is that despite many initiatives
Agricultural knowledge and information has not been tapped and content
availed to farmers in an all inclusive format. Currently the available websites
only provide information which is of very little value to the farmer since it does
not cover the whole agricultural value chain.
The design of this research was action in that it tried to understand the banana
farmers' agricultural information needs and challenges that farmers face while
using ICTs, interviews were conducted to banana farmers in Embu county.
This information was intended to aid the researcher in developing an
appropriate tool (portal) which could contain all the information a farmer is
interested in throughout the agricultural value chain. The developed portal
contains information from production, to value addition and marketing which
is the final stage of the agricultural value chain. However, the research
recommends that the agricultural extension offices should be fully equipped
with computers and internet to facilitate the extension officers to be able to
train the farmers on how to acquire this information through the internet using
their phones or available information hubs. Findings also suggest the need for
policy makers and even private sector to invest in making access to ICT tools
by farmers easier.
Description
A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of
Master of Science in Information Technology
Keywords
Agricultural information, Agriculture, Information needs, Farming, Banana farming, Embu County