A Gendered Analysis of the Determinants of Young Farmers’ Intention to Use Ict for Accessing Agriculture Market Information

Sassi, Akinyi Lydia (2020) A Gendered Analysis of the Determinants of Young Farmers’ Intention to Use Ict for Accessing Agriculture Market Information. ["eprint_fieldopt_thesis_type_phd" not defined] thesis, The Open University of Tanzania.

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Abstract

Agriculture is a fundamental economic sector in Tanzania, employs more than 65% of the population. However, low returns from the industry negatively affect youth interest to invest in it. ICT has been identified as an essential tool for rebranding the sector and makes it an industry of choice for investment. However, the low use of ICT for business purposes among farmers is a constrain. Hence, understanding the drivers of ICT acceptance among farmers to allow sustainable integration and promotion is a must. This study employed Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) that was extended to include Price value, Trust, Awareness and Gender stereotype to identify the determinants of young farmers’ intention to use ICT for accessing agriculture market information with a perspective on gender. The analysis involved data from 209 female and 194 male, which were collected through a cross-sectional survey. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was employed to test the hypotheses. Findings indicated that Performance Expectancy, Price Value, Trust and Awareness had a significant positive effect on the intention to use ICT. Gender revealed no significant moderation effect. The study findings suggested that for proper integration of ICT in agriculture and promotion of the same among young farmers; government and other stakeholders should focus on Performance expectancy, Price value, Trust and Awareness. Furthermore, findings showed that the integration of ICT in agriculture and promotion among young farmers should not necessarily be gender-sensitive since female and male placed similar importance in the determinants of the intention to use ICT. Keywords: Young Farmers, Agriculture, Information Communication Technology, Gender.

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