Availability and Accessibility of Agricultural Market Information by Small Scale Farmers in Babati District.

Mfinanga, Richard C. (2022) Availability and Accessibility of Agricultural Market Information by Small Scale Farmers in Babati District. Masters thesis, The Open University of Tanzania.

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Abstract

The study was conducted to assess the availability and accessibility of agricultural market information by small scale farmers in Babati District. The objectives of the study were; to establish information sources, channels and technologies used by small scale farmers to access agricultural market information, to determine the types of agricultural market information accessed by small scale farmers and to identify challenges small scale farmers experience in accessing agricultural market information. The study adopted qualitative and quantitative approaches. Combinations of stratified and purposive sampling techniques were employed to obtain 353 small scale farmers and 31 extension officers. The study data was collected using questionnaire, interview guide and observation instrument. The study findings revealed that small scale farmers need various types of information such as extension services, product quality, market price, market trends, sales seasons, planting seasons and agricultural technologies; the main sources of information used by small scale farmers to access information are friends, radios, family members, extension officers and other farmers.The revealed challenges such limited awareness, inadequate information materials, irrelevant information materials, information costs. The study recommended to increase a number of extension officers, establishment of information centers, improvement of ICT infrastructures, raise farmers awareness formulation of farmers’ organizations and instilling reading habits to small scale farmers. Keywords: Information, Availability, Accessibility, Agricultural market, Small scale farmers.

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