A mobile-based communication adoption Model for agricultural market information dissemination in Uganda

Abstract

This study proposes a mobile-based communication adoption model for agricultural marketinformation dissemination in Uganda. An extended Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology model was used to guide the study. A survey was conducted on 302 commercial farmers and agribusiness traders in Eastern Uganda using self-administered questionnaires. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics; Structural Equation Modelling was also used to perform confirmatory tests analyses on study variable relationships and to develop the proposed model. Findings reveal a positive significant relationship between Performance Expectancy and Behavioral Intentions to use; Effort Expectancy and Behavioral Intentions to use; Social influence and Behavioral intention to use; Behavioral intention to use and adoption of mobile-based communication technologies. However, the relationship between affordability of mobile-based communication technologies and behavioral intentions to use and the relationship between facilitating conditions and adoption of mobile-based communication technologies were dropped by the structural equation model because they had negative path coefficients. Effective adoption of Mobile-Based Communication Technologies for Agricultural Information Dissemination in Uganda can be achieved with stakeholders increasing on the functionality and the ease of use of these mobile-based communication technologies; provide nationwide sensitization campaigns on benefits of using mobile-based communication technologies; ensure provision ofaccurate and reliable agricultural market information by using mobile based communication technologies, provide benefits to members of society so as to convince others to use mobile-based communication technologies.