IJSRP, Volume 11, Issue 5, May 2021 Edition [ISSN 2250-3153]
Servious Mbiza
Abstract:
While the mobile phone has revolutionized some sectors of the economy such as banking, its impact in agriculture in Zimbabwe is yet to be established. For farmers to adapt to the fast-changing global environment and remain competitive and relevant, they must integrate ICTs in their farming activities. The study was carried out on farmers in Mushandike Irrigation Scheme in Masvingo district in Zimbabwe. Because of the farmers’ long stay in commercial farming activities, they were clearly aware of their information requirements in farming. Questionnaires were distributed to 54 farmers and interviews were conducted with 10 farmers from the Irrigation Scheme. The level of use of mobile phone applications was found to be very poor. The extension worker was seen as the main source of information when it comes to dealing with traditional issues such as pests and crop diseases. Small scale farmers were not benefitting from mobile applications.