Digital Technology and Rural Livelihood - A Study of Peasant Communities in Pru District

DOI 10.7160/aol.2018.100408
No 4/2018, December
pp. 71-78

Shaibu, A.-F., Hudu, Z. and Israel, M. (2018) “Digital Technology and Rural Livelihood - A Study of Peasant Communities in Pru District?", AGRIS on-line Papers in Economics and Informatics, Vol. 10, No. 4, pp. 71-78. ISSN 1804-1930. DOI 10.7160/aol.2018.100408.

Abstract

There are a number of ways by which access to ICT can help boost economic activities of communities in a country with the mobile phone being the most common ICT tool especially in Sub Saharan Africa. To examine the impact of digital technology on rural livelihoods in the Pru district of the Brong Ahafo region of Ghana, a survey of 212 peasant farmers was conducted. The probit regression results indicate that, digital technology adoption is significantly influenced by age, cost and availability of the technology. Furthermore, digital technologies contribute to the improvement of rural livelihoods by expanding and strengthening social capital, increase people’s ability to deal with emergencies and enhanced efficiency.

Keywords

Adoption, digital technology, livelihood, ICT, rural communities, peasant farmers, social capital.

References

  1. Akanlisikum, A., Aziale, L. and Asampana, I. (2014) "An Empirical Study on Mobile Phone Usage among Young Adults in Ghana: From the Viewpoint of University Students", International Journal of Computer Applications, Vol. 98, No. 5, pp. 15-21. ISSN 2250-1797. DOI 10.5120/17178-7273.
  2. Ali, R., Barra, A. F., Berg, C., Damania, R., Nash, J. and Russ, J. (2015) "Impactof Transport Cost on Technology Adoption", pp. 57-84. ISBN 978-1-4648-0654-4. DOI 10.1596/978-1-4648-0654-4_ch3.
  3. Chambers, R, (1997) Editorial: "Responsible Well-being: A Personal Agenda for Development",World Development Economic Forum, Vol. 25, No. 11, pp. 1743-1754. ISSN 0305-750X. DOI 10.1016/S0305-750X(97)10001-8.
  4. Cochran, W. G. (1977) "Sampling techniques", 3rd ed. John Wiley & Sons, New York, N.Y.ISBN 0-47 1-1 6240-X.
  5. Feder, G., Just, R. and Zilberman, D. (1985) "Adoption of Agricultural Innovations in DevelopingCountries: A Survey", Economic Development and Cultural Change. Vol. 33, No 2, pp. 255-298.E-ISSN 1539-2988, ISSN 0013-0079. DOI 10.1086/451461.
  6. Fisher, A. A., Laing, J. E., Stoeckel, J. E. and Townsend, J. W. (1991) "Handbook for FamilyPlanning Operations Research Design", 2nd ed., 43 p., Population Council, New York, USA. [Online].Available: www.popcouncil.org [Accessed: 20 Sept. 2018].
  7. Jensen, R. (2007) "The Digital Provide: Information (Technology), Market Performance,and Welfare in the South Indian Fisheries Sector", The Quarterly Journal of Economics, Vol. 122,No. 3, pp. 879-924. E-ISSN 1531-4650, ISSN 0033-5533. DOI 10.1162/qjec.122.3.879.
  8. Motamed, M. K. and Singh, B. (2003) "Correlated of adoption of improved sericulture practices",Indian Journal of Extention Education, Vol. 39, No. (1&2), pp. 51-57. ISSN 0972-2181.
  9. National Communication Authority (2017) "Industry Information - Telecom Subscriptions for July2017", National Communications Authority, Airport City Accra, Ghana, September 29, 2017.
  10. Reardon, T., Timmer, P. C. and Minten, B. (2010) "Supermarket revolution in Asia and emergingdevelopment strategies to include small farmers", Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciencesof the United States of America, Vol. 109, No. 31. pp. 12332-12337. DOI 10.1073/pnas.1003160108.
  11. Rogers, E. M. (1983) "Diffusion of Innovations: Third Edition", The Free Press A Divisionof Macmillan Publishing Co., Inc. 866 Third Avenue, New York, N. Y. 10022. ISBN 0-02-926650-5.
  12. Rogers, E. M. (2004) "A Prospective and Retrospective Look at the Diffusion Model", Journalof Health Communication, Vol. 9, No.1, pp. 13-19. DOI 10.1080/10810730490271449.
  13. United Nations Development Programme (2001) "Human Development Report 2001- Making NewTechnologies Work for Human Development", Oxford University Press, Inc. 198 Madison Avenue,New York, New York. ISBN 0-19-521835-3.
  14. Vosough, A., Niusha, E. and Akram, B. (2015) "Factors Affecting ICT Adoption in Rural Area:A Case Study of Rural Users in Iran", Research Journal of Fisheries and Hydrobiology, Vol. 10,No. 10, pp. 611-616. ISSN 1816-9112.
  15. World Bank (2016) “World Development Report 2016: Digital Dividends”, Overview booklet, WorldBank, Washington, DC. License: Creative Commons Attribution CC BY 3.0 IGO.
  16. Yamane, T. (1967) "Statistics: An Introductory Analysis", 2nd Ed., New York: Harper and Row.

Full paper

  Full paper (.pdf, 685.82 KB).