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Impact of Mobile Phone on Sustainable Framing
Renubala Pradhan1
& Gouri Shankar Beriha2*
1
Department of Management,
1
renu.pradhan87@gmail.com
1
Biju Patnaik University of Technology, Rourkela, Odisha 769004 INDIA
2
Department of Humanities
2
gourishankar.nitrkl@gmail.com
2
Veer Surendra Sai University of Technology, Burla, Odisha 768018 INDIA
Abstract
The information and communication is a vital resource for agriculture and may contribute
considerably to make sure food security and property by making awareness and talent
development through access to information. The initial and most distinguished player of
information delivery is public sector extension services that from past few years are sometimes
criticized for their ineffective targeting, poor reach and also the vast body value of delivering
information. Since past few years, the forceful increase in mobile penetration even in rural areas
has result in evolution of ICT-based extension services models to publicize agriculture connected
information. The goal of discrimination the mobile phone-enabled info delivery mechanism is to
possess inclusive growth by reducing the information gap between enormous and little farmers
and by making awareness. With this end, this paper analysis specific objectives excluding
distinguishing potential desires of data and also the existing sources, includes the meta analysis
of mobile impact studies chiefly in India in terms of up farmers socio-economic conditions by
being higher connected to extension services, improved access to markets and higher science
info.
Keywords: Agricultural Services; Mobile Telecommunication; Targeting; Mobile Penetration;
Meta analysis.
Introduction
The introduction of mobile-enabled data services enhances data dissemination to the data
intensive agriculture sector. That helps to beat data disparity existing among the cluster of
farmers. It conjointly helps a minimum of partly, to bridge the gap between the provision and

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delivery of agricultural inputs and agriculture infrastructure. This paper investigates more on this
subject and provides evidence to point out however mobile phones and mobile-enabled
agricultural services have wedged the farmers. As mobile penetration continues to extend among
farming communities and knowledge services and to adapt and reproduce, the scope exists for a
way bigger rural productivity impact within the future. To influence the total potential of data
dissemination enabled by mobile telecommunication at the side of supporting infrastructure and
capability building amongst farmers it‟s essential to make sure the standard of data, its timeliness
and trustiness.
It is estimated that world food production needs to increase by 70 per cent by 2050 (Cribb and
Julian, 2010). Agriculture is the science, art and practice of cultivating the soil, producing crops,
raising livestock and the preparation and marketing of the resulting products. As the definition
indicates „agriculture‟ is a science, but farmers are not scientists! Therein lays the huge gap
between scientific knowledge available by the experts and the practical application of this
knowledge by the actual farmers; for whom the scientific research was conducted to find
solutions to their operational issues and problems. Indian farmers face a multitude of problems.
Some of the issues faced, such as irregular monsoons and insufficient rainfall, are not in the
realm of problems that can be addressed by technology, as of now. But, there are numerous
problems that can indeed be solved with proper advice to farmers, at the right time. For example,
farmers can be advised about the availability of alternate watering resources, location of places
to procure affordable fertilizers and pesticides, details of funding agencies with a comparative
analysis of the loan repayment options. They can be empowered with the know-how of markets
to supply the agro-products avoiding the heavy dependency of middle-men, a menace to the
supply-chain of agro-goods today. They can be made to acquire essential farming skills such as
how to maximize yield by growing compatible crops, along with the main ones, various crop
rotation strategies depending on the location, soil.
Literature Review

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Researchers have embarked on different paths to sustainability, incorporating innovative
approaches (USDA, 1999). New mechanisms to foster development and diffusion of innovation
are needed to strengthen the ways in which information; knowledge and technology are
developed and disseminated to ensure the global changes benefiting farmers, food insecure
households and other vulnerable groups (Anandajayasekeram et al., 2008). Farmers do not know
when and how to apply what fertilizers and pesticides, what crops to grow with the main crops;
and side-businesses. Some of these problems can be tackled using mobile phones. In the
developing world, the main concerns are soil depletion, water scarcity and habitat loss due to
over-cropping, over-grazing and deforestation (OECD, 2008). Farmers often face intermittent
availability of water, especially in the night. The main technical constraints to agricultural
production are lack of infrastructure, unfavorable land policies, poor climate and pests and
diseases (Langyintuo et al., 2008).
There is a large gap between scientific knowledge available and its practical application. A
recent study using option value models has investigated agricultural investments to understand
why technology adoption rates are slow (Baerenklau and Keith, 2007). Some issues, such as
irregular monsoons and insufficient rainfall cannot be addressed. But there are problems that can
be solved with proper advice. Farmers can be advised about alternative water sources,
procurement of affordable fertilizers and pesticides, and details of funding agencies with
comparison of loan repayment options. They can be empowered to supply products avoiding
middle-men. They can acquire skills such as how to maximize yield by growing compatible
crops, along with the main ones, crop rotations depending on the location and soil (Joshi and
Tyagi, 1994).
The difference in the use of digital technology between rural and urban areas in India is slowly
decreasing and farmers are getting familiar with mobile and internet applications. However, there
is no comprehensive report on the application of these techniques to the specific needs of
farmers. Nokia‟s Ovi Life Tools (OLT) is a platform for agricultural mobile application
providers. OLT has a large user base in developing countries including Bangladesh. An

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alternative platform, still in its beta phase, is „BlueVia‟ from Spain‟s Telefonica. BlueVia
(http://www.bluevia.com/about/) is similar to OLT in terms of platform functions, but mobile-
application providers only have access to Telefonica subscribers because the platform is not
integrated with competing mobile network operators. This study is designed to develop a suitable
telecommunication system using mobile phone for sustainable agricultural development in India.
The mobile phones one of the main forms of communication technology in developed and
developing countries. Mobile phone has played more important role compare to land line phones.
These technologies have growth in European and North America in 20th Century.
The industry was growth very fast in recent years. The one billion mobile phones were sell in
worldwide in twenty years while the second billion were sold in only four years and third billion
were sold in two years. The mobile phones were coverage was increased and subscription was
expanded in developing countries. It was estimated than around 50% of the world population
has their own mobile phones. However, it was revealed that 80% of the population lives in the
range of mobile phones networks (GSMA, 2006). Mobile technology is one of the best forms of
transferring information by using SMS MMS or direct calling to concern person. Nowadays this
technology is increasing day by day in developing countries and now farmers are also getting a
good benefit from this in perspective of market, weather and communication with family and
friends. Information communication technologies (ICT) have provided new ideas, methods and
techniques disseminating and improving the knowledge and information among people of
different societies.
Furthermore, ICTs have helped the people in different sectors of society and given new
opportunities for development in all sectors. The term ICTs used to include electronic and print
media such as mobile phones, internet, telephone, computer, radio and television. ICTs have
reduced the gap among different communities and together them. ICT diffused information and
knowledge among societies especially in rural areas of the developing countries. There is no
doubt that by using communication technologies rural people have improved their agricultural
and product. The use of ICTs for instance mobile phones have brought significant changes in
agriculture development (Warren, 2002, Gregg and Irani 2004, Arokoyo, 2005).

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Mobile phones have given new thinking and approach to farmers for making a decision about
getting the information of market and weather from concern person. Now the farmers can
communicate with customers to sell their product in good price same time they can keep up to
date each other‟s about market as well as weather (Bayes et al., 1999, Goodman, 2005, Kwaku
and Kweku 2006). Farmers easily can get information from market buyers about their
commodities price from their working places and long distance of market. It can be said that
Mobile phones have increased network among larger communities and market buyers in remote
areas. Aker and 2008, Goyal, 2008) indicated that mobile phones have brought significant
changes in the prices of the product and farmers are now getting reasonable prices of their
produce from market. In the perspective of Pakistan there are many communication centres were
established for disseminating the information to farmers for the development of agriculture. Such
as in Sialkot Punjab information and communication is providing information regarding weather
forecast marketing pesticides and prices information to farmers.
The mobile phones have provided good opportunities to farmers to directly communicate with
buyers and traders for sell their product in good price as well as arrive in market to avoid from
waste. Furthermore, mobile phones also have given a new approach to decide either to sell their
product in good price or stay for reasonable price in market. Another study was conducted in
Ghana where result showed that before the mobile phones farmers spent many days to reach in
market but now mobile phones have made their life easy to direct communicate with customers
and sell their produce on the spot (Smale and Tushemereiruwe, 2007).
Mobile phones nowadays spreading very fast in developing countries and most of the people are
getting benefit from this technology with any hurdle and problem. In many areas of Africa
farmers are using mobile phones where internet services are not good the farmers are obtaining
the information about agriculture issues from related officers (Gakuru et al., 2009). Many studies
showed that the access of communication technologies have impact on the economic, poverty
reduction as well as agriculture development. The use of mobile phones could increase the
efficiency of farmers by affordable access of communication technologies in rural areas of

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developing countries. The study was conducted in Bangladesh indicated that use of mobile
phones increased access of information among men and women and improved their living
standard (Abraham, 2006; Aker, 2008; Galperin and Mariscal, 2007; Jensen, 2007, Bhavnani et
al., 2008).
Mobile phones have given good opportunity to farmers especially fishermen to obtain best price
on the time and take decision about land and sell their fish on particular time. Now mobile
phones have keep able to the farmers either to sell their produce in good price or decide to keep
it for future and sell later in good price. The wide ranges of the communication technologies
have given good approach for introduce their production in different market and get good price
from market (Mittal et al., 2009). Agricultural information can play very important role in the
development of small farmers. By using a communication technologies farmers can increase
their product and their income.
In the perspective of the mobile phones farmers can directly communicate with buyers and
customers for sell their produce in good price. Furthermore, in remote areas farmers are still
facing many problems in use of technologies due to lack of infrastructure and awareness among
farmers community. Most of the farmers depend on old traditional methods and use same
methods in agriculture. Lack of knowledge, illiteracy and trainings can improve the conditions of
farmers in their areas for the development of agriculture. Mobile phone technologies have
provided a good plat form for farmers to share their knowledge and information among each
other on the time such as market rates and weather information in developing countries
(Munyua, 2007, Lehr, 2007).
One of the most important developments in the past decade was the rapid growth of the mobile
phone use around the world. Mobile phones have empowered developing countries to spread
information networking coverage in the remote areas and rural areas are getting great benefit out
of it. Different studies showed that general application of mobile phones has improved the living
standard of poor farmers in developed nations. In India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Malaysia,

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Indonesia, Philippine, Vietnam and Srilanka, the extensive use the technology has made direct
contribution to agricultural productivity as well as income of small holder‟s farmers.
Nowadays, remote sensing, satellite system and geographical information system GIS enhance
the capacity of farmers in remote areas. In this context, influence of ICT brought changes in
efficiency of market to improve the productivity, easy access and approach to contact with
buyers in market. According to the farmers‟ agricultural information and economic conditions
have been improved after using some communication technologies. Now smallholders were
saving much amount to use transport to reach market for getting the information and price of
their product and only one dial using mobile phones and obtaining latest information on spot.
Improving the information, communication, business, and Internet resources available to farmers
and to the markets, organizations, and institutions they interact with is essential to making
smallholder agriculture more productive.
The proper use of information and communication technologies (ICT) is central to this
improvement. Information and communication technologies also played a role in business and
large scale of agriculture related services as well as these technologies provides weather and
irrigation system information. It was showed that different elements of the communication
networks have improved transaction in developing countries for instance in Ghana ICT helped
network of rural banking and increased their efficiency and expand their services and overall
population of farmers. Similarly, it was also indicated that ICT has provided facilities of different
business models for offering economic and financial service to smallholders. ICT is the tool of
different system, which has brought a remarkable change in daily life of people. Information
communication technology has created new revolutionary changes in organizations and
introduced new ways of doing in business and makes an innovative thing. This technology
played venerable role in developing countries and stable the economic conditions of poor
farmers. There is no doubt that communication technology used very frequently among farmers
and it empowers the resources of poor farmers and provided latest updates regarding agriculture
information and their related issues. Furthermore, by mobile phone farmers are touch with
market and obtained trends of price, weather information.

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The features of communication technologies can be found its quality and timeliness which can
make farmers enable to use agricultural information effectively the study was conducted in India
also found that mobile phone plays an important role in the contribution of farmers‟ productivity
and able to find good price of their product. While another study revealed about Kenya that in
the flood situation mobile phone SMS service also played key role to save the crop of farmers
and send alert messages to each others. Furthermore, in Nigeria the picture about the information
communication technologies and agriculture information among rural farmers provided new
access to reach at agricultural extension agents, researchers and buyers to communicate and get
latest information about their product from experts to increase their income and productivity.
Information technology also reduces the risk of farmers. It provides more opportunities to access
the market and also providing place to communicate with customers directly through mobile
phones. The world is speedily transferring information about everything of the society and
people are connected with each other globally. Information and communication technologies
plays a role of bridge among different communities such as farmers now can get easily
information about their produce by internet from any place of the world. In the context of the
government facilitating farmers and providing easy access. The information of market from
mobile networking services in remote areas. In modern information and communication
technologies such as 3G 4G internet, email facebook, Twitter and many other social media can
also have provided lot of information about the agriculture even there are many online programs
are available where farmers can get benefit and also apply such applications and methods in their
own land for better product of crops. YouTube is also one of the best sources of getting latest
information about agriculture development. Unfortunately, farmers have no proper knowledge
and education about techniques and use of technologies in their working places.
Agriculture in Odisha
Odisha, located on the eastern seacoast of India, spans over 15.6 million hectares of land and
comprises around 3.2 per cent of India‟s population (44.7 million people). The state is one of the

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poorest in the country, with around 36 per cent of the rural population living below the poverty
line as compared to the national average of 26 per cent. Further, the state‟s per capita income in
2013-14 was the fifth lowest, standing at only Rs 24,928 as compared to the national average of
Rs 39,904. Odisha is largely a rural economy, with 83 per cent of the population living in rural
areas as compared to the all-India figure of 69 per cent. Like the rest of the country, there has
been a structural transformation in Odisha, with the share of agriculture in total gross state
domestic product (GSDP) falls from 36 per cent in TE 1992-93 to 15.4 per cent of total GSDP in
TE 2013-14 and that of services and industry increasing. Despite this decline in the share of the
sector in total GSDP, it continues to be one of the main sources of livelihood in the state. Around
62 per cent of the total work force is dependent on agriculture for their livelihood, directly or
indirectly in comparison to the national average of 55 per cent (Census, 2011).
However, the gross cropped area per 100 persons in Odisha is only 12.3 hectares as compared to
31.1 hectares in Madhya Pradesh, 20.9 hectares in Gujarat and 28.4 hectares in Punjab, leading
to greater pressure on land. Given its high dependence on agriculture, the development of this
sector can play an important role in the overall development of the state. As per the World
Development Report (2008), GDP growth originating in agriculture is at least twice as effective
in reducing poverty compared to GDP growth originating outside agriculture. However,
agricultural growth in Odisha has been low and extremely volatile. From 2005-06 to 2014-15,
agricultural growth in Odisha was 2.4 per cent per annum as compared to the national average of
3.6 per cent per annum. In the same period, Madhya Pradesh, recorded a robust agriculture
growth of 9.7 per cent and Bihar, considered a low performing state, registered an agricultural
growth rate of 4.7 per cent.
Odisha‟s comparative agriculture performance in the last five years (2010-11 to 2014-15) was
poor. The agriculture sector recorded a mere 0.9 per cent growth as compared to a robust 14.2
per cent growth in Madhya Pradesh and 7.1 per cent in Bihar. These numbers should be read in
the context of the frequent natural disasters, specifically flooding and cyclones in coastal areas
and acute drought in the western regions of the state, which have negatively affected agricultural

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growth over the past two decades. Between 1991 and 2012, there were floods in 12 years out of
22 years and droughts in 8 out of 22 years in the state. The entire coastal line, extending over 482
km, is exposed to flooding and water logging. Drought is unpredictable in Odisha; in some years,
drought has affected the entire state, while in others, only a few districts have been affected.
These trends are extremely worrisome for a state like Odisha where agriculture is the largest
source of employment. While natural disasters have undoubtedly affected the agricultural
performance of the state, there may be other important contributory factors for its poor
agricultural development. This study analyses the composition, sources and potential drivers of
agricultural growth in Odisha with a view to identifying these factors.
Odisha is spread over an area of 156 thousand sq km and is divided into four geographical
regions the Northern plateau, central river basins, eastern hills and coastal plains and ten agro-
climatic zones.4 The state‟s population in 2011 was 41.9 million, which has been projected to
have grown to 44.7 million in 2016, accounting for about 3.2 per cent of India‟s population.
Around 83 per cent of this population lives in rural areas as compared to the national average of
68.8 per cent, making Odisha a largely rural economy. Like the rest of the country, the state has
undergone a structural transformation by moving away from agriculture towards non-agricultural
sectors. The share of agriculture in total GSDP has fallen by half since the 1990s, from 36 per
cent to 15.4 per cent, while those of industry and services have increased. Despite this decline,
the agricultural sector continues to be a key sector in Odisha due to its strategic importance to
food security, employment generation and poverty reduction. Around 62 per cent of the total
workforce consists of agricultural workers as compared to the national average of 55 per cent
(Census 2011). Amongst the comparator states, Bihar (74 per cent) and Madhya Pradesh (70 per
cent) have higher a dependency on the agricultural sector in terms of employment as compared
to Odisha.
In addition to being a rural economy with high dependency on agriculture for employment,
Odisha is also one of the poorest states in the country. It ranks fifth in terms of rural poverty after
Chhattisgarh (45 per cent), Jharkhand (41 per cent), and Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur (39 per

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cent each). Around 36 per cent of the rural population lives below the poverty line as compared
to the national average of 26 per cent. Further, the state‟s per capita income in 2013-14 was only
Rs 24,928 as compared to the national average of Rs 39,904 and only slightly above Manipur (Rs
24,042), Assam (Rs 23,392), Uttar Pradesh (Rs 19,233) and Bihar (Rs 15,506). However, to the
state‟s credit, Odisha has recorded the fastest decline in poverty rates from 61 per cent in 2004-
05 to between 36 percent in 2011-12. Amongst other factors, one important contributory factor
for this decline has been the significant increase in the importance of the livestock sector and the
rise in real income from the farming of animals. Despite this commendable trend, a large section
of the rural population continues to live below the poverty line and is dependent on agriculture
and livestock as the main source of income. Therefore, the development of this sector has
become an imperative to ensure food security in the state. In the following section, we discuss
Odisha‟s agricultural landscape and trends in agricultural growth.
Problem Statement
Increasing production is a major challenge facing present agriculture. Smallholder farmers which
dominate the landscape of developing world need to improve farming through acquiring
adequate knowledge and information (Aker, 2010). Farmers exhibit ambiguous risk-averse
behavior when they lack information pertaining to the likelihood of occurrence of the possible
outcomes of new technology, which might have a detrimental impact on adoption (Tessema, et
al., 2016). A mix of several factors prevents the adoption of new agricultural technology and
innovation by farmers and involves the level of education, individual risk preferences, capital,
perception, as well as inputs such as land, labour and credit, as well as access to information
(Aker, 2010). Relevant and suitable information on best practices, new technologies, post-
harvest handling, and value-addition are key in order to boost productivity (Henze, 2010).
Asayehegn et al, (2012), studied individual extension methods farm or home visits and use of
contact farmers to communicate and to disseminate agricultural technologies to farmers. Agents
are also working under areas characterized by lack of infrastructural facilities such as
transportation. Conventional extension methods such as farm or home visits and the use of

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contact farmers do not provide the needed agricultural information on timely basis (Deribe.K,
2011). The impact of mobile phones on development will, however, in the end be determined not
only by the number of owners of SIM cards and subscription rates, but also by the actual ways in
which mobile phones are used and the benefits that Indians derive from using mobile phones
(Bornman, 2012). Deribe. (2016) identified three DAs each for crops, livestock and natural
resource management are deployed, has approximately 800 -1200 farm households. This makes
it practically difficult to reach the farmers by face-to-face or individual contact methods. The
above mentioned problems calls for the use of ICTs to support agricultural extension services,
because ICTs, particularly mobile phones, can be very effective in delivering timely and relevant
information to farmers, even to those living in remote areas. Though the potential of mobile
phones is vast, little is known regarding the use of mobile phones in agriculture in Odisha.
It was showed that illiteracy is one of the big problems among rural farmers to use smart phone
most of the farmers do not have any knowledge and information about how to use their touch
screen and enter the digits. Similarly, farmers do not use mobile for getting the latest information
about marketing, weather and use of proper pesticides in their field. Farmers can use the SMS
and voice message delivery system to get the information regarding agriculture issues and
problems in different regions. It is easy to use for the farmer, but same time uneducated farmers
are not using this service while it is possible that this problem can be solved through training the
farmers about use of mobile phones and SMS. In a study conducted in the North Senatorial zone
of Kaduna State of Nigeria showed that around 78% of the respondents asked the main problem
of high cost of subscription charges, poor quality of mobile phone and its accessories and power
problem, to be major constraints. While other issues were identify such as high cost of
maintenance, poor network and inadequate skill for its operation.
However, it was revealed that due to lack of knowledge and information about the agriculture
marketing information of sell their product most of the farmers sell their product at low price in
developing countries such as Pakistan, Bangladesh and in India. Farmer‟s link with different
sources likes as traders, processors and traders farmers sell their agricultural products to buyers

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at wholesale price. While after getting the product at low price, traders and buyers resell the
products to processors at higher price. Therefore, mobile phones are one the best source to
communicate directly with market and get latest information of their product and sell it at good
price9. Nowadays farmers are using different methods and technologies to increase their
productivity and trying to reduce traditional methods. In the perspective of the China in the
growth of economy farmers are also playing an important role in the contribution of GDP of the
country. To improve and increase the agriculture produce farmers are accessing and getting more
information from different sources of technologies like an internet mobile phone and for find
location using Global Positioning System (GPS).
Furthermore, china has invested lot of amount on information communication technologies to
provide best opportunities to farmers and spread more information around the country. It was
showed that ICT has played an important role in various sectors of the society and has increased
the information system in different communities. In developing countries such as Pakistan India,
Bangladesh and South African countries agriculture is a major contributor of economy and the
GDP. Nowadays farmers are more aware about communication technology tools such as
computer, Internet and mobile phone and improving their living standard. Mobile phones have
decreased the cost of expenses in rural people. However, it was showed that mobile phone has
given different opportunities, knowledge and information regarding different agricultural issues,
problems and its solutions for agriculture development and knowledge among farmers.
Furthermore, mobile phone use in agricultural extension services has provided information of
market, weather, transport and agricultural practices to communicate with related department.
Why mobile phones?
Agricultural producers and other stakeholders already know that information is important and a
valuable constituent in agricultural production processes; what is missing is timely access to it
(Durutan, 1999; Reitz, 2010). In most developing countries, including in Tanzania, price
information is gathered by the government through Ministries of Agriculture and disseminated

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via radio, newspaper, internet, email, mobile phones or notice boards (Ferris et al., 2008). In
practice, however, many small-scale farmers rely on a limited number of middlemen or traders to
receive price information, given that search costs for finding information elsewhere are often
high (Eggleston et al., 2002). Various options are in place attempting to improve information
accessibility to farmers through ICTs; including the use of radio, television, telephones, and print
media such as newspapers. However, many of these options have their limitations; for instance,
newspapers tend to be concentrated in urban areas and require literacy, internet access is low and
TV and radio have limited information range and provide one-way communication (Aker, 2011;
Hellstrom, 2010). Another important challenge is that the majority of farmers live in rural areas
where technical and economic feasibility of fixed line infrastructure is limited.
Different studies have concluded that mobile phones have become the most important form of
telecommunication in developing countries (ITU, 2010; Patel et al., 2012; UNCTD, 2007).
According to Furuholt and Matotay (2011), mobile phone is the most widespread information
technology across the world today including developing countries. Furuholt and Matotay further
expose that mobile phone technology has become a subject of intense focus within the
information communication technology for development (ICT4D). Its popularity bases on the
fact that, mobile phone technology is perceived as a low cost and a widely available
communication tool that holds considerable promise for knowledge mobilization in the
agricultural sector (Qiang et al., 2011). Other studies have asserted that mobile phone has the
potential to address information asymmetry offering development prospects for both developed
and developing countries (Aker and Mbiti, 2010; Mittal et al., 2010; Hellstrom, 2010; Carmody,
2012 and Siyao, 2012). In Africa, for example, mobile phone technology is becoming the most
common, available and accessible ICT (Sanga et al., 2013).
Its penetration in rural areas of the developing countries is also growing strongly into an
International Telecommunication Union (ITU, 2010). Mobile phones are also regarded as
potentially powerful and well-suited for the Indian communication landscape. This could be due
to their relatively low cost of setting out cellular networks in low-income and rural areas, the

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advent of affordable prepaid services and the lower skills base required for use in comparison to
other ICTs. The technology is also widely available and less inhibited by traditional access
barriers such as infrastructure such as electricity and to some extent language and literacy
(Muthee and Mhando, 2006; Aker, 2011; Carmody, 2012; Siyao, 2012). Other scholars (Souter
et al.,2005; Burrell and Montoya, 2008; Baumüller, 2012; Sey, 2011; Sife et al., 2010;
URT,2010; Omwansa and Sullivan, 2012) noted that mobile phones have a potential to enhance
the empowerment opportunity of the rural poor. However, valuable and sustainable phone
applications are likely to develop within an environment that encourages collaboration between
actors.
Mobile phones are one of the key tools of information communication technology which
promoting the economics conditions as well as reducing the poverty. It is rapidly spreading in
rural areas and farming is getting more benefit from it. Farmers directly communicate customers
and sell their produce in good price and sharing their experience with each other‟s in their
different areas. Mobile phone nowadays one of the strong tool of communication and make close
communities. Use of mobile phone very easy for farmers either is educated or uneducated. In
remote areas farmers were not expecting that mobile phone would change their lives and it bring
happiness and knowledge of agriculture. Mobile phones provided confidentially nearby anytime
and anywhere and users carries personal item. Mobile phone services to support farmers in
developing countries differ from one country to another country. Mobile phone one of the best
tool of ICT and every person of the society is getting benefit from it. In developing countries
mobile phone played an important role in the terms of economic and significantly has reduced
the gap among communities. The rate of mobile call is not more expensive and people especially
poor farmers are using it frequently in remote areas of developing countries. Similarly, in
developing countries farmers are using mobile phone for marketing information in the context of
Ethiopia farmers keep up to date about marketing rates by mobile phone. It was also showed that
mobile phone speedily spreading in remote areas and improving its service where farmers easily
can connect with market13. The mobile phone has provided many opportunities to farmers and
traders to sell their goods within a time to avoid from waste their product. Moreover, mobile

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phone has also given new thinking among farmers to decide regarding sell their produce, which
offer provided by buyers or directly call market to get latest information of their crops. The study
showed that when the mobile phone network was not available in Ghana most of the brokers stay
at farmers working places and buy banana on the spot and beard lot of amount in the shape
transportation to reach market where traders could not get appropriate price from market. ICT
has also provided easy access to extension workers to reach at farmers and give advises for
agriculture development. In the context of India farmers explored the use of a voice message
forum to provide communicating and access to appropriate and timely agricultural knowledge
and information from experts by use of mobile phone. Now rural communities in India are
adopting mobile phones.
Result and Discussion
Result showed that adapters and owners of mobile phone in different countries such as
Bangladesh, Pakistan, India, Srilanka and Thailand are young users and it was showed that
mobile phones have improved their social and economic conditions while same time mobile
provided easy access to communicate with family and friends in emergency time. Diffusion of
information communication technologies in remote areas of developing countries are playing an
important role in the agriculture development. Nowadays it was showed that mobile phone is not
so expensive in developing countries and every person can buy it even low income farmers have
also mobile phone and farmers communicate market and getting good price from customers. The
study showed that in developing countries such as Dominican Republic, Guyana and Swaziland
rural areas around 60 percent of farmers have their own mobile phone and using for market
information. The development and increasing in different information technology tools have
brought changes in daily life of people especially nowadays farmers are getting advantage from
it and by using mobile phone connected with market.
Conclusion
It was showed that the farmers who use mobile phone are more aware about market and their
produce price. Most of farmers sell their goods on time without waste time. The proper use of
mobile has increased the economic conditions of farmers and improves their living standard.
Although in many places still it was lack of services showed but farmers are taking more efforts

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to connect with market and world and keep up to date every time. Information and
communication technologies especially mobile phone play a role of game changer in agriculture
development and brought a positive impact on smallholder farmers in developing countries. In
different places of rural areas farmers directly communicate with customers and sell their
produce and get good benefit from it. Mobile phone connected links of farmers with buyers and
now farmers helping each other to reduce the risk of wastage their good and reached it on time.
The information communication technologies applications have provided many opportunities to
solve the problems and issues of rural communities and same time have enhanced the capacity of
agriculture production and related information. Nowadays farmers are participating in different
programs about use of technologies in agriculture knowledge and techniques for development of
agriculture and their goods. Furthermore, farmers are focusing to use ICT for commercial
purposes. Communication technology could empower the farmers and extension workers to
spread the information about agriculture for farmers in rural areas of developing countries. It is
very important to empower the farmers and provided latest information about their agriculture
produce timely where farmers can earn good money and reduce the poverty by using
communication technology tools.
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