Mobile Phone Apps Impact on Marketing of Agricultural Goods: A Study of Selected Produce Markets in Nairobi

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to establish how mobile phone apps impact the marketing of agricultural products across selected produce markets in Nairobi County. Nairobi County was selected as it has 44 listed produce markets in Nairobi County (Government of Kenya Website, 2018). The markets are categorized into Hawkers Markets, Development Tenant Purchase Markets, Self-constructed Markets and Open-Air Markets. The study focused on suppliers of agricultural products in different parts of the county and comprised 388 respondents. The study utilized a quantitative data analysis in the research design. The target population was 13,112, which included primary producers of agricultural goods, distributors of agricultural goods and retailers of agricultural products based in Nairobi County. The study used Coopers and Emory’s (1995) formula to calculate the sample size 388 respondents. The study further utilized disproportionate sampling to further categorize the respondents into primary producers, middlemen/distributors and vendors of agricultural goods operating within the markets in Nairobi. Based on the findings, it is possible to conclude that the choice of mobile app utilized by the three categories of respondents had an impact on how agricultural goods were marketed across the different markets situated in Nairobi County. The study recommended that the Communications of Authority of Kenya looks into policies which support the access to technology to women participating in trade within the country. The study also recommended more targeted policies toward youth to encourage farming utilizing technology to boost food security. Finally, the study recommended further research to allow access to agricultural marketing information for areas of the population with limited access to such information.