Smallholder farmers’ satisfaction with agricultural information accessed in rural Tanzania

Abstract

Introduction. Rural smallholder farmers’ satisfaction with the agricultural information they access has only attracted insufficient attention from researchers. As such, this study had to explore the farmers’ satisfaction with this type of information in rural Tanzania. Method. The study employed a descriptive cross-sectional design alongside quantitative and qualitative approaches. In the study, a sample of 341 respondents comprising 318 conveniently selected smallholder farmers and 23 purposively drawn key informants was used. Analysis. Quantitative data from the questionnaire survey used were analysed using descriptive statistics whereas qualitative data from interviews and focus group discussions were subjected to thematic analysis. Results. The findings of the study suggest that smallholder farmers’ satisfaction with agricultural information depends on its type, relevance, and timeliness. However, there are various factors that undermine farmers’ satisfaction with the information. These include inadequacy of extension officers, untimely and unreliable information and sources, information access and use related costs, and language problems. Conclusion. Smallholder farmers’ satisfaction with agricultural information fosters uptake of innovative farming techniques which translates into sustainable agricultural production.