The Influence of Chicken Farmers’ Demographic Characteristics on Use of Social Media to Access Market Information

Abstract

Access to information is crucial for the socio-economic development of any society. In the context of chicken farming, small-scale farmers need accurate and timely information to enhance their production. Small-scale chicken farming in Arusha City, Tanzania, has gained economic significance in recent years. The integration of technology in agriculture has transformed the way farmers operate, and social media platforms have emerged as vital tools for farmers to obtain market information. For these reasons, this study assessed the influence of demographic characteristics on small-scale chicken farmers’ utilization of social media for accessing market information in Arusha City. Both quantitative and qualitative data were collected during the study. Quantitative data were collected using a semi-structured questionnaire which was administered through interview and qualitative data were collected using an in-depth interview guide. A binary logistic regression model was used to analyse quantitative data in which Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 26 Computer program, was used in the process. The results show that sex, marital status, age, owning a smartphone, chicken farming experience and Kuku Uchumi is statistically significant in, accessing this market information from social media since the P-Values is less than significance levels. The study concludes that access the market information from social media is mainly influenced by demographic characteristics such as sex, a marital status, age, farming experience, being Kuku Uchumi beneficiary and owning a smartphone. Also, the study recommended that the government, through the Agricultural Extension Department, should train and encourage more small-scale chicken farmers to use social media for sourcing market information.