Feasibility of m-governance in agriculture: insights from a multimodal study in rural India

TLDR: In this article, the authors explored the importance of mobile technology to enable diffusion of agriculture-related knowledge among farmers in India and evaluated the current socioeconomic factors and challenges that impact the feasibility of m-governance project.

Abstract: Purpose The paper explores the importance of mobile technology to enable diffusion of agriculture-related knowledge among farmers in India. The purpose of the paper is to evaluate the current socio-economic factors and challenges that impact the feasibility of m-governance project. The authors intend to explore different behavioral aspects of farmers, specifically their information seeking behavior to understand their communication ecosystem. Design/methodology/approach The authors have used multiple methods to analyze the significance of m-governance in current social dynamics. To achieve in depth understanding of farmer’s attitudes and opinion, the authors have conducted semi-structured interviews with farmers. The authors have also applied experimental observations to evaluate the actual effectiveness of information dissemination and the social dynamics behind the process. The secondary/archival data was also collected from the government offices and non-governmental organizations. Findings Findings explore the pattern of mobile usage among the farmers which could lead to interesting implications for the design and implementation of future m-governance projects. The research has also drawn some interesting implication on the feasibility of m-governance project. Research limitations/implications Because the findings are co-related with the prevalent socio-cultural dynamics, testing the findings in different context might add value to the proposed theory and its implications. Originality/value Considering the need and significance of agriculture-based reforms in rural India, present study offers guidance in devising an efficient communication medium among farmers and government. The authors infer from our field observations that the communication platform is vital for successfully reaching farmers for their overall welfare. The present work is based on findings which are drawn from the ground reality which helps in explicating inferences which are useful for implementation purpose.