The Role of Mobile Phones in Production and Agricultural Information Access for Farmers in Dhamar Governorate, Yemen
Abstract
Farmers in Dhamar Governorate, Yemen, face persistent challenges in accessing timely and relevant agricultural information due to limited extension services, poor infrastructure, low digital literacy, and constrained mobile network coverage. These limitations hinder informed decision-making, reduce agricultural productivity, and restrict the adoption of modern farming techniques. This study investigates how mobile phones are utilized to access production and agricultural information and identifies the factors and challenges that affect their usage among farmers in Dhamar. To achieve these goals, the study conducted a thorough analysis of the existing literatures. A quantitative research design was employed through a structured questionnaire distributed to 181 agricultural holders in Jabal Ash sharq District. Data analysis using SPSS included descriptive statistics, factor analysis, and reliability tests. The study used the Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO = 0.851) and Bartlett’s Test of Sphericity (p < 0.001) to assess sampling adequacy and suitability for factor analysis, and the Cronbach’salpha (α = 0.920) confirmed strong internal consistency. In descriptive statistics test, results were carried out of maximum value of 5. Key findings indicate that mobile phones playa modest yet significant role in improving access to farming techniques and agricultural services. Two dominant utilization components were identified: (1) direct access to agricultural information and enhanced decision-making, and (2) participatory communication, including networking with input suppliers and fellow farmers. The highest reported use was communication with input suppliers (Mean = 3.87), followed by access to farming techniques (Mean = 2.55). However, the study revealed substantial barriers, classified into three main categories: (1) Individual Capability Constraints such as lack of training and digital skills (Mean = 4.20), (2) Institutional and Economic Barriers including insufficient promotion by extension agents and lack of organizational support (Mean = 4.59 and 4.48, respectively), and (3) Infrastructural Barriers like poor network coverage and limited access to charging facilities (Mean = 3.52 and 3.64). The study concludes with recommendations aimed at enhancing digital inclusion and agricultural development. These include localized content development in native languages, capacity-building programs for farmers, and significant investments in infrastructure to support broader and more effective use of mobile technologies in rural Yemen.
Keywords
Download Options
Introduction
Agriculture is the cornerstone of livelihoods and economic stability in Dhamar Governorate, Yemen, where smallholder farmers form the backbone of food production. However, the agricultural sector faces numerous systemic challenges, including limited access to modern agricultural techniques, unreliable extension services, inadequate infrastructure, and insufficient dissemination of market information. These challenges are exacerbated by Yemen’songoing political instability, climate variability, and socio-economic conditions. One of the most pressing problems is the lack of timely and accurate agricultural information available to farmers. Traditional information channels such as direct extension services are limited in their reach, especially in remote rural areas. As a result, farmers are often left without critical knowledge about farming techniques, pest control, weather forecasts, market prices, and post-harvest practices. This information gap leads to suboptimal decision-making and reduced agricultural productivity.
In recent years, the proliferation of mobile phones has presented new opportunities to bridge this information gap. Mobile phones offer farmers an accessible platform to receive, share, and interact with agricultural content and extension services. Despite the growing penetration of mobile technology in Yemen, there is limited empirical evidence on how smallholder farmers in regions like Dhamar Governorate utilize mobile phones for agricultural purposes, and what obstacles they encounter in doing so. The integration of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs), particularly mobile phones, into agricultural systems has received considerable scholarly attention. Numerous studies have highlighted how mobile phones facilitate real-time communication, improve market transparency, and enable farmers to make informed decisions regarding crop management, pest control, and input use. For instance, research in India revealed that mobile access to agricultural call centers significantly improved productivity by enabling farmers to adopt high-yielding seed varieties and manage inputs more effectively (Gupta et al., 2020). Similarly, Munawaroh (2023) found that farmers using mobile services in East Java reported an average increase in rice yields of 841.3 kg per hectare compared to non-users.
In African contexts, mobile phones have demonstrated transformative potential as tools for agricultural development. Studies by Mwaseba et al. (2024); Kisena & Kwesigabo, (2023) in Kenya and Tanzania, respectively, show that widespread mobile adoption among smallholder farmers has been linked to improved market access, enhanced extension services, and the adoption of climate-smart practices. Notably, applications such as mFarms, Kilimo Salama, and M-Farm have helped farmers to reduce transaction costs, receive localized weather forecasts, and access mobile insurance schemes. These tools not only address information asymmetry but also bolster farmers’ resilience to economic and climatic shocks.
Despite their promise, several barriers hinder the full utilization of mobile phones in agriculture. Language remains a critical barrier especially in regions where mobile content is predominantly in English. Dissanayeke & Wanigasundera, (2014); Ajani & Agwu, (2012) emphasized that the lack of localized language content limits the utility of mobile-based services. Additionally, the technical literacy of users plays a major role in determining effective usage. Farmers unfamiliar with mobile applications or SMS-based systems may struggle to access the benefits of digital tools. The role of mobile service providers is also significant. In countries such as Bangladesh and Tanzania, telecom companies have partnered with agricultural institutions to develop targeted mobile services. For example, Grameen Phone in Bangladesh established dedicated agricultural call centers that deliver expert advice directly to rural users, as noted by Al Kibria et al. (2023).
In contrast, the situation in Yemenis complicated by infrastructural deficits and political instability. Although companies like Yemen Mobile and MTN Yemen operate in the region, their coverage and service reliability are inconsistent, particularly in remote farming communities. According to Al-Baltah et al. (2024), there is a growing reliance on mobile platforms such as WhatsApp among Yemeni farmers, despite limited formal extension support. However, widespread adoption is curtailed by low smartphone penetration, intermittent electricity, and the absence of structured support systems. Khalil et al. (2022) asserted that the increasing demand for real-time agricultural information signals the urgency for scalable, locally adapted mobile solutions that cater to the needs of smallholder farmers.
This body of literature collectively underscores the relevance of mobile phones as a mechanism for improving agricultural information access, while also drawing attention to persistent gaps in infrastructure, training, and institutional backing. It provides a foundational basis for the current study, which seeks to contextualize and evaluate mobile phone use among farmers in Dhamar Governorate, Yemen, through empirical field data. While these global and regional studies affirm the potential of mobile phones in transforming agricultural extension, they often focus on contexts with relatively stable infrastructure and governance. Yemen, in contrast, faces a unique convergence of constraints including economic fragility, weak institutional capacity, and geographic disparities in mobile network coverage. Moreover, prior research tends to generalize mobile phone usage without distinguishing between its communicative functions (e.g., contacting input suppliers) and informational functions (e.g., receiving weather or market data), especially among smallholder farmers in underserved regions. Hence, there remains a significant gap in localized empirical studies that systematically explore how mobile phones are actually used by farmers in marginalized contexts like Dhamar, and what specific factors hinder or promote their usage. Accordingly, this study aims to address this gap by focusing on two main objectives: first, to assess the role of mobile phones in accessing agricultural information; and second, to identify the factors and challenges that influence their utilization among farmers in Dhamar Governorate. The research provides crucial insights for policymakers, agricultural development organizations, and digital service providers seeking to enhance the impact of mobile-based interventions in rural Yemen.
Conclusion
This study has comprehensively assessed the use of mobile phones to access agricultural information for farmers in Dhamar Governorate, Yemen. These findings clearly demonstrate the significant benefits that mobile technology provides in improving agricultural output, decision-making, and market access. Farmers primarily utilized mobile phones to access timely information on market prices, weather forecasts, pest and disease management, and to communicate with agricultural extension agents. These applications have significantly enhanced farming practices and decision-making processes, underscoring mobile technology as a vital instrument in modern agriculture. Despite those benefits, the study identified numerous critical factors and challenges that impede the effective utilization of mobile technology by local farmers.
Significant obstacles comprised restricted literacy, inadequate technical proficiency, insufficient network availability, elevated expenses related to mobile devices and internet data plans, linguistic difficulties, and a deficiency in suitable institutional support. These constraints collectively hinder the deployment of mobile technology and limit its potential influence on agricultural productivity in the region. Overcoming these obstacles is essential for optimizing the advantages of mobile phones in rural agricultural environments. The study highlights the transformative capacity of mobile phones in disseminating agricultural information and their substantial positive effects on rural livelihoods and agricultural productivity in Dhamar Governorate. Successfully addressing identified obstacles through focused interventions can markedly improve the efficacy of mobile technologies, equipping farmers with essential and timely agricultural information.
V. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FUTURE WORK This study establishes a robust foundation for future research by highlighting the role of mobile phones in facilitating agricultural information access among farmers in Dhamar Governorate. Nonetheless, several critical dimensions remain insufficiently examined and warrant deeper investigation. Future research should focus on the longitudinal impacts of mobile phone utilization on agricultural productivity, income stability, and rural livelihoods. By implementing long-term studies, scholars can uncover the sustained influence of mobile-based information access on crop yield improvements, market participation, and household economic resilience. These longitudinal insights are essential to inform policy and development programs aimed at leveraging digital tools for sustainable agricultural growth. Furthermore, comparative assessments between mobile-based agricultural extension services and conventional face-to-face extension methods should be prioritized. Such studies should systematically evaluate effectiveness in terms of knowledge transfer, behavioural change, cost efficiency, and user satisfaction among smallholder farmers. Insights from these comparisons can help determine the relative strengths and limitations of each approach and support the design of hybrid models that blend traditional and digital extension methods to maximize outreach and impact.
Future research should also adopt a broader geographic scope by conducting similar studies in other governorates across Yemen. Regional disparities in mobile infrastructure, literacy levels, agricultural practices, and socio-political stability may influence the effectiveness of mobile phone adoption for agricultural information dissemination. Comparative regional analysis would provide a nuanced understanding of context-specific challenges and opportunities, thereby enhancing the scalability and relevance of mobile-based interventions nationwide.
Additionally, researchers should explore the integration of advanced and emerging digital technologies into mobile agricultural services. The incorporation of Artificial Intelligence (AI) for predictive analytics, the Internet of Things (IoT) for real-time environmental monitoring, and blockchain for transparent and secure transactions could significantly enrich the functionality and trustworthiness of mobile platforms. Investigating the feasibility, inclusivity, and sustainability of such technologies within the Yemeni agricultural context is crucial, particularly considering infrastructure limitations, digital literacy gaps, and socioeconomic constraints. Moreover, research should evaluate the extent to which these innovations can be localized and adapted to meet the unique needs of smallholder farmers, with a focus on ensuring equitable access and minimizing digital exclusion.
