Farmers mobile use pattern, information sources and perception about mobile app for grapes

This research provides insights into the mobile use pattern of the farmers, changes in information sources used by the farmers after adaptation of ICT, and farmers” perception about the mobile app for grapes crop. Study was carried out with 700 grapes growers from Sangli and Nashik districts of Maharashtra state of India. Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) method was used for analysis of sources of information while principle component analysis used to delineate the important beneficial factors of mobile app perceived by the farmers. In mobile use pattern, more number of farmers were using and spending time on use of Whats app and Facebook. Television was replaced by the mobile internet as top source of information after adoption of mobile app by the farmers. Economic and social benefits; improving input efficiency and output quality; and increase in social capital were the important dimensions of the benefits perceived by the farmers. Low internet speed and irregular network coverage were the important constraints faced by the farmers while using mobile app. Thus, with the use of ICT, there is change in the pattern of information sources use and information search by the farmers; such process of behavioural change may be considered while introduction of new technology to the farmers.