[Sigkm-l] ICRIER Working Paper "Socio-Economic Impact of Mobile Phones on Indian Agriculture"

[Puna Das]

ICRIER Working Paper No. 246

Socio-Economic Impact of Mobile Phones on Indian Agriculture
by
Surabhi Mittal
Sanjay Gandhi
Gaurav Tripathi

ABSTRACT
Information asymmetry acts as one of the major constraints on the growth of agricultural productivity in India. The more rapid growth of mobile telephony as compared to fixed line telephony and the recent introduction of mobile-enabled information services provide a means to overcome existing information asymmetry. It also helps, at least partially, to bridge the gap between the availability and delivery of agricultural inputs and agriculture infrastructure. This paper investigates a series of questions that explore this topic: What kinds of information do farmers value the most to improve agricultural productivity? Do mobile phones and mobile-enabled agricultural services have an impact on agriculture? What are the factors that impede the realisation of the full productivity enhancing potential of mobile phones?

The study found evidence that mobiles are being used in ways which contribute to productivity enhancement. As mobile penetration continues to increase among farming communities and information services continue to adapt and proliferate, the scope exists for a much greater rural productivity impact in the future. However, to leverage the full potential of information dissemination enabled by mobile telephony will require significant improvements in supporting infrastructure and capacity building amongst farmers to enable them to use the information they access effectively.

Full text in PDF: http://www.icrier.org/publication/working_papers_246.html

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Anup Kumar Das
New Delhi, India
http://anupkumardas.blogspot.com/
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