Mobile learning bridging the gap in agricultural extension service delivery: Experiences from Sokoine University of Agriculture, Tanzania

Abstract

The ubiquitous nature of mobile phones offers a noble environment where farmers can learn informally anywhere, anytime and at any location. This is an innovative way to address some of the weakness of conventional agricultural extension service. Few empirical studies have reported on the development of mobile phone application to support blended learning for smallholder farming communities in developing countries. This study adopted a participatory action research method to develop innovative communication pathways in dissemination of agricultural information, agricultural knowledge and proven agricultural technologies from either extension agents or agricultural research centres or universities to farmers. The respondents who tested the system were selected random from 19 villages in Kilosa District, Tanzania. The developed systems support blended learning using mobile learning (m-learning) and electronic learning (e-learning). The findings from this study show that the systems can provide innovative mobile agricultural extension service to more than 380 smallholder farmers via web- and mobile-phone-based farmers’ advisory information systems.