A mobile based marketing information system for farmers and buyers in Kenya

Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Science in Mobile Telecommunications and Innovation (MSc. MTI)Agricultural marketing information systems in Kenya have traditionally addressed the accessibility to pricing information, overlooking the fluctuation of market prices. This dissertation investigates a mobile based marketing information system that integrates contract farming as a means of mitigating the risk of price fluctuations in agricultural markets. The results of this study reveal that farmers continue to make losses despite usage of existing market information systems. Data collected implies that farmers and traders would prefer to trade using marketing information systems that provide mechanisms for hedging against fluctuating prices of agricultural commodities. Similarly, responses from traders indicate that profits are obtained through speculation on price movements. With these findings, the researcher developed a mobile based agricultural marketing information system that enables farmers and buyers to secure acceptable prices, and also enables traders to profit from the expected price fluctuations across agricultural products