Mobile phones, nutrition and agriculture in Ghana: Initial exploratory qualitative study report. External evaluation of mobile phone technology-based nutrition and agriculture advisory services in Africa and South Asia

Abstract

This report presents the thematic analysis of the findings from the initial exploratory qualitative study carried out between October and November 2016 as part of the mNutrition evaluation. It took place in six purposefully selected communities in Ghana, where the Vodafone Farmers Club (VFC) will be implemented. The first qualitative data collection phase was designed as a rapid qualitative exploratory study, which allows contextual analysis of social, economic and environmental factors that may hinder or facilitate the uptake of the mNutrition intervention and its effectiveness in promoting behaviour change. The initial qualitative study focused on four thematic aims: 1. Access to, use of and attitudes towards and acceptability of mobile phone technology by male and female smallholder farmers; 2. Barriers to and facilitators of the potential uptake of mobile phone-based messages by female and male smallholder farmers; 3. Smallholder farmers’ information needs and current information-seeking behaviours related to agriculture and nutrition; 4. Social, economic and environmental factors that may influence behaviour change related to agriculture and nutrition. Gender and poverty are taken as cross-cutting issues to be considered across all four themes. Findings from this exploratory study will form an important basis for the more in-depth qualitative midline and the explanatory qualitative study after quantitative endline data collection.