Mapping Information and Communication Technology use in the Value Chain of Mandarin (Citrus reticulata) in Syangia, Nepal

This study was conducted with an objective to map information and communication technology use in the value chain of mandarin in Syangja district of Nepal. Two hundred mandarin producers from four locations of Syangja, 2 collectors, 2 contractors, 10 wholesalers, 11 retailers, 18 consumers and 2 input suppliers were interviewed inside Syangja and in major markets of mandarin outside Syangja. Descriptive statistics, chi-square test, One Way ANOVA, index score ranking method and binary logistic regression model were used for the data analysis. Mandarin was the major source of family income followed by foreign employment in the study area. Ninety nine percentage of the producers sold their production from the orchard and very few sold from the collection centre. About 36% of the mandarin produced in Syangja was traded by contractor followed by the collector (35.5%). Forty-seven percentage of the producers sold their harvesting right to contractors through preharvest contract. Lack of manpower during the harvesting time was the major reason for early contracting of the orchards. Producers selling through wholesalers were found earning more from mandarin. The price spread was found highest in the chain trading through contractor, wholesaler and retailer (Rs. 47.1). In term of information and communication technology use, all respondents were found using ICT tools in their day to day life. 64.5% of the respondents used ICT for making both production and marketing decisions. The ICT tools used for gathering agriculture related information were TV (94.5%), radio (76.5%), printed media (71%), mobile (61.5%), internet (32%) and computer (3.5%). Thirteen percentage of the respondents were found to use agricultural mobile applications. Majority of the agriculture information was found to be broadcasted by TV. Post-hoc analysis of Chi-square revealed that the non-adopters prefer the radio as compared to the adopters. Result of binary logistic regression showed that the capacity of ICT use, access to extension service, sex of household head and education of household head significantly determined the adoption of ICT tools. Unorganized marketing and lack of training were major problems in the value chain and ICT adoption respectively.