Browsing by Author "Muia, Boniface Kaleli"

Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
  • No Thumbnail Available
    Item
    Digital Literacy Influence on Information Seeking Behavior of Small-Scale Women Farmers in Kenya: Case of Muvuti Kiima Kimwe Ward, Machakos County
    (Kenyatta University, 2025-11) Muia, Boniface Kaleli
    Information is an essential commodity useful to mankind in all walks of life. As women play a central role in farming activities, they have diversified information needs. Information seeking behavior has dramatically changed with the rapid development of ICTs. Digital literacy is essential as it involves skills, behaviors and knowledge in using technology when communicating, working, learning and leading everyday life. This study purposed to investigate how digital literacy influences information seeking behavior of small-scale women farmers in Kenya. It was guided by the following objectives; establish the information needs of small-scale women farmers, determine the information seeking behavior of small-scale women farmers, assess the ability of small-scale women farmers to seek and retrieve digital information, establish the relationship between digital literacy skills and information seeking behavior of small-scale women farmers and establish the challenges small-scale women farmers encounter when seeking and retrieving information that is in different digital formats. The Big 6 Skills Model served as the theoretical foundation for this study. Descriptive research design was used. The target population was approximately 17059 small-scale women farmers. Nassiuma’s formula was used to calculate a representative sample size of 143 respondents. Questionnaires were used to collect quantitative and qualitative data. Cronbach alpha was used to assess the reliability of the research instrument through the test-retest technique. Quantitative data was cleaned, coded and analysed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 28. Descriptive statistics like frequencies, percentages, mean and standard deviations were used to analyse quantitative data. Qualitative data analysis involved three iterative steps of in-depth reading, coding and classification of responses from the questionnaire to identify patterns and themes. The analysed data was presented using charts and tables. The findings established that small-scale women farmers need information to improve their agricultural activities. Small-scale women farmers indicated that the sources of information they prefer most when seeking information are; listening to radio, talking to fellow farmers, watching television, asking friends, neighbours and relatives for information, mobile phone and talking to agricultural input suppliers. The study established that majority of the small-scale women farmers have never attended digital literacy training. Thus, enhancing the digital literacy skills of small-scale women farmers is essential as it equips them with the necessary skills to effectively seek and retrieve digital information. The government, through the Ministry of Information, Communications and Digital Economy, need to formulate clear policy aimed to initiate digital literacy training programs in rural areas targeting small-scale women farmers as a means for improving digital literacy in rural areas.