Utilization of hand phones to enhance management of vegetable-based business performance

This paper aims to analyse the significant roles of using hand phones in the management of vegetable-based agribusiness. The fact that vegetable intensive vegetable farming is a risky business has motivated this study. Being risk averter is one of the serious reasons for success of agribusiness. Economic and natural elements are the stems of risk. Potential risk is exaggerated with evidence that vegetable products are perishable, which directly associated with post-harvest handlings. Farmers as the key agribusiness players require information accessed using hand phone for planning agribusiness. This study selected farmers as the subject of agribusiness based on intensive vegetable farming. This study collected data by conducting field surveys; and applied an approach of structural equation modelling (SEM) to measure the indirect and direct effects of multiple dependent variables in simultaneous regressions. The analysis shows that hand phone acted potential roles in agribusiness. It could increase profit of agribusiness mediated by sale volume and price of vegetables. The hand phones empowered the farmers because they could acquire market information, credit and customers, and improve agronomic technology. Despite available and affordable hand phone, the adoption in agribusiness activities was far below the expected level. The farmers need encouragement to use the gadget. Training specifically targeted on the use of the device is one of the best directions.