WEB-BASED INFORMATION SYSTEM FOR AGRICULTURAL MARKETING
CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION
1.0 Introduction Over the past 120 years, marketing has undergone significant transformation, largely driven by rapid technological advancements that have fundamentally reshaped global business strategies (Turban, 2021). The emergence of digital technologies, particularly social media platforms, has revolutionized the way businesses interact with consumers, making marketing more dynamic, interactive, accessible, and cost-effective (Yaqub, 2023).
1.1 Background to the Study The evolution of marketing has closely followed technological progress, cultural shifts, and changing consumer behaviour. Prior to the 1900s, marketing was primarily based on barter systems. The period between 1900 and 1930 was largely product-oriented, while the 1950s to 1980s marked the market-oriented era. From the 1970s, the societal marketing concept emerged, and since the 2000s, the world has entered the digital and social media era (Hernández-Zambrano, 2022).
The advent of web-based information systems has significantly transformed business-consumer interactions. Unlike traditional one-way communication through mass media, web-based platforms enable real-time, two-way engagement between businesses and consumers. This shift has made marketing more interactive and efficient. Major social media platforms such as Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), TikTok, YouTube, and Pinterest have played a central role in this transformation (Ali, 2023).
Globally, social media usage has grown exponentially. As of 2024, more than 5.07 billion people (62.6% of the world’s population) use social media, with 259 million new users joining within a single year (Hastuti, 2023). In 2023 alone, global spending on social media advertising reached approximately $270 billion and was projected to exceed $300 billion in 2024 (Rodríguez-Ibánez, 2023).
In Africa, the adoption of web-based marketing is also rising rapidly, driven by increased internet penetration and mobile phone usage. As of 2022, Africa had over 384 million social media users. In 2024, Nigeria recorded approximately 103 million internet users, with 36.75 million active on social media, while Kenya had 13.05 million and South Africa had around 26 million social media users (Rodríguez-Ibánez, 2023).
Web-based information systems have democratized marketing by levelling the playing field for small and medium enterprises, including agricultural exporters. Small-scale producers can now reach large audiences at relatively low cost through engaging content and viral marketing strategies (Evans, 2021; Kanellos, 2024).
Despite these global trends, the adoption of web-based marketing among Ugandan agricultural producers and exporters remains low. Although Uganda has an internet penetration rate of about 45%, only around 2.6 million Ugandans actively use social media for business purposes. This limited digital engagement is reflected in Uganda’s relatively modest agricultural export earnings. In the 2021/2022 financial year, Uganda earned $2.45 billion from agricultural exports, compared to Kenya’s $2.7 billion and South Africa’s $12.8 billion (Obol, 2023).
Empirical studies attribute this slow adoption to several factors, including limited digital skills, inadequate access to technology, poor infrastructure, and low perceived return on investment. There is also a notable gap in tailored training and support for small-scale agricultural exporters (Ramirez, 2018; Sendawula et al., 2021).
These challenges raise important questions about the readiness of Ugandan agricultural exporters to effectively adopt web-based marketing tools. Without sufficient digital competence, human capital, and supportive infrastructure, the potential of web-based systems to enhance market access and competitiveness may not be fully realized (Liverpool-Tasie, 2020; Bannor & Arthur, 2024).
Statement of the Problem Despite the proven benefits of web-based marketing globally, many agricultural exporters in Uganda remain reluctant to adopt these platforms for promoting products such as coffee, tea, cocoa, fruits, and fish. Although Uganda exported agricultural goods worth approximately $3.99 billion in 2022 (with coffee alone contributing $753 million), this performance is still far below the country’s potential (Ruge, 2023).
While most agricultural exporters have social media accounts, there is minimal strategic use of these platforms for marketing and export promotion. This hesitation persists despite agriculture contributing about 24% of Uganda’s GDP and employing nearly 70% of the population. If this gap in adoption and readiness is not addressed, Uganda risks missing significant opportunities to expand its agricultural export earnings and overall economic growth.
This study therefore seeks to examine the role of web-based information systems in enhancing agricultural marketing in Uganda, with particular focus on the challenges, required features, and influence of user knowledge and skills on adoption.
Objectives of the Study The main objective of this study is to examine the role of web-based information systems in agricultural marketing in Uganda. The specific objectives are: i. To investigate the current challenges faced by farmers and traders in accessing agricultural market information. ii. To assess the key features and functionalities required in a web-based agricultural marketing information system. iii. To examine the influence of user knowledge and skills on the adoption of web-based information systems for agricultural marketing.
Research Questions i. What are the current challenges faced by farmers and traders in accessing agricultural market information? ii. What are the key features and functionalities required in a web-based agricultural marketing information system? iii. What is the influence of user knowledge and skills on the adoption of web-based information systems for agricultural marketing?
