Transaction Costs, Information Technologies, and the Choice of Marketplace among Farmers in Northern Ghana

Zanello, Giacomo; Srinivasan, C. S.; Shankar, Bhavani

Abstract

Using a transactions costs framework, we examine the impact of information and communication technologies (mobile phones and radios) use on market participation in developing country agricultural markets using a novel transaction-level data set of Ghanaian farmers. Our analysis of the choice of markets by farmers suggests that market information from a broader range of markets may not always induce farmers to sell in more distant markets; instead farmers may use broader market information to enhance their bargaining power in closer markets. Finally, we find weak evidence on the impact of using mobile phones in attracting farm gate buyers.

Citation

Zanello, G., Srinivasan, C. S., & Shankar, B. (2014). Transaction Costs, Information Technologies, and the Choice of Marketplace among Farmers in Northern Ghana. The Journal of Development Studies, 50(9), 1226-1239. https://doi.org/10.1080/00220388.2014.903244

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Dec 31, 2013
• Publication Date: Apr 22, 2014
• Deposit Date: Apr 24, 2014
• Publicly Available Date: Dec 14, 2018
• Print ISSN: 0022-0388
• Electronic ISSN: 1743-9140
• Publisher: Taylor and Francis Group
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 50
• Issue: 9
• Pages: 1226-1239
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/00220388.2014.903244