Open AccessMobile Money, Output and Welfare Among Smallholder Farmers in Ghana
Author(s) -
James Atta Peprah,
Clement Oteng,
Joshua Sebu
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
sage open
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.357
H-Index - 32
ISSN - 2158-2440
DOI - 10.1177/2158244020931114
Subject(s) - welfare , mobile payment , consumption (sociology) , poverty , economics , propensity score matching , business , poverty reduction , household income , agricultural economics , labour economics , public economics , economic growth , payment , finance , geography , social science , statistics , mathematics , archaeology , sociology , market economy
The objective of this study is to examine the impact of mobile money (m-money) adoption on some household outcomes such as farm output, welfare (consumption expenditure), and wealth (value of assets). Using primary data collected from three districts in Ghana, three Propensity Score Matching methods were employed to estimate the m-money adoption effect on the household outcomes. It is found that advertisements and higher than basic levels of education, among other variables, were important in influencing the adoption of m-money among smallholder farmers. The adoption of m-money was also seen to have an enhancing effect on the household outcome variables (farm output, welfare, and wealth) of smallholder farmers. The results suggest that mobile money can help enhance some of the smallholder economic outcomes that are relevant for rural development and poverty reduction. Policy options should consider expanding m-money services to smallholder farmers in rural areas.