Factors Limiting and Affecting the Use of Market Information Systems in Sahelian Countries

Abstract

The objective of this study is to analyze the contributions of Market Information Systems (MIS) to the performance of agricultural markets in Sahelian countries, to identify and analyze the factors that limit and affect the use of these MIS for better efficiency of agricultural products markets. Indeed, the study showed that MIS can contribute to the better market performance of agricultural markets. According to the results obtained from the statistical and econometric analysis of the databases, the factors affecting the use of these MIS are: the age of the household head, his level of education, prices and the level of supply of products in the markets. The use of MIS has a positive effect on farmers’ prices and possibly on their incomes. However, there are obstacles that limit their use by market actors: the low level of literacy and organization of the actors, the difficulties of the market actors to be able to use SMS and the Internet, the low level of dissemination of information to users. And the study showed that the age, the level of education, and the level of product offerings on the markets have a negative effect on their use.