<b>An Exploration of Social Media as a Tool for Agricultural Information Dissemination Among Smallholder Farmers in Limpopo Province, South Africa</b>

Abstract

Access to reliable and timely agricultural information remains essential for improving productivity among smallholder farmers. In South Africa’s rural areas, such as Limpopo Province, traditional agricultural extension systems have limited reach, poor infrastructure, and resource constraints, resulting in a growing interest in social media as an alternative tool for information dissemination. This study explored how smallholder farmers in Limpopo Province use social media to access and share agricultural information. Quantitative in approach and following a cross-sectional survey design, data were collected from 420 randomly selected farmers across five districts in Limpopo Province and analysed using descriptive statistics in SPSS Version 31. The results show that 59.5% of farmers use social media for agricultural purposes. WhatsApp and Facebook were predominantly used platforms for their affordability, usability, and accessibility, even in rural settings for learning, sharing information, and marketing agricultural products. However, digital literacy gaps, language barriers, and limited connectivity remained major obstacles to broader adoption. Nevertheless, social media are valuable tools for agricultural communication; therefore, digital literacy training, local-language content, and improved ICT infrastructure must be prioritised to enhance the effective use of social media in agricultural extension.