Impact of mobile and smartphone usage levels and multivariate factors on household income in vegetable farming: evidence from Indonesia

While mobile and smartphone adoption among farmers is increasing, the impact of their level of use on household income in developing countries remains unclear. This study aims to analyse the impact of mobile and smartphone usage level (MSUL) on vegetable farmers’ household income growth in Indonesia. The research was based on surveys completed by 375 small-scale vegetable farmers from November 2021 to March 2022. It involved a structured questionnaire conducted in three districts in Indonesia: Cianjur, Sleman and Malang, in the provinces of West Java, Yogyakarta and East Java, respectively. The econometric called multivariate linear regression (MLR) model was used to assess MSUL and the heterogeneous factors affecting the likelihood of increased household income. The research employed an ordinary least squares estimator and followed the step-by-step Akaike information criterion method for model selection. Heteroskedasticity and autocorrelation consistent estimators were applied to ensure robustness and mitigate selection bias. The study found a positive and significant impact of mobile and smartphone usage levels on vegetable farmers’ household income growth in Indonesia. Furthermore, various household, farming, marketing, geographic, and information source characteristics were shown to influence income growth. The research contributes to understanding of how information and communication technologies can empower farmers and increase their income.