E-AGRAR PLATFORM: ASSESSMENT OF BENEFITS AND USAGE CHALLENGES FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF BEEKEEPERS IN SERBIA
Abstract
The aim of the research is to understand beekeepers’ attitudes towards usefulness and usage challenges of the new government’s electronic service in agriculture - eAgrar. This service was launched in 2023 by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management of the Republic of Serbia and the participation in this platform is mandatory for agricultural producers who want to be in the national subsidy system. Data for the purpose of this paper were collected during 2023, by using a structured online questionnaire. The number of respondents was representative (459), while purposeful random sampling ensured anonymity and credibility. Data processing included the application of descriptive statistics, χ2 test of independence, and Word Cloud tool. The majority of respondents (81.0%) think that they will benefit from the introduction of this platform, as it will make all administrative procedures faster, easier, and cheaper. For 64.7% beekeepers the platform is easy to use. About one-third of them find it somewhat challenging to use and rely significantly on the support of agricultural extension officers. Also, there is a statistically significant positive correlation only between the respondents' level of education and level of difficulties in using the eAgrar platform. The results of this study are expected to provide agricultural policymakers in Serbia with insights into different aspects of the practical application of the eAgrar platform and also contribute to enriching the scientific knowledge about the application of new technologies in agriculture.
References
Bejaković, P., & Mrnjavac, Ž. (2020). The importance of digital literacy on the labour market. Employee Relations: The International Journal, 42(4), 921- 932, doi: 10.1108/ER-07-2019-0274
Bournaris, T. (2020). Evaluation of e-government web portals: The case of agricultural e-government services in Greece. Agronomy, 10(7), 932, doi:10.3390/agronomy10070932
Chen, L., & Aklikokou, A. K. (2020). Determinants of E-government adoption: testing the mediating effects of perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use. International Journal of Public Administration, 43(10), 850-865, doi: 10.1080/01900692.2019.1660989
Emeana, E. M., Trenchard, L., & Dehnen-Schmutz, K. (2020). The revolution of mobile phone-enabled services for agricultural development (m-Agri services) in Africa: The challenges for sustainability. Sustainability, 12(2), 485, doi:10.3390/su12020485
European Commission (2017). EU Action for Smart Villages. Retrieved August 22, 2024, from: https://agriculture.ec.europa.eu/system/files/2019-11/rur-dev-small-villages_en_0.pdf
Eweoya, I., Okuboyejo, S. R., Odetunmibi, O. A., & Odusote, B. O. (2021). An empirical investigation of acceptance, adoption and the use of E-agriculture in Nigeria. Heliyon, 7(7), e07588, doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2021.e07588
Goedde, L., McCullough, R., Ooko-Ombaka, A., & Pais, G. (2021). How digital tools can help transform African agri-food systems. McKinsey & Company, Retrived August 26, 2024, from: https://afchub.org/documents/1611833593How-digital-tools-can-help-transform-African-agri-food-systems-v2.pdf
Hoque, S. M. S., & Al Kabir, M. A. (2024). Assessing ICT and e-government service through UDC in Bangladesh: rural dwellers’ economic benefits. Electronic Government, 20(2), 161-174, doi: 10.1504/EG.2023.10046454
Kamarudin, S., Omar, S. Z., Zaremohzzabieh, Z., Bolong, J., & Osman, M. N. (2021). Factors predicting the adoption of e-government services in telecenters in rural areas: The mediating role of trust. Asia-Pacific Social Science Review, 21(1), 20-38, 10.59588/2350-8329.1347
Manoharan, A. P., Ingrams, A., Kang, D., & Zhao, H. (2021). Globalization and worldwide best practices in E-Government. International Journal of Public Administration, 44(6), 465-476, doi: 10.1080/01900692.2020.1729182
Mushi, G. E., Burgi, P. Y., & Serugendo, G. D. M. (2024). Designing a farmers digital information system for sustainable agriculture: The perspective of Tanzanian agricultural stakeholders. The Electronic Journal of Information Systems in Developing Countries, Early View, e12344. doi: 10.1002/isd2.12344
Mushi, G. E., Burgi, P. Y., & Di Marzo Serugendo, G. (2024a). State of Agricultural E-Government Services to Farmers in Tanzania: Toward the Participatory Design of a Farmers Digital Information System (FDIS). Agriculture, 14(3), 475, doi: 10.3390/agriculture14030475
Naled (2023). Siva knjiga, Preporuke za uklanjanje administrativnih prepreka poslovanju u Srbiji. Retrived August 26, 2024 from: https://naled.rs/htdocs/Files/12105/Siva-knjiga-15.pdf
Panganiban, G. G. F. (2019). E-governance in agriculture: digital tools enabling Filipino farmers. Journal of Asian Public Policy, 12(1), 51-70, doi: 10.1080/17516234.2018.1499479
Pogorelskaia, I., & Várallyai, L. (2020). Agriculture 4.0 and the role of education. Journal of Agricultural Informatics, 11(1), 45-51, doi: 10.17700/jai.2020.11.1.571
Reissig, L., Stoinescu, A., & Mack, G. (2022). Why farmers perceive the use of e-government services as an administrative burden: A conceptual framework on influencing factors. Journal of Rural Studies, 89, 387-396., doi: 10.1016/j.jrurstud.2022.01.002
Safiullin, N. A., Kurakova, C. M., Valeeva, G. A., Gainutdinov, I. G., & Kudryavtseva, S. S. (2021). Development of Electronic Public Services in Agriculture. In BIO Web of Conferences from the International Scientific-Practical Conference “Agriculture and Food Security: Technology, Innovation, Markets, Human Resources” (Vol. 37, p. 00159), Kazan, Russia, doi:10.1051/bioconf/20213700159
Sheikh, M. S., & Berenyi, L. (2023). E-Governance in Agriculture: A Framework on Digital Technology Adaptation by Smallholder Farmers. In CEEeGov '23: Proceedings of the Central and Eastern European eDem and eGov Days (pp.78-83), Budapest, Hungary. http://real.mtak.hu/174489/1/3603304.3603341.pdf
SORS (2019). Struktura poljoprivrednih gazdinstava. Statistical Office of the Republic of Serbia. Retrieved August 22, 2024, from: https://publikacije.stat.gov.rs/G2019/Pdf/G201922002.pdf
SORS (2023). Online database. Statistical Office of the Republic of Serbia. Retrieved August 22, 2024, from: https://data.stat.gov.rs/?languageCode=sr-Latn
Vázquez-López, A., & Marey-Perez, M. (2021). Factors Affecting e-Government Adoption by Dairy Farmers: A Case Study in the North-West of Spain. Future Internet, 13(8), 206. doi: 10.3390/fi13080206
Zhang, B., & Zhu, Y. (2021). Comparing attitudes towards adoption of e-government between urban users and rural users: an empirical study in Chongqing municipality, China. Behaviour & Information Technology, 40(11), 1154-1168, doi: 10.1080/0144929X.2020.1743361