Abstract:
This study investigated how digital technology, as a new endeavour of agribusiness, contributes to the development of agribusiness globally and in Lesotho; thus, it fills the gap in previous studies. It was conducted in Leribe and Thaba-Tseka districts, Lesotho, with a study population of 5 506, using a mixed-methods approach, through a questionnaire, to a randomly selected sample of 400, as well as two focus groups of eight participants each, and 12 key informant interviews, as the population. Qualitative data were analysed using thematic analysis, while a statistician analysed the quantitative data with the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (v 29.0). Based on the research findings, the most commonly used digital technologies are mobile phones and computers, with a significant impact on the promotion of agribusiness in Leribe and Thaba-Tseka districts, and Lesotho in general. This is due to the costs of digital technology, lack of access to credit, absence of government financial support, and characteristics of their agribusinesses, in addition to insufficient digital skills, as well as inadequate infrastructure and electricity. The study further revealed the potential digital technology benefits for agribusiness and how not having access to digital technology impacts agribusiness development in Leribe and Thaba-Tseka districts. The study concludes, while there is familiarity with digital technologies in agribusiness, these businesses influence each other to adopt technology, where digital technology use by agribusiness solely depends on government initiatives, programmes, policies and training that foster technology use in agricultural value chains, as well as infrastructure such as electricity and broadband. Farmers, extension workers and agricultural officers lack ongoing training technology use, as well as resources to combat climate change. The study, therefore, recommends climate change policies to keep farmers in the value chain; it recommends financial support for farmers and for agribusinesses to employ skilled workers as well as skills transfer between government’s relevant institutions and agribusinesses.
