Roles of a WhatsApp group in fostering a Kenyan agricultural community of practice (CoP)

WhatsApp groups have been found to serve as valuable platforms for livelihood development in numerous African settings and also beyond the continent. This study explores the roles played by a Kenyan agricultural WhatsApp group, the Agri-Society Network, in supporting engagement and collaboration by its users. The study surveyed 174 group members, via an online questionnaire, in order to explore the members’ experiences of, and views on, participation in the group. The findings were analysed through the lens of the community of practice (CoP) framework (Wenger, 1998), and specifically the framework’s dimensions of mutual engagement, joint enterprise, and shared repertoire. The survey found that the majority of the group members used the group daily or several times a week; that the primary uses of the group were to share information/resources and to ask questions; that the most popular discussion categories were general peer discussions, followed by discussions of farming techniques or marketing opportunities; and that the main perceived benefits were networking opportunities, problem-solving, skills development, and market access. The main challenges faced by group users were the lack of reliable connectivity and the sharing of irrelevant content. The findings indicate the presence of strong elements of mutual engagement, joint enterprise, and shared repertoire, thus indicating that the Agri-Society Network WhatsApp group can be regarded as an example of a CoP.