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International Development and Studies

Social Media Adoption and Livelihood Transformation in Informal Food Economies: Evidence from Street Food Vendors in Kumasi, Ghana Bernard Kwamena Cobbina Essel*, Bernard Kwamena Cobbina Essel,

Informal food markets play a central role in sustaining livelihoods and ensuring affordable access to food across sub-Saharan Africa. In Ghana, street food vending represents an important livelihood strategy, particularly for women and low-income households operating within precarious urban economies. As digital technologies expand, social media is increasingly integrated into everyday trading practices, yet limited evidence exists on its livelihood implications within informal food systems. This study examines social media adoption and its effects on livelihood outcomes among 384 street food vendors in Oforikrom Municipality, Kumasi. A multivariate probit model analyses the determinants of adoption across platforms, while multiple regression assesses the effects on profitability, an indicator of livelihood improvement. Kendall’s coefficient of concordance ranks adoption constraints.WhatsApp (94.7%) is the most widely used platform, reflecting its integration into social and trading networks, followed by TikTok (64.9%) and Facebook (53.5%). Instagram, Twitter/X, and YouTube remain marginal. Adoption is significantly influenced by age, education, gender, household income, business location density, and provision of convenience services. Facebook use shows a statistically significant positive effect on profitability, while use of other platforms shows positive but non-significant effects. Profitability increases with business experience and service diversification but declines with larger household sizes and high market congestion. Time constraints, limited digital skills, and challenges in content creation are key barriers, highlighting structural inequalities in digital access. The findings suggest that social media—particularly Facebook—can strengthen informal livelihood performance, but uneven digital capabilities may reinforce socio-economic disparities. The study calls for targeted digital training, improved internet access, and supportive municipal policies that recognise informal vendors as legitimate actors within urban food systems.