ABSTRACT This study analyses the effect of mobile phone based market information services (MIS) on smallholder farmers’ maize market participation in Lilongwe rural, Malawi using survey data sourced directly from 196 smallholder farmers. The study reveals insufficient evidence to suggest that existing mobile phone-based MIS in Malawi which entails users subscribing to short (text) message service (SMS) price alerts, influence smallholder farmers’ market participation decisions. Knowledge ...
ABSTRACT Predators affect aquaculture by feeding on fish, causing injuries and spreading diseases. Questionnaires were administered to 137 fish farmers in Kirinyaga County assessing farming practices, constraints, type of predators and extent of predation experienced by fish farmers. Prevalence of parasites was evaluated in 289 fish (203 tilapia, 86 catfish) and 50 piscivorous birds in the region. Tilapia, catfish and ornamental fish were the main species of fish farmed. Overgrown vegetation,...
ABSTRACT Governments in many developing countries including Tanzania are promoting irrigation as a response to food insecurity. A current initiative in Tanzania for instance, is to scale up annual paddy irrigation production to 2 million tones in 2018 from the present 8 x 105 tones. Studies conducted in Ruvuma and Mbeya regions by the World Bank (WB) and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) shows improvement in irrigation efficiency and crop yield. The question whether t...
ABSTRACT Dry beans are an important source of protein especially among poor consumers in Tanzania. This makes dry beans a strategic food for combating malnutrition. Yet, per capita consumption of dry beans in Tanzania is relatively low. However, the reasons for low beans consumption are not well established. This study provides empirical evidence on beans consumption and factors influencing beans choice in households’ food purchasing decisions. The study used data collected by Legume Innova...
ABSTRACT The main objective of the study was to assess the impact of jatropha farming on food security to small-scale farmers in Rukwa and Arusha regions. To achieve that objective, a simple random sampling was used to obtain jatropha famers. Two hundred and sixty (260) respondents were randomly selected; among them were 130 jatropha farmers, which involved 60 jatropha farmers from Monduli district and 70 jatropha farmers from Mpanda district. Other respondents included in the sample were non...
ABSTRACT This study was undertaken on-station at Magadu Research Farm, Sokoine University of Agriculture and on-farm at Changa and Kibwaya villages, Mkuyuni ward. The objective of the study was to evaluate growth performance of four tilapia species under culture conditions. The tilapia species used were Oreochromis niloticus, O. hornorum, O. ruvumae and O. jipe which were collected from Kingolwira Fish Farming Center, River Wami, River Ruvuma and Lake Jipe, respectively. Eight hapas (6m2 each...
ABSTRACT Most small scale farmers in Morogoro apply inorganic fertilizers to vegetable crops they grow. However no standard fertilizer application recommendations exist. This may lead to under supply or over supply of nutrients, resulting into economic loss and environmental hazard. Experiments were conducted to establish and recommend the best optimum NPK fertilizer application levels for tomato, onion and amaranth crops in Morogoro Municipal agro - ecological conditions. The experiments wer...
ABSTRACT A study was carried out in Kinondoni district in Dar es Salaam region with the aim of establishing factors affecting adoption of AI technology by dairy farmers. Data were collected using formal and informal interviews where structured questionnaires were administered to 90 randomly selected dairy farmers from three wards. The data were analysed quantitatively using descriptive analysis and Tobit regression. Results from descriptive analysis indicated that dairy farmers who used AI te...
ABSTRACT A study was conducted at Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA), Morogoro, Tanzania during 2007/08. The objective of the study was to evaluate extent of mineralization of N and P from four commonly used animal manure in Tanzania namely; poultry, pig, goat and cattle. The study involved a ten week incubation experiment and a glass house experiment in which okra was used as a test crop .The experimental design for the two experiments was split plot with manure types as the main plots ...
ABSTRACT This study examined the sustainability of small farmer groups in extension, in Sumbawanga District, Tanzania. The specific objectives were to examine extension activities done by farmer groups; identifying factors influencing sustainability of SFGs and challenges faced in sustaining those groups. The study involved 80 respondents from two project villages and employed a cross-sectional design. Data were collected using interview schedule, focus group discussion (FGDs) and key informa...
ABSTRACT A sound understanding of amalgamation of indigenous and modern innovations could result into improved quality of live and can increase the opportunities of individuals to partake in agro-pastoral communities. The purpose of this study was therefore to assess availability, transfer and utilisation of selected agro-pastoralists’ livestock indigenous production innovations in Hanang District of Manyara Region, Tanzania. The specific objectives were to, identify agro-pastoralists lives...
ABSTRACT The study was carried out in Mbinga District, Tanzania to assess smallholder coffee growers’ knowledge, attitude and practice of Coffee and Farmer Equity (C.A.F.E) Practice certification scheme and associated implementation challenges among farmers in the study area. The study employed a cross-sectional research design. The sample size of 188 respondents obtained by using Slovin’s sample size formula was randomly selected and surveyed. A questionnaire, Focus Group Discussions, Ke...
ABSTRACT The study intended to establish the perceptions of community on climate change, identifying the Hadzabe’ food insecurity coping strategies toward climate change and assessing the extent of food availability and stability. The study was conducted in five selected villages in Iramba and Mbulu Districts namely Kipamba, Munguli, Yaedachini, Mongo wa Mono and Domanga. The cross-sectional technique was used to collect data. Purposive and Simple random sampling methods were used to obtain...
ABSTRACT The aim of the study was to understand contemporary challenges facing extension services at the District level. The study identified level of participation of agriculture stakeholders in the process of extension services delivery, accountability process in the delivery of extension services, resource capacity of the district to deliver services and farmer views on performance of extension service in Hai District. The researcher used qualitative and quantitative methods to study a dec...
ABSTRACT This study was carried out to assess the suitability and effectiveness of gypsite as soil amendment in release of Ca and S. This is because besides the high potential of gypsite in improving crop yields in some countries, its use in Tanzanian agricultural soils is limited. This is attributed largely to few researches on their agricultural potentials. The gypsite samples used in this study were collected from Pindiro, Makanya, Itigi and Msagali sites. The X-ray fluorescence (XRF) meth...