ABSTRACT This study attempts to analyse how smallholder farmers allocate their limited available resources optimally in order to maximize their farms' total net returns and to investigate the factors which determine their agricultural diversification process. The survey covered 150 farmers. Field data was complimented with secondary data collected from key organisations. A pre-tested questionnaire was used to interview smallholder farmers. A logistic regression model was used to determin...
ABSTRACT Cotton is a vital cash crop in Tanzania and is mostly produced in the Western Cotton Growing Area (WCGA). About 99 percent of the total cotton is produced from this area which comprises Mwanza, Shinyanga, Simiyu, Mara, Geita, Kagera, Tabora, Singida and Kigoma regions. The remaining percentage is produced in the Eastern Cotton Growing Area (ECGA) which comprises the regions of Morogoro, Coast, Tanga and Kilimanjaro. Due to low cotton yield, agricultural intensification was important ...
ABSTRACT This study analysed the tomato value chain in Rugombo district in order to develop new insights on the nature of activities along the chain and shade light on possible strategies that may increase primary actor’s (smallholder farmer’s) income. Primary data for this study were collected from various primary, support and institutional actors of the value chain using structured questionnaire and checklist. Descriptive statistics, gross margin and multiple linear regression models we...
ABSTRACT Rice farmers have a tendency to sell their rice right after harvesting, thus they have been facing low rice prices which lead to low income, consumption of other food items and welfare. This study assessed the seasonal rice price variation, its magnitude and identified the opportunities in time and space for rice farmers and traders in Tanzania. The five leading rice producing regions; Mbeya, Morogoro, Mwanza, Tabora and Shinyanga were selected to represent rice markets in Tanza...
ABSTRACT Ruvuma Region has been receiving subsidy fertilizer since the reintroduction of the NAIVS programme by the government of Tanzania in 2003/04 crop season. The current study examines the performance of small holder farmer’s maize production in terms of Total Factor Productivity (TFP) and its determinants in Tanzania especially in Ruvuma Region, since it is one of the major maize’s producing regions in Tanzania. More specifically the study was undertaken to estimate the TFP of maize...
ABSTRACT Nzega is among the district located in semi-arid areas of Tanzania where drought is a limiting factor for agriculture. In the district farmers are advised to use early maturing maize varieties (EMMV). In contrary the adoption of EMMV in Nzega District is still low. Increase in use of EMMV is possible if factors which influence adoption are addressed. The present study aimed at identifying factors which influence adoption of EMMV. The main objective was to analyze challenges facing ef...
ABSTRACT This study assessed livelihoods of smallholder farmers in Ihemi Cluster based on male and female headed-households. The methodology involved a cross-sectional research design with sample size of 150 respondents. Purposive sampling technique was used to select Ihemi Cluster among other Clusters of the SAGCOT intervention and stratified sampling technique was used to select respondents. The main methods of data collection used were structured household questionnaires and focus group d...
ABSTRACT The purpose of this study was to analyse the production and marketing transaction costs of sugarcane outgrowers in Mvomero and Kilosa districts of Morogoro region in Tanzania. The specific objectives were to determine the level of transaction costs in different categories of outgrowers, to examine the influence of institutional arrangement on sugarcane transaction costs, and to examine the impact of transaction cost on the quality of sugarcane in terms of sucrose content (Rendement)...
ABSTRACT Pearl millet marketing in Dodoma Region is constrained by various factors most of them are empirically unknown. In order to effectively invest in value addition and marketing the society needs to look at the value chain and spot and lessen constraints that hamper growth of a sustainable market. This study aimed at unlocking the constraints facing pearl millet marketing in Tanzania. Specifically the study aimed at examining pearl millet production and marketing challenges, to assess ...
ABSTRACT Keeping agro-ecologically highly productive cattle breeds remains critical to the transformation of pastoralists and agro-pastoralists in developing countries from subsistence to commercial cattle production. A study was conducted to investigate the probability and potential for destocking, cattle commercialization and livelihood diversification in Kilosa district, Tanzania. Data were gathered from 132 households randomly selected from pastoral and agro-pastoral communities. Likert ...
ABSTRACT Nzega is among the district located in semi-arid areas of Tanzania where drought is a limiting factor for agriculture. In the district farmers are advised to use early maturing maize varieties (EMMV). In contrary the adoption of EMMV in Nzega District is still low. Increase in use of EMMV is possible if factors which influence adoption are addressed. The present study aimed at identifying factors which influence adoption of EMMV. The main objective was to analyze challenges facing ef...
ABSTRACT This study was conducted to determine high-value market opportunities for smallholder vegetable farmers in Arusha Region. To do so, the study provides a micro-level survey. The survey was conducted on smallholder vegetable farmers and high-value markets in Arusha Region. The specific objectives were identifying the characteristics of smallholder vegetable farmers in Arusha Region; determining factors that influence smallholder vegetable farmers participation in high-value market opp...
ABSTRACT In many sub-Saharan African countries including Tanzania, farmers face hardship to access better agricultural information. Consequently farmers lack adequate knowledge on farm management skills like correct land preparation, timely planting, pest and diseases and their control, timely weed control to bypass the critical period of weed competition, and low price of their product since they depend mostly to get information from extension officers and middlemen. But number of extension ...
ABSTRACT Despite economic growth and improvements in living standards, food and nutrition security are still major socio-economic problems in Tanzania. In Tanzania, food and nutrition security are achieved through agricultural production where women are main participants. However, their contribution is underestimated due to social barriers and gender biases. This study was conducted to assess the contribution of women to household food and nutrition security in Chamwino District, Dodoma regio...
ABSTRACT Smallholder dairy farming has been practiced in many parts of the world including Tanzania aiming at generating income from the sale of milk and providing alternative source of protein to people of all ages in the households. The objective of this study was to analyse technical efficiency of smallholder dairy farmers in EPINAV dairy project in Njombe District, Tanzania. Data were collected by using semi structured questionnaires administered to 120 smallholder dairy farmers randomly ...