ABSTRACT This study was conducted to analyse beef cattle value chains so as to identify potential areas for intervention in order to improve livestock keepers’ access to markets in Longido and Monduli districts in Tanzania. The study was a cross sectional design. Data were collected from 191 beef cattle value chains actors using individuals and key informant interviews. The data collected were summarized using Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) and Microsoft Excel. Sub-sector ma...
ABSTRACT The study assessed the trend, structure, composition, determinants and effectiveness of Federal Government agricultural expenditure policies and the implications of these policies from 1960- 98.The study covered the Nigerian nation and used federal level time series data to achieve the set down objectives. The primary analytical method consisted of descriptive analysis, appropriate pictorial diagrams, line and pie charts. Stationarity, co – integration /error correction model (ecm...
ABSTRACT The study was generally intended to estimate the effectiveness of Livestock Management and Infrastructure Development (LIMID) programme in improving the welfare of the rural poor in Boteti Sub-District Botswana. Specifically, the study was carried to determine the main challenges encountered by small stock producers during and after application for LIMID programme, and further determine the factors influencing the decision of rural farmers to participate in the LIMID programme and f...
ABSTRACT The agriculture sector in Kenya has put in place several strategies to ensure availability and access to food by all people. Market efficiency is one of the strategies that ensure effective movement of food commodities from surplus to deficit regions through market integration. This study assessed dry beans movement across Nairobi, Nakuru, Eldoret and Kitale markets. The main objective of the study was to contribute to knowledge towards monitoring prices of food staples between surp...
ABSTRACT Agricultural transformation is key to poverty reduction and food security in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). In Rwanda, transformation efforts have been focused on increasing smallholder farmers’ participation in agricultural markets, with a purpose to shift them from subsistence to market-oriented production. In spite of this, subsistence farming is still dominant, involving more women than men and little is known on the progress of these farmers towards market orientation. This study ...
ABSTRACT Information asymmetry has been recognized as a major impediment to small holder agricultural commercialization in most parts of sub-Saharan Africa. Theoretical and empirical studies in economics and sociology argue that social networks are the most persuasive source of information about new products and behaviours, but governments in developing countries continue to rely on extension services, usually a set of external agents, to communicate with farmers about new technologies. Mixe...
ABSTRACT Ethiopia’s economy is based on subsistence agriculture accounting for 40% of the gross domestic product (GDP). Livestock production contributes 30-35% of the gross domestic product and more than 85% of farm cash income. In this respect, milk production plays a major role in the livelihoods of Ethiopians and it accounts for 19% of the export earnings in the country. In relation to this, Oromia region contributes 40% of the country’s milk production. Despite this importance, milk ...
ABSTRACT This research explores how small-scale farmers in River Njoro Watershed in Kenya allocate resources to production of the main food crops in order to understand the underlying causes of enterprise productivity differentials. The River Njoro watershed stretches from the Mau forest to Lake Nakuru; it is part of the on-going research under the Sustainable Management of Watersheds (SUMAWA), Collaborative Research Support Programme (CRSP). The study was done in the five locations that fall...
ABSTRACT To improve pastoralists’ livelihoods, Sahiwal cattle breed, resilient and dual purpose in nature with the benefits of both improved milk and beef production and better adapted to harsh conditions in Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASALs) were introduced by Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (KARI) now Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO). With potential expected increase in milk production, the market profiles are likely to change, yet the underlying factors...
ABSTRACT Agro-forestry has continued to receive increasing attention from researchers and policy makers especially in coffee farming systems but there is lack of sufficient evidence on its role in productivity and profitability of coffee farming in Kenya. There is also lack of empirical evidence on whether factors that influence adoption of shade technology have the same effect on productivity and profitability of coffee. The general objective of the study was to examine the adoption of agro...
ABSTRACT Tobacco has been the most important traditional cash crop in Urambo district since. But 1960s, the production of tobacco in the district has been declining due to world market price. Due to this price decline, farmers have now shifted to paprika production. The economic benefit of tobacco vis a vis paprika production in Urambo district has not yet been exploited. This study describes and analyses two crop production systems namely tobacco and paprika growers. Specifically, the objec...
ABSTRACT Despite potential contribution livestock marketing has in Tanzania to national economy, quality beef marketing has received less priority in national investments, research and export development. This study attempts to bridge the gap by assessing beef marketing efficiency focusing on Dar es Salaam and Arusha. The general objective of the study was to evaluate the relative efficiency of existing beef marketing system and explore potential market opportunities for quality beef in Tanz...
ABSTRACT This study identifies the perceptions and adoption decisions of Enhanced Freshness Formulation (EFF) technologies among potentially banana growers in Morogoro, Tanzania. The study establishes whether men and women are likely to have equal preferences in adoption of new technologies and explores whether women who are able and those who are unable to adopt technologies face similar adoption challenges. The present study revealed that, potential adopters of EFF technologies seem to att...
EXTENDED ABSTRACT Smallholder dairy farmers produce about 70% of cow milk in Tanzania. As the dairy industry grows, it is increasingly becoming important to focus on milk quality and safety in order to produce and retain the existing markets. This study was conducted in order to assess the milk quality and safety in smallholder dairy farming systems in Mbeya rural and Mbozi districts. A cross sectional study was conducted using a structured questionnaire, observation as well as collection of...
ABSTRACT The phenomenon of increasing rice importation defying several policy interventions has been of great concern in Nigeria. This rising importation is however driven by increasing demand, shortage in domestic supply and consumers’ preference for imported rice. Yet, comprehensive national studies on determinants of demand, supply response and preference switch for rice are scarce. Thus, the determinants of demand, supply response and preference switch for rice were investigated. Seco...