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 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 Market liberalization has been one of the most important and widely implemented aspects of the Structural Adjustment Programmes (SAPs) in sub –Saharan Africa (SSA). The general objective of the study was to investigate the effect of cotton market liberalization on the smallholder cotton farmers’ livelihoods in two districts in Shinyanga region, Tanzania. Specificically the study sought to assess cotton production and marketing, examine income change, and establish wellbeing of sm...
ABSTRACT Consumption of Indigenous vegetables (IVs) in most Sub-Sahara African countries including Tanzania is replaced by exotic varieties/species, regardless of their potential nutritional and economic values. Given this situation, among other IVs, this study was conducted with the aim of assessing consumers‟ acceptance and willingness to pay (WTP) for processed cassava leaves products. Sensory test together with a consumer survey of 110 randomly selected respondents was conducted in Moro...
ABSTRACT Common bean is a major source of food and income for smallholder farmers in Tanzania.The national average yield for common beans which ranges from 0.72 to 1.10 tone/ha, is far below potential yields recommended by agricultural research (1.5 – 3 tones/ ha) using improved varieties. Low common bean yield is contributed by several factors which lower farmers` profit. This study examined the economics of smallholder common beans production in Mbeya, Tanzania. Descriptive and inferentia...
ABSTRACT This study aimed at undertaking a comparative analysis of farm power technologies; manual, oxen, 2WT and 4WT in Rice Production for Smallholder Farmers in Mbarali District, Tanzania. The study had three objectives namely: (i) identification of different farm operations by power sources used by smallholder farmers in paddy production, (ii) analysing costs and returns per unit area of using the mentioned sources of farm power and (iii) examining factors influencing smallholder farmers�...
ABSTRACT This study was conducted to analyze cassava and sweet potato value chains so as to identify potential areas for intervention in order to improve small-scale farmers’ access to markets in Mvomero and Kongwa Districts. Sub-sector mapping was used to map cassava and sweet potato value chains. Results indicate that several constraints exist in the two sub-sectors which among other things include low production, poor access to inputs, lack of market information, poor support services, p...
ABSTRACT This study aimed at evaluating farmers participation in the value addition to oilseeds and its implication on farmer’s income with special emphasis on sunflower. The general objective was to promote sustainable sunflower production and income generation through value addition in the rural sunflower potential areas of Tanzania. Specifically the study aimed to: assess processing capacity and utilization, identify factors influencing farmer participation in value addition, describe ma...
ABSTRACT Efficiency analysis remains an important issue in economic studies, especially for projects which spent tax payers‟ money, grants and loans. Efficiency has implications on agricultural policy in terms of improving paddy production through improved input use efficiency at Madibira smallholder irrigation scheme. This study sought to determine factors influencing paddy production and technical input use efficiency among farmers at Madibira scheme. The total sample for study was 120 re...
ABSTRACT Agricultural transformation from low productivity to commercial agriculture has been a policy of concern in Sub-Saharan African countries whose economies depend on agriculture. Different pathways to commercialization have been adopted, including smallholder commercialization, medium and large scale commercial agriculture while others have adopted inclusive commercialization. However, the existing literature is inconclusive on which pathway should be adopted particularly in Sub-Sahara...
ABSTRACT Sesame is among one of important economic crop for smallholder farmers and other actors involved in value chain. However, smallholder farmers have not fully benefited due to fragmented market and unimproved production. This study was conducted to assess the profitability of sesame actors along the value chain in Masasi District. The specific objectives were to identify the structure and functioning of the value chain; to determine the gross margin received by different actors along S...
ABSTRACT THIS STUDY WILL ATTEMPT TO IDENTIFY THE VARIOUS ACTIVITIES THAT BROUGHT ABOUT THE DIVERSIFICATION IN NYERI COUNTY,MATHIRA SUB-COUNTY.THE SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY ARE:TO DETERMINE WHETHER DIVERSIFICATION IS BENEFICIAL TO FARMERS,TO FIND OUT THE DIFFICULTIES IN THE EFFORT TO DIVERSIFY COFFEE PRODUCTION TO OTHER ALTERNATIVES AND TO FIND OUT HOW DIVERSIFICATION HELPS IN MARKETING OF OTHER PRODUCTS.THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS STUDY IS THAT THE FINDINGS COULD BE OF GREAT IMPORTANCE T...
ABSTRACT Dairy production is a biologically efficient system that converts large quantities of roughage in the tropics to milk. Milk production levels are determined by the levels of technologies applied to the dairy enterprise. However, information on levels of adoption of dairy technologies especially in the arid and semi-arid areas (ASALs) of Kenya is scanty. This study thus sought to evaluate the extent of adoption of modern dairy technologies and its impact on milk production in Nzaui Su...
ABSTRACT For the past decades Southdown estate in Zimbabwe employed manual tea harvesting method, due to labour shortages and increase in labour costs tea harvesting became expensive. Although the estate adopted machine harvesting method in a quest to resolve imminent financial problems faced at Southdown the costs kept escalating. Therefore this study was undertaken to compare the two harvesting methods (hand harvesting method and machine harvesting method) in order to evaluate the costs an...