ABSTRACT Production risk is very important in developing countries, including Tanzania, which result in variance in production that may have severe consequences for a smallholder farmer and his family. The main aim of this study was to assess the determinants of production risk associated with adoption of improved maize seed varieties in order to inform sustainable food security. The specific objectives were to; (i) evaluate factors affecting the adoption and diffusion of improved maize seed ...
ABSTRACT Beans are a major grain legume widely consumed in Tanzania. They serve as a major source of protein especially to low income households. Consumption of beans in the country is low despite their nutritional benefits reasons for which are not established. The limited information on factors influencing beans consumption and preference affects the ability of chain actors to respond to demand requirements of consumers. This study was conducted to identify factors shaping consumers’ pref...
ABSTRACT Njombe region which was part of Iringa until 2012, has been receiving subsidized fertilizer since the National Agricultural Input Voucher Scheme (NAIVS) was introduced in 2008. This study aimed at assessing whether targeting subsidized fertilizer through its delivery system to reach maize smallholder farmers was achieved as intended under the NAIVS. More specifically the study was undertaken to determine the level of awareness among farmers regarding their eligibility to subsidized f...
ABSTRACT The overall objective of the study was to assess the effect of intra-household gender relations on household’s food security in Chamwino District, Dodoma region. Data were collected from 120 respondents using interview schedule. Checklist was used to collect data from Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) with men and women and from interview with key informants. Quantitative data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) and qualitative data were summarized a...
ABSTRACT High tunnel technology has been heralded as the panacea to propel medium and small scale tomato production due to high levels of efficiency and the potential to support sustainable socio-economic development in the face of current daunting challenges and opportunities to which farmers respond. However, despite the comparative advantages offered by the technology, its adoption by farmers has been far less than satisfactory. A study was therefore carried out to investigate constraints ...
ABSTRACT Climate variability and change pose serious challenges to smallholder farmers and agro-pastoralists. Nonetheless, their trends and impacts on rain-fed farming system (RFFS) in semi-arid areas of Tanzania have not sufficiently been explored. This study was conducted in Iramba and Meatu districts to contribute to this knowledge gap. The study specifically (i) assessed meteorological data trends of rainfall and temperature between 1994 and 2011; (ii) determined farmers’ perception of ...
ABSTRACT The overall objective of the study was to analyse the profit efficiency of smallholder dairy farmers in Njombe District. The specific objectives were to: (i) To analyse the profit profile of smallholder dairy farmers in Njombe District with respect to socio-economic and technical factors (ii) To analyse the profit efficiency of smallholder milk production in Njombe District (iii) To identify factors that influence profit efficiency. Data for the study were collected from 235 milk pro...
ABSTRACT This study was conducted to investigate the inclusion of small-scale producers in dynamic local and regional markets. To do so, the study provides a micro level survey. The survey was conducted on fruit and vegetable farmers, traders and supermarket operators along three districts namely Kinondoni, Ilala and Temeke in Dar es Salaam region. The Specific objectives were to (a) describe the current market structure for small-scale fruit and vegetable farmers (b) Assess various farmers�...
ABSTRACT Paddy and sugarcane are important food and commercial crops in Tanzania. Paddy and sugarcane have similar ecological requirements. In areas where both are produced the two crops compete for resources. Therefore better decisions have to be made on land allocation so that farm profitability can be maximized. Unfortunately the knowledge on appropriate land allocation for paddy and sugarcane enterprises is limited in the literature. Thus the present study was conducted in Kilombero distr...
ABSTRACT Rice is the second most important cereal in Tanzania and mostly used as a cash crop. The cultivated area of 681 000 ha represent 18% of Tanzania’s cultivated land. The general objective of this study was to examine the rice marketing chain in Mpanda district of Tanzania. Specifically, the study intended to carry out the value chain mapping; analyse economic efficiency of rice marketing system; assessing the distribution of gains and; examine the competitiveness criteria of rice mar...
ABSTRACT The purpose of this study was to assess the attitudes of Secondary School Ordinary level students towards vocational education and training. Youth unemployment is becoming a greater problem in Tanzania and also globally. There are opportunities not yet fully utilized in the country which could answer the question of unemployment of youths and their attitudes towards those opportunities. Thus the specific objectives of this study were to examine student’s expressed attitudes towards...
ABSTRACT The effects of the customs union are ambiguous and depend on different factors. The theoretical ambiguities raise a need for empirical studies to generate information for a particular case. This study looks on the effect of EAC-CET for selected agro-food sensitive products of Burundi’s trade, welfare and tariff revenue using the partial equilibrium model; specifically, the SMART model at HS-6 level. The analysis makes use of trade data of 2010-2016 from WITS database, and the EAC-C...
ABSTRACT The study aimed at assessing farmers’ adaptations to rainfall related climate variability risks and their implications on food security in the semi-arid Sikonge District, Tanzania. Specifically the study aimed at characterizing the climate related rainfall and maize production risks; assessing the efficacy of adaptation strategies used by farmers; and assessing the adequacy of off-farm strategies used by farming households to sustain their food security in a changing climate. The s...
ABSTRACT This study aimed at developing bees’ honey marketing options in Lushoto district, Tanzania in order to guide beekeepers on bees honey marketing opportunities. The specific objectives were to: (i) identify and map bees honey production zones and marketing centres (ii) establish marketing options and market requirements for bees honey, (iii) match market requirements for bees honey production and marketing options, and (iv) to determine the best bees honey marketing options in t...
ABSTRACT This study attempts to revisit and to assess the adoption impact of sustainable land management technology practices on community livelihood in West Usambara Mountains. Primary data were collected through household questionnaires, focus group discussions, key informants interviews and personal observations while secondary data were collected from relevant local authority reports and records. A total of 160 households were interviewed. Descriptive statistics, binary logistic regressio...