Income Effect Of Agricultural Intensification On Smallholder Cotton Farmer’s In Misungwi District

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 in cotton to increase yield to attain income. The average production in the study area is 238 kg per acre which is below by 562 kg as per recommended productivity of 800 kg for UK 91 cotton seed variety. This study was conducted in Misungwi District which is in Mwanza region. The general objective of the present study was to assess the contribution of intensification on cotton production and its implication on smallholder farmer’s income. The specific objectives were to examine the state/forms of agricultural intensification in the area, to determine the level of input efficiency, and to analyze the income effect of intensification on cotton. Data was obtained through structured questionnaire survey administered to 120 respondents selected from six villages. Descriptive statistics; stochastic frontier and GM analysis in the methodology were used. The results showed that eighty (80) percent of the respondents had primary level of education and were on the mid active age with an average of 40 years and average land size was 2.14 acres per household. Furthermore the results showed high variation of efficiency input used and difference gross margin for intensifies and non intensifies farmers, were intensified farmer has 310 kg while non intensified has 194 kg. Intensification in cotton was found important in increasing yield for smallholder farmers if the government increases its efforts in provision of training, subsidy to input, good market price for cotton seed and employ extensional agents.