Effectiveness And Sustainability Of Conservation Agriculture Technologies In Mvomero District, Morogoro, Tanzania

Abstract

The main purpose of this study was to determine the conditions under which sustainable agriculture functions as an effective conservation tool whereby, increasing crop production while maintaining sustainability is a priority for agricultural development projects, particularly in Tanzania. Factors contributing to the effectiveness of Conservation Agriculture (CA) technologies after project closure in improving the sustainability of cropping systems to participating and non-participating farmers of six villages in Mvomero District were investigated. It has been cited that non-project and project participants recognize CA as a technology with saving properties and a potential solution to farm power shortages suitable in household’s labour stress. High yield grains and less cost of production per hectare were noted on CA as compared with conventional farms. Soils were improving which means that, the rate of degradation and erosion is lower than the rate of soil building-up. CA group at Msufini village experienced production of 4 000 kgs in CA compared to 1 900 kgs in conventional agriculture per 0.5 acre of season maize crop harvest. Data were collected from 120 randomly selected households in purposively selected villages using a structured questionnaire. Descriptive statistics, regression analysis and chi square analyses using SPSS were employed as major tools of analysis to determine factors influencing effective and sustainable CA practices. Of the 120 respondents, a total of 113 (93.3%) non-project and project participating respondents indicated that they were willingly to continue with CA which included 56 (91.8%) non-project and 57 (94.9%) project participating respondents, respectively. The main reasons given for being able to continue using CA technology included increase in production, income, cultivation of different types of crops and increase of soil fertility. However, significant change in farming practices, availability and use of specialist equipment, awareness as well as a fundamental change in mindset towards CA practices is necessary.