ABSTRACT Smallholder farmers in Kenya’s semi-arid areas of Kitui, Machakos and Makueni Counties experience food insecurity due to challenges of low, erratic and poorly distributed rainfall and poor infrastructure. To address these challenges, leaders in the region have seen the need to involve local actors in sustainable development activities. Poor performance of Multi-Stakeholder Linkages for Innovative Agricultural Development (MSLIAD) in development initiatives in the region inhibits f...
ABSTRACT Commercialization of agriculture refers to shift from subsistence oriented production to an increasing complex production and consumption system based on market; apart from marketing agricultural output it also includes product choice, input use and decisions making based on profit maximization. It has been documented that agriculture commercialization in Tanzania remains to be marginal and less than one third of farmers’ produce might possibly reach commercial market; very few fa...
ABSTRACT Gender is a critical variable in the development process. However, many studies done on gender have indicated that there is lack of gender disaggregated data, especially on women’s contribution to smallholder dairy farming. The purpose of the study was to determine, describe and compare the influence of gender in accessing and controlling resources on milk production among smallholder dairy farmers in Kabarnet Division of Baringo District. A survey research using ex-post-facto res...
ABSTRACT This study was done to assess the East Africa Community (EAC) Non-Tariff Barriers (NTBs) and their effects on Tanzanian small and medium agro enterprises (SMAEs) engaged in EAC cross border trade. Specific objectives were; to describe the structure and characteristics of Tanzanian SMAEs; to examine determinants of Tanzanian SMAEs engagement in EAC cross border trade, to identify NTBs that affect Tanzanian SMAE’s engaged in the EAC cross Border trade; and, to analyze the effect of ...
ABSTRACT Scaling up of Improved Legume Technologies (SILT) project had being promoting adoption of the improved common bean technologies (ICT1 ) among the farmers in Babati District, Tanzania. Yet it’s not well known on its effectiveness of achieving its objectives of disseminating ICT1 . Thus, this study determined the effectiveness of different extension methods used by SILT project in scaling up ICT1 in Babati District. In this study adoption was conceptualized as an act in which farmer...
ABSTRACT Radio is an important extension tool that can be used in sharing agricultural information with smallholder farmers in rural areas inexpensively. The use of vernacular in radio broadcasts makes programmes more acceptable to rural farmers and may be used to supplement public extension. However, the role of private vernacular radio stations in disseminating agricultural messages, the approaches they use, the challenges they face and the opportunities they offer farmers in Kericho West S...
ABSTRACT This study on the assessment of gender roles in sunflower value chain was carried out in Mlali and Mzumbe wards to assess ones‟ involvement in sunflower value chain in Mvomero District, Morogoro, Tanzania. Many value chain programmes are commonly designed and implemented without taking into consideration of gender roles. Interest in this study was prompted by recognition that understanding women and men‟s relationships plays an important role in developing solutions to household...
ABSTRACT About 60% of the Kenyan population is comprised of youth. Agriculture provides over 80% of employment opportunities and livelihood to Kenyans. However, while youth unemployment is rising, youth engagement in agriculture is declining. Kenya‟s service and industrial sectors have not created enough jobs for the youthful labour force. Declining youth engagement in agriculture has implications on household and national food and nutritional security, unemployment and underemployment whic...
ABSTRACT Food availability and supply is essential requirement for people. Household food security is the availability of food to household level which will suffice the needs all times for an active, healthy life. The food will be either produced in farms by family or purchased from other places. The aim of this study was to assess effects of mining on food security to farming communities surrounding Nyamongo Gold Mine in Tarime District, Tanzania. Specific objectives were to: (i) determine ...
ABSTRACT Farmers’ training is intended at promoting uptake of knowledge and skills, changing of attitudes and making farmers achieve their aspirations. When improved husbandry practices are systematically and effectively delivered, farmers’ training is known to enhance adoption of improved husbandry practices and finally social and economic development. This study was conducted to assess the influence of farmers’ training on enhancing adoption of the improved dairy husbandry practices ...
ABSTRACT The study was conducted in Mwanza City. The study intended to assess whether teaching and learning agriculture in primary schools was contextualized. A total of 145 respondents comprised the sample of the study. They included head teachers, district agricultural education officer, Ward Education officers, teachers and pupils. Cross- sectional research design was employed, whereby data were collected at a single point in time. The study covered two districts namely Nyamagana and Ilem...
ABSTRACT This study sought to investigate factors that influence the use of mobile phones in the communication of agricultural information in Kilolo district. The study examined the use of mobile phones as a means for achieving agricultural development. The study population comprised all farmers regardless their mobile phone ownership. The study adapted a cross sectional study design and a multistage simple random sampling technique, where, 384 respondents were selected. Data were mainly col...
ABSTRACT For a long period of time within different political systems cooperative societies have served as farmer organizations to give credit and to disseminate agricultural inputs in order to attain increased production and productivity of smallholders. However, dissemination of agricultural technologies were forcibly transferred using top-down approaches with minimum participation and giving less emphasis to the priority needs of the farmers. This study examines farmer perceptions on the e...
ABSTRACT A study was carried out to assess the agricultural information needs and their accessibility for improving production among smallholder farmers growing sesame in Morogoro district, Morogoro region. Data were collected from 120 respondents using interview schedule. Checklist was used to collect data from Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) and from interview with key informants. Quantitative data were analysed using the International Business Machines Corporation Statistical Package for So...
ABSTRACT The Agricultural and Livestock Policy of Tanzania gives high priority to the promotion of food sufficiency and security through irrigated agriculture. The aim of this study was to investigate factors affecting participation of farmers in irrigation schemes in Tanzania. The data were collected by interviewing farmers using semi structured questionnaire. Descriptive and inferential statistical analyses were done using SPSS version 12 as a tool of analysis. The findings reveal that the ...