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Extent of spike shedding and stem wilting of pepper (Piper nigrum L.) in Morogoro District, Tanzania
No full textBackground: Pepper (Piper nigrum L.) is an important spice produced by small-scale farmers in Morogoro district
of Tanzania for both local and export markets. Recently, farmers have reported a decline in crop productivity due to
spike shedding and stem wilting of pepper plants. The study was conducted to obtain baseline information on the
extent of the disorders.
Methods: An altitudinal transect survey was conducted in Morogoro district from October to November 2018. Data
were collected from 216 pepper farmers through a questionnaire, focus group discussions, and field observations.
Chi square tests (α = 0.05) were used to compare differences between gender, pepper cultivars by wards and yield,
spike shedding and stem wilting by pepper cultivars and plant species used to support pepper vines. Fisher’s exact
test at (α = 0.05) was used to compare the effects of production constraints and altitude. A regression analysis was
performed to explore the relationship between altitude and the incidence of spike shedding and stem wilting.
Results: The majority of interviewees (69%) had observed spike shedding and stem wilting of pepper on their farms
for > 3 years. Spike shedding was more prominent at 300 meters above sea level (masl, 85.7%), while stem wilting
was reported by most (66.7%) farmers at 457 masl. The most affected pepper cultivar was reported to be “Babu kati”
in Mtombozi (19.2% of respondents) and “Ismailia” in Mkuyuni and Kibogwa (28.9% of respondents) wards, while
in Kibungo ward cultivar “Babu ndogo” (85.7% of respondents) and in Konde ward cultivar “Babu kubwa” (53.8%
of respondents) were most affected. Approximately 53% of respondents reporting the disorders used Jatropha to
support the pepper vines, and 93% of the farmers reported the disorders to occur during the dry season. A greater
proportion of the interviewed farmers (92.1%) reported applying no measures to control spike shedding and stem
wilting of pepper.
Conclusions: Incidence of spike shedding and stem wilting was higher at a low altitude compared to high altitude
areas. The magnitude of the disorders differed among pepper cultivars regardless of support plants species used. Poor
adoption of key agronomic practices and lack of any information on control measures may be contributing to the
high incidence of the disorders in the study area. The study demonstrates the extent of the problem, and provides a
baseline for identifying the causal agent(s) of spike shedding and stem wilting, which in turn will allow appropriate
control measures to be selected
Preferences and consumption of pigeon peas among rural households as determinants for developing diversified products for sustainable health
No full textArticle of sustainability 2020,Pigeon peas are legumes with a high nutritional value. Existing studies of pigeon peas in
Tanzania mainly examine production and marketing, but little has been documented with respect
to consumer preferences and the consumption of pigeon peas. This study assesses the preferences
surrounding pigeon peas and their consumption as bases for the development of diversified and
shelf-stable products for nutrition and income improvement. This study comprised 303 randomly
selected farming households. Furthermore, 60 farmers participated in six focus group discussions in
the Lindi region. A structured questionnaire and a checklist with guided questions were provided
for data collection. The analysis uses SPSS (V.21), with di erences between groups established
using Kruskal–Wallis and Mann–Whitney tests. The associations were tested using Spearman’s
at p < 0.05. The mean pigeon peas consumption during the harvesting and lean seasons was
80 g/person/day and 18 g/person/day, respectively. The frequency of consumption was higher during
the harvesting season (92%) than the lean (29%) season. The majority of farmers (91%) preferred
to consume the local variety, with 84% of them consuming pigeon peas as stew. Five pigeon pea
recipes exist in the area. The farmers identified availability, taste, source of income, and familiarity as
the factors determining pigeon pea consumption and preferences. With limited recipes and other
barriers limiting consumption, the creation of innovative ideas for the development of diversified
and shelf-stable products fitting their consumption preferences is needed
Estimation of tree removals in Miombo woodlands of mainland Tanzania
No full textPhD ThesisMiombo woodlands are major vegetation type covering about 93% of the forest land of
Mainland Tanzania. It forms an integral part of the rural landscape in Tanzania and plays a
crucial role in providing a wide range of goods and services including carbon
sequestration. However, the sustainability of miombo woodlands resources depend on the
balance between increment/growth rate and the magnitude of utilization. While many
studies have been conducted to evaluate growth rate/increment little has been done to
evaluate tree removals in miombo woodlands of mainland Tanzania. Quantification of
volume, biomass, and carbon stocks removals is vital in developing effective climate
change mitigation strategies, decision making, and promoting sustainable forest
management.The overall objective of this study was to assess volume and carbon
removals in miombo woodlands of mainland Tanzania as a result of tree cutting.
Specifically, the present study intended to: 1), develop biomass and volume models based
on stump diameter for assessing forest removals; 2) estimate volume and carbon stocks
removals as a result of tree cutting; 3) examine drivers of removals and their influences
on aboveground carbon removals in miombo woodlands and 4) estimate volume loss due
to extra stump height in miombo woodlands of mainland Tanzania. To this end, two main
data sets were used. The first is composed of field data collected from miombo woodlands
located in three regions i.e. Manyara, Tabora and Lindi. The data were used for
developing individual tree biomass and volume models essential for estimating biomass
and volume removals directly from stump diameter (SD). Estimating volume and biomass
directly from SD has an advantage of reducing the accumulated errors that could results
from estimation of diameter at breast height (DBH) of the removed tree and used the
estimated DBH to estimate volume and biomass from available equation that utilize the
estimated DBH. The second is stumps data (diameter and height) collected during the
implementation of the Tanzania National Forest Resources Monitoring and Assessment
(NAFORMA). This data set were requested from Tanzania Forest Services agency (TFS),
Tanzania Forestry Research Institute (TAFORI), and Sokoine University of Agriculture
through the National Carbon Monitoring Centre (NCMC).This data set were used to
respond to the objective two, three and four of this study. All the data were analysed in R
software.
Results revealed that, in all the models developed, SD explained over 70% of the
variations in belowground biomass (BGB), aboveground biomass (AGB) and volume.
By applying the developed models to the NAFORMA stump data, the estimated mean
annual volume, AGB and BGB removals in the entire miombo were 1.71±0.54 m3ha-
1year-1, 1.23±0.37tha-1year-1, and 0.43±0.12 tha-1 year -1 respectively. The drivers of
removals were, timber extraction, fire, shifting cultivation, charcoal, natural death,
firewood collection, poles, grazing wild, carving, grazing domestic and mining activities.
The estimated removed AGC ranged from 0.0 to 1.273tCha-1year-1 with the highest
removals accounted by timber and the lowest by mining activities. Since the estimated
annual volume removals exceed estimated mean annual increment of 1.6±0.2m3 ha-1yr -1
in miombo woodlands, the removals indicate unsustainability utilization of woodlands
resource. This imply that the emission is relatively higher than the sequestration.
The results also revealed that removals are more prominent in the following categories;
shifting cultivation, production forest, grazing land, general land, village land, Eastern
and Southern zones. Furthermore, total annual wood volume, annual volume and carbon
per ha lost through extra stump height (ESH) were 3 800 000m-3year-1, 0.098 ± 0.034
m3ha-1year-1 and 0.028±0.009 tCha-1year-1 respectively.
Based on these findings, it is recommend that, regional developed models should be
applied over a wide range of conditions in miombo woodlands of mainland Tanzania
under the threshold of tree diameter sizes used in the modelling. Furthermore, we
recommend that the site-specific models should be applied for local inventories in their
respective sites. For reducing emissions emanating from removals and by considering
national circumstances, all categories of miombo woodlands should be managed although
the management (in terms of tree removals) intensity and priorities should consider those
categories with unsustainable removals. Similarly, all drivers of removals should be
managed and priority should be to those drivers with the highest contribution to removals.
Since the estimated annual volume loss through ESH (i.e. 3.8 million m3year-1) is almost
¼ of the annual volume deficit of 19.5 million m3year-1 reported by NAFORMA, the
deficit and further removals could be lowered through proper adherence to appropriate
harvesting procedures in the miombo woodlands of Tanzania. Moreover, the use of
alternative sources of energy particularly clean energy and planting trees for wood energy
must continue to be emphasized. Additionally, it is recommend that stumps data should be
used to estimate volume and carbon removed and assess drivers of volume and carbon
removals in other vegetation types i.e. mangrove forest, lowland forest, humid montane
forest and thickets. This would bring tree removal information at national scale and
improve future estimates of Forest Reference Emission Level (FREL)
Customers’ perception on service performance: A comparative analysis between foreign and local banks in Tanzania
No full textArticleThis study was a comparative study of the level of service performance between
foreign and local banks. It focused on customers’ perception of service performance. This
comparison was purposely done due to the fact that different international banks have
opened their branches in Tanzania, and this has in one way or another forced to change the
competitive landscape of the country’s banking industry. The study had a sample size of 380
respondents who were the customers of these banks. Confirmatory Factor Analysis at the
second-order level was analyzed by looking at the Chi-square statistical values, Incremental
Fit Index, the Tucker-Lewis Fit Index, the Comparative Fit Index, the Parsimony Normed Fit
Index, and the Root Mean Square Error Approximation as the indicators of the model fit.
Mean values were compared between foreign and local banks. The main findings from the
study indicate that the fit indices indicated measurement invariance of service performance.
quality of service, service innovativeness, and cash distribution facilities were perceived
better by foreign banks’ customers than local banks’ customers
Assessing the implementation process of Treasury Single Account Operations and Payment Systems in Tanzania
No full textAnchored on stakeholder, management and modern money theories, study on which this
dissertation is based assessed the implementation of Treasury Single Account (TSA) in
Tanzania. The TSA infrastructure is usually implemented as part of the Financial
Management Information System (FMIS) solutions. Therefore, this study assessed the
implementation process of Treasury Single Account Operations and Payment Systems in
Tanzania. Specifically, the study intended to; assess the legal and regulatory frameworks
of the TSA operations; investigate the TSA processes and interbank systems; and examine
the oversight mechanism of the TSA. Furthermore, the study employed a quantitative
approach, whereby data were collected through a toolkit questionnaire with 44 questions
from 60 sample size of respondents. Analysis was done descriptively, in which only
frequencies and percentages were considered. In addition, graphs and tables were used to
illustrate findings. The findings show the 68.2% of the overall performance in legal
regulatory framework; this indicates the average performance as rating in this research. In
the process and interbank systems, results show 75% of the overall performance based on
the rating implies the effectiveness in this category is good. Lastly, the oversight
mechanisms in results indicates 72% of the overall performance, this is categorized as
good. Inferential analysis shows that all three predictors i.e. legal regulatory framework,
process and interbank systems, and oversight mechanisms were statistically significant (P
≤ 0.05) to effective implementation of TSA. However, recommendations need the
government to learn from other countries which have experienced the implementation of
TSA operations for many years of time, the reason is to improve the overall performance
of the implementation up to the highest rating score points.BOT’
Role of agro-dealers in inputs distribution and the Counterfeit challenges to smallholder farmers in Tanzania
No full textDespite Government efforts to invest in and modernize the agricultural inputs sector,
smallholder farmers still encounter counterfeit inputs, particulary maize seeds. The study
aimed at analyzing role of agro-dealers in inputs distribution and the counterfeit
challenges to smallholder farmers: A case of maize seeds, in Maswa District specifically
(i)to determine demographic characteristics of agro-dealers in the study area(ii) to
determine the distribution chain of improved maize seeds from agro-dealers to
smallholder farmers,(iii)to examine regulations which guarantee good distribution of
improved maize seeds in the district (iv)to determine challenges facing agro-dealers in
selling improved maize seeds in the study area and (v) analyze agro-input dealers’
characteristics in relation to distribution of improved maize seeds in the district. The study
population included all agro-dealers in the district with 51 respondents. Questionnaire,
focus group discussions (FGD) and key informants interviews were used to collect data.
Descriptive statistics such as frequencies, and percentages were computed to facilitate
analysis of quantitative data. The study found that, most of the agro dealers have no
demonstration plots, there is unevenly distribution of agro dealers’ in the district and most
of the agro shops were not regularly inspected by government officials. The study
established further that there is the problem of counterfeit agro inputs and the methods
used in verifying the genuineness of the maize seeds seems to be helpless. Agro dealers
shared good agronomic practices to smallholder farmers. This study recommended Maswa
District council to ensure authorized distributors of inputs, agro dealers establish
demonstration plots, plan and establish regular farmers’ forum. Lastly, it recommends the
use of mobile phones technology to verify the genuineness of the maize seeds
Factors influencing effective delivery of extension services on soil and water conservation practices in Western Amhara Region, Ethiopia
No full textTanzania Journal of Agricultural Sciences (2020) Vol. 19 No. 2, pp. 227-237The study was conducted in Western Amhara Region of Ethiopia to determine the linkage between
personal, socio-economic and institutional characteristics and effectiveness of delivery of
extension services on Soil and Water Conservation (SWC) practices among smallholder farmers.
Data were collected using questionnaire survey and checklist from nine kebeles and 383 randomly
selected farmers. The study found that effectiveness of extension service delivery on SWC practices
in the study area largely depends on the farmers’ personal, socio-economic and institutional
characteristics. Therefore, the study concludes that demand-driven extension service delivery
is more effective when farmers’ personal, socio-economic and institutional characteristics are
addressed and policies and legal frameworks are in place to guide the extension service delivery.
The study draws a number of policy and research implications including the development of policies
and strategies that the Amhara National Regional State should approve for addressing personal,
socio-economic and institutional variables of farmers as a means for effective delivery of extension
services on SWC practices in the study area and areas with similar conditions
Wildfires in the Eastern Arc Mountains of Tanzania: Burned areas, underlying causes and management challenges
No full textAfrican Journal of Ecology 2020 pp. 1–12.The Eastern Arc Mountains are one of the most important ecosystems that conserve
biodiversity in the world. These ecosystems are threatened by the increasing oc-
currence of wildfires. Nevertheless, there is inadequate information useful for the
development of effective strategies to prevent or respond to future fires. This paper
analyses the current extent of dry season fires, underlying causes and the effective-
ness of the fire management strategy being implemented in and around the Uluguru
Nature Forest Reserve (UNFR) between 2016 and 2021. Differenced Normalised
Burn Ratio derived from Landsat satellite images was applied to determine the extent
of burned areas, and focus group discussions were held to determine the underly-
ing causes of fires and the extent of implementation of fire management strategies.
About 2% (472 ha) of reserved UNFR and 5% (2,854 ha) of unreserved forests were
burned in 2017. Some of the fires impacted on 60% (370 ha) of the grassy Lukwangule
plateau, which is home to a fire-sensitive endemic species. The underlying causes
of fires varied spatially across the mountains but generally, fire escaping from farm
preparation and hunting activities were found to be the most prevalent. On aver-
age, survey participants perceived that fire management strategy objectives were
achieved by only 29% mainly constrained by a shortage of financial and human re-
sources. Our findings suggest that ignitions and fire spread in UNFR could be pre-
vented or controlled through sustainable funding of fire management activities and
the effective engagement of local communities in the management of the reserve
Community perception on the environmental conservation approach adopted by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in the Northern Diocese, Tanzania
No full textThe East African Journal of Social Sciences and HumanitiesAbstract: Faith based institutions have the authority and ability to address several issues and being accepted and acted upon by the
people of different beliefs, especially by linking with the people’s respective faiths. This could be fully utilized in addressing
environmental issues, which is one of the most currently debatable global concerns. Given the environmental degradation challenges
facing Kilimanjaro region, the Northern Diocese of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania started an intervention on tree
planting by involving youth enrolled in confirmation classes as a way of promoting environmental conservation behaviour among
youths. Since the tree planting programme operate within the community, this study therefore was conducted to explore the way the
community perceive this programme, which will determine their participation therein, and success of the programme. A cross-sectional
research design was adopted and a random sample of 100 households that had registered their children for confirmation classes in
different years from 2003 to 2015 were involved. A Structured questionnaire with Likert scale was used to capture perceptions of
households complimented by Focus Group Discussions and Key Informant Interviews. The descriptive and content analysis was
adopted. The findings revealed that about 85% of the households had positive perception about the innovative approach adopted by the
church. Furthermore, the community members see the programme as part of their household responsibilities and a good approach
through which the nature can regain its lost form and provide to them what had been lost. The findings confirm the argument under the
theory of self-determination of environmental behavior since despite being the church intervention people perform a tree planting
behaviour for their own sake and to gain positive results. In this case, youths got involved in the program so as to graduate from
confirmation training while avoiding the negative outcomes that is failure to be confirmed
Molecular characterization of multidrug resistant salmonella isolates from food animals and animal products in Tanzania
No full textTanzania Veterinary Journal Vol. 35 (1) 2020, pg. 36-51Food animals are major sources of human salmonellosis. Animals raised for food play an
important role in transmission of antimicrobial resistant Salmonella strains to humans. The
aim of this study was to determine the antimicrobial resistance profile, the occurrence of class
1 integrons and the resistance gene cassettes mobilized in the class 1 integrons of Salmonella
isolates. A cross-sectional design was carried out in pastoral regions of Tanzania with large
population of livestock. Salmonella isolates were recovered from 4.2% of the total of 1540
samples from apparently healthy animals and the animal products. The results showed that
Salmonella isolates were detected in 5.2%, 3.7% and 3.8% of the swine, cattle and chicken,
respectively. Sixty-one Salmonella isolates belonged to Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica.
Predominant serotypes were Salmonella I 8,20:i:- (32.8%), S. Hadar (10.9%), S. Colindale
(6.3%), S. Anatum (6.3%) and S. Heidelberg (6.3%). S. I 8,20:i:- isolates were widespread in
different samples from different food animals. Of 64 Salmonella isolates, about 35.9% were
resistant to at least one antimicrobial, whereas, 82.6% were multi-drug resistant (MDR)
Salmonella. About 8.7% of the MDR Salmonella isolates were found to also carry integrons
(intI1) and 100% of intI1-positive isolates contained resistance gene cassettes known as
aac(3)-Id-aadA7 showing high rate of MDR. The occurrence of clonal MDR Salmonella
isolates in food animals and animal products from pastoral communities indicates the high
significance of informal traditional sector as an important source of foodborne pathogens in
the food chain and the entry of pathogens to the pastoralist communities