SUAIRE (Sokoine Univ. of Agriculture)
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Effect of processing methods on the micronutrient profile, colour, and anti- nutritive components of justicia heterocarpa (mwidu)
No full textJournal ArticleJusticia heterocarpa (mwidu) is a popular indigenous leafy vegetable picked wild in rural regions of
Morogoro, Tanzania, during the wet seasons. This research examined the impact of processing on
micronutrients, total phenols, and anti-nutrient content. The fresh leaves (FL) underwent direct
shade drying (UBLDDR), blanched shade drying (BLDR), blanched oven drying (BLDO),
fermentation (FFL), and gas and microwave cooking (FLCO5, FLCO10, and FLMCO2). Vitamins,
chlorophyll, minerals, phenolic compounds, and anti-nutrients were analyzed. All laboratory
experiments adhered to procedures and guidelines. The pH dropped more significantly to <3.5 in a 3% salt-3% sugar brine solution with 1.328 ± 0.006 mg/100 g of lactic acid compared to its
counterpart. Blanched leaves dried in 5 days, but unblanched leaves took 15 days. Fermented
samples demonstrated a notable reduction in total chlorophyll concentration (0.0964 ± 0.075 mg/g)
compared to other processing techniques. The nutritional and anti-nutritional composition of
Justicia heterocarpa showed significant change (P < 0.05) depending on processing methods. The
results indicated a significant loss of vitamin C in the fermented and ten-minute cooked samples, at
74.57% and 61.64%, respectively.Cooked FLMCO2 (107.4%, 11.29 ± 0.03 mg/100g) and FLCO5
(86.26%, 10.51 ± 0.02 mg/100g) exhibited more than a two-fold increase in beta-carotene
compared to fresh leaves (3.67 mg/100g). In comparison to alternative processing procedures,
samples cooked for 10 minutes exhibited significant mineral leaching, whereas unblanched direct
shade drying preserved the highest mineral concentration. Fermented samples (532.83 ± 14.91
GAE/100 g) exhibited a 64.19% increase in total Phenolic compounds compared to fresh leaves
(190.83 ± 14.91 GAE/100 g). Nonetheless, tannins increased by 68.1% (254.44 ± 7.45 GAE/100g)
in the fermented samples. Samples exposed to extended cooking (17.8 ± 3.17 mg/100 g) and
fermentation (40.28 ± 3.34 mg/100 g) exhibited the lowest levels of phytates. The oxalate
concentration was significantly decreased in the cooked samples. Justicia heterocarpa may serve
as a sustainable food supply in areas of Tanzania experiencing nutritional deficits
Design and implementation of a farmer's digital information system for sustainable agriculture among smallholder farmers in Tanzania
No full textThesisSustainable agriculture among smallholder farmers has the potential to ensure food security and
alleviate extreme poverty in a rapidly growing population and the face of global climate change.
Additionally, smallholder farmers contribute 70% of the world's food and employ more than one
billion people, the majority of whom live in rural and semi-urban areas. However, this group of
farmers faces various challenges in adopting sustainable agriculture. We conducted a literature
review and a survey of key agricultural stakeholders in Tanzania to identify common challenges
of smallholder farmers. It was revealed that smallholder farmers lack access to essential
services, including subsidies, credit, insurance, government services, markets, and farming
information.
In this thesis, we aim to design and implement a digital framework for smallholder farmers to
access all essential services (subsidies, credit, insurance, government services, market,
warehouse services, logistics services, quality farm inputs, and farming information) under one
roof. Indeed, digital technology can play a significant role in digitizing the agricultural value chains
(AVCs) of small-scale farmers in countries of the Global South. The use of advanced digital
technologies in agriculture, including artificial intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things (IoT),
blockchain, robotics, and big data, has enabled sustainable farming through increased
production and income, as well as enhanced environmental conservation. However, these
technologies are not accessible to smallholder farmers (the majority of whom reside in countries
in the global South) as they require high investment capital, expertise, and well-established
infrastructure. Although various digital services are available for smallholder farmers, the existing
services often lack sustainability in the agricultural context and fail to meet their needs.
We employed the Design Science Research (DSR) method to design and provide a proof of
concept of a digital platform that brings together all key agricultural stakeholders, enabling
farmers to access all essential services throughout the complete farming cycle. Moreover, we
conducted a literature review using the PRISMA guidelines to establish the state-of-the-art
technology in agriculture and the use of ICT-based services by smallholder farmers in Tanzania.
A survey method was employed as part of the DSR to collect stakeholders’ opinions on the
proposed digital artifact solution. The study follows the theories of Information and
Communication Technology for Development (ICT4D), which posits that technological
advancements should have a positive impact on people’s lives by developing solutions that work
well within the local context, rather than simply copying and pasting technology from other
contexts, such as from developed to developing countries.
As a research contribution, we identified common challenges of smallholder farmers, designed
and provided a proof of concept of a Farmers' Digital Information System (FDIS) that integrates
services from different stakeholders, including farmers, agro-dealers, warehouses, logistics
companies, subsidies, advisory services, market, credit, insurance, and government(permit)
services. We expect our findings will help governments, the private sector, and policymakers to
adopt and implement FDIS. This will make the agriculture sector more dynamic and help
smallholder farmers participate in sustainable agriculture.wiss Government Excellence Scholarship, Fondation Ernst et Lucie
Schmidheiny, and Fonds Généra
Domestic tourism motivation and dissatisfaction factors for marine protected areas, Dar es Salaam coast
No full textM.A DissertationMotivation has been recognized as an important factor influencing
people's decisions to travel and choose activities. However, the
understanding of what motivates and demotivates domestic tourism,
particularly in marine protected areas (MPAs) has remained low. This
study identified and explored what motivates and demotivates visitors
in travelling to MPAs. An exploratory study design was adopted. The
study involved a sample size of 60 local visitors. Quantitative data
were obtained from the visitors in the MPAs and partial least square
structural equation model (PLS-SEM) was performed with the aid of
SMART-PLS 13.0. Qualitative data were generated from visitors
through key informant interviews. The data were analyzed
thematically with the aid of NVivo11. The study found out that
psychological needs have a strong effect on destination attributes in
MPAs. Furthermore, the study found that resting and relaxation,
pride and novelty are the psychological needs that significantly
influence travel to MPAs. It was further noted that destination
attributes which were found important included scenic beauty, clean
water, cruising environment and staff hospitality. Thematic analysis
confirms that the factors that demotivate domestic tourists are the
use of improper language, noise pollution, service favoritism, high
prices of food and beverages, gender imbalance, lack of inspection,
and lack of jet skiing sport. Generally, it can be concluded that
understanding the destination attributes and psychological needs is
crucial for developing and promoting domestic tourism in MPAs;
hence creation of potential repeat customers. The study
recommends that implementation of policy pathways should be
potentially geared towards improving domestic tourism and retention
of repeat customers
Diversity of rodents and shrews in Tanzania and prevalence of their parasites: a case study of Zaraninge Coastal Forest and Gongo Village
No full textMSc DissertationRodents are important in the ecology of mammals because they
serve as predators, prey, pests, and grazers. Their composition,
community structure, population density, and habitat utilization are
linked to environmental variables like resource availability and
biological interactions. In Zaraninge Coastal Forest, several studies
on rodents and shrews were undertaken before and after it the
Coastal Forest was incorporated to the Saadani National Park
(SANAPA). However, these studies focused on distribution and
diversity of specific species of mammals in the Coastal Forest. The
studies reported that human encroachment in the Coastal forest as
one of threats affecting the forest. Nonetheless, information on the
diversity of rodents and shrews and their parasites after annexing
the forest to the National park to enhance its protection was not
availed. Thus, there is a knowledge gap on the parasites of rodents
and shrews, given that the rodents and shrews are reservoirs of
parasites that can be potential agents of transmitting diseases to
human beings. So, it was crucial to investigate the diversity of
rodents and shrews, but also investigate the parasites hosted in
rodents and shrews that can transmit zoonotic diseases to human
beings. The findings from the study aimed to provide information on
the diversity of rodents and shrews, but also information of their
parasites of health importance as most outbreaks of rodent-borne
diseases in humans are commonly related to socio-economic
deficiencies. The study was carried out from May to October 2021.
The removal method using two types of traps –Sherman and
Havahart was used to collect rodents and shrews. For ectoparasites,
fur of the captured individuals were combed to dislodge
ectoparasites, and for hemoparasites, blood samples were collected
from a supra orbital vein and blood was smeared on glass slide to
make smears. In analysis the Paleontological Statistics (PAST)
Program version (3.22) and Microsoft Excel (2007) were used to
analyze the data, which determined the diversity and relative
abundance of rodents and shrews. The prevalence of parasites in he captured individuals was also investigated using the prevalence
formula in the study. The Chi-square test was employed to
investigate the link between the ectoparasites infestation and the
individuals' sexes. About 203 individuals were caught in this study,
where 197 individuals were rodents (Mastomys natalensis,
Gramomys dolichurus, Gerbilliscus leucogaster, Lemniscomys
rosalia, Cricetomys spp, Beamys hindei, Graphiurus murinus and
Xerus rutilus) and 7 individuals were the non-rodentia (Crocidura
hirta, Petrodromus tetradactylus and Galago spp. The study findings
revealed that the rodents’ diversity value was higher in the Coastal
Forest, than in the Gongo Fallow Lands. The diversity of rodents in
Zaraninge Coastal Forest obtained was 1.49 and that of Gongo
Fallow Land was 0.22, yet, there were no any statistically difference
on the diversity of the two sites. Meanwhile, the shrew diversity
appeared to be similar on both sites (0.6931). The trap success
(abundances) for rodents ranged from 4.60% to 0.03%, while for the
shrews ranged from 0.08% to 0.05%. The infestation of
ectoparasites to rodents and shrews, was higher (92.2%) in the
fallow lands of Gongo Village than in the Coastal forest which had
7.8%. However, the infection rate of hemoparasites to rodents and
shrews was also higher (95.1%) in the fallow lands than in the
Coastal forest (4.9%). There was no significant association of the
parasites infection and infestation to the sexes of the individuals
caught. Yet, the count of the ectoparasites was higher on the female
rodents and shrews (1035) than that of the male rodents and shrews
(1026). In this study, the ectoparasites obtained were the
Echinolaelaps echidninus, Boophilus spp, Xenopyslla brasiliensis
and Polyplax stephensi. E. echidninus had higher prevalence of
942.6% on rodents particularly on Mastomys natalensis while the
lower prevalence was seen in P. stephensi. In shrews, Boophilus
spp had the highest prevalence of 233.3% than other ectoparasites.
On the account of hemoparasites, Plasmodium sp had higher
prevalence of 59.8% while Bacillus sp had lower prevalence of
0.5%.Therefore, these findings raises a concern on the public health
of the nearby community, livestock and the wildlife since their interaction is inevitable. The parasites found in this study are of
zoonotic importance, hence it’s important to put emphasis on the
hygiene of the people and the environment so as to avoid any
eruption of the zoonotic diseases in the community. The findings on
diversity provide the information on the importance of the
conservation on habitats in order to preserve species. However,
higher captures on fallow lands alerts the community on developing
pests control strategies to protect their farms and houses from been
invaded by rodents. Further studies on rodents and shrews of peri-
domestic and domestic areas, reports on zoonotic diseases that
maybe found in the nearby community, development of strategies to
prevent rodents as destructive pest in farms are recommended so
as to get more detailed information on the rodents and shrews in
these areasThe Africa Centre of Excellence for Innovative
Rodent Pest Management and Biosensor Technology Development
(ACE-IRPM & BTD), from the Institute of Pest Managemen
Influence of variations in species and host physiological attributes on olfactory response and reproductive performance of female adult ornithodoros moubata
No full textMaster of Science in Public Health and Pest Managementick-borne relapsing fever (TBRF) poses a significant threat to
public health, particularly in Tanzania, where it causes high mortality
rates in children under five and disrupts the health of pregnant
women. Pervasiveness of this disease has raised the need to
understand behavioural response of the ticks to their reservoir hosts.
To effectively combat this disease, it is crucial to understand the
behavioural responses of the vector, Ornithodoros moubata, to its
various host species. This study delves into this intricate
relationship, exploring the impact of host characteristics and species
on the tick's olfactory response and feeding behaviour. Additionally,
despite the evident role of climatic, anthropogenic, and biological
factors in increasing the risk of recurrent TBRF outbreaks in many
African countries like Tanzania, there is a significant lack of
comprehensive data from studies elucidating intra-species variations
in the feeding and reproduction patterns of the primary vectors (O.
moubata) across diverse hosts.
The first part of the study investigates the influence of physiological
factors such as age, sex, and weight of white mice on the tick's
attraction. Additionally, it examines the attractiveness of different
host species, including Mus musculus, Mastomys natalensis, Rattus
rattus, and Gallus gallus domesticus, to O. moubata. The second
part focuses on intra-species variations in the feeding behaviour and
reproductive performance of O. moubata across different hosts,
including mice, rats, and chickens. This comprehensive analysis
sheds light on the tick's host preferences and provides valuable
insights for developing effective control strategies against TBRF and
other tick-borne diseases.
The assessment of effects of physiological status specifically age,
sex, and weight of white mice and different host species on the
olfactory behavioural response of O. moubata, initially involved
obtaining an adult colony to be utilized in the experiment from the Tanzania Plant Health and Pesticide Authority (TPHPA). 15 (10
males and 5 females) ticks were introduced through the release
chamber in the middle of each olfactometer and allowed to select
the test stimulus/host for 12 hours over night. The numbers of ticks
trapped in both arms and the release chamber was counted. Each
dual choice mode was composed 12 olfactometers. The experiment
had five replicates per three of the four choice dual choice modes
employed (fixed age, fixed sex and varying age and sex) while
remaining dual-choice mode (varying hosts) had six replicates. The
number of ticks trapped in both arms of the olfactometer was the
measure of attractiveness. Results revealed that mice sex (P =
0.028) and low weight (P < 0.001) to be highly associated with O.
moubata attraction. Slight significant attraction was observed in 45
days old mice (P = 0.045). Gallus gallus domesticus was most
attractive compared to white mice. Additionally, only sex and weight
interaction had positive correlation to attraction of O. moubata (P=
0.020). Additional testing is required to evaluate exact age, weight,
and the species dependent response as well as the role of mice skin
microbiota on attraction of O. moubata.
On the other hand, the second part of the study focused on
assessing intra-species variations in the feeding and reproduction
patterns of O. moubata across different hosts in a controlled lab
experiment. Employing a cross-sectional experimental study design,
the controlled-lab experiment sought to examine differences in
feeding behaviours and reproductive success of the ticks exposed to
various host species including Mus musculus, Mastomys natalensis,
Rattus rattus, and Gallus gallus domesticus. Descriptive and
inferential analysis of the generated data was performed using the R
Software Version 2023.12.1. The study revealed that O. moubata
exhibited the highest feeding success on Rattus rattus, indicating a
preference for this host species. However, the results lacked
statistical significance, emphasizing the necessity for further
research to confirm host preference. Additionally, the study
uncovered host-specific feeding behaviour and reproductive success in O. moubata, with Gallus gallus domesticus being the most
favorable host for egg production compared to others. Given the
potential impact on disease transmission and pest control, it is
crucial to investigate the underlying factors influencing the
preference of the ticks for Rattus rattus, necessitating exploration of
strategies to mitigate their impact. Furthermore, additional research
into the physiological and ecological factors affecting tick feeding
efficiency and host-specific variations is warranted
Farmers’ awareness of and attitude towards diversified legumes production in Singida region, Tanzania
No full textJournal articleFor an extended period, legumes have served as nutritional sources in the diets
of both humans and animals. Efforts have been made to increase the yield of
the legume crops in Tanzania, but there is still low awareness of and
unfavourable attitudes towards legume crop diversification among farmers.
The study, on which this paper is based, aimed at investigating farmers’
awareness of and attitude towards diversified legumes, specifically to analyze
socio-demographic characteristics of the respondents, assess awareness of and
attitude towards diversified legumes production, and determine effects of
awareness of and attitude towards diversified legumes production on
management practices of diversified legumes production. A cross-sectional
survey was employed whereby primary data were collected from 204 legume
farmers using a semi-structured questionnaire. Content analysis was
conducted using Nvivo software to analyze qualitative data. For quantitative
data, Likert scale analysis was employed as a method for descriptive statistics,
and Principal Component Analysis was used as a method for inferential
analysis. These analyses were performed using Smart PLS software. The
findings of the study revealed that several factors significantly influenced
smallholder farmers' awareness and perception of diversified legumes. These
factors included ease of cultivation, fair distribution of seeds, food availability,
increase in income level, high legume harvest, and higher profitability of
legumes (p < 0.05). Furthermore, the statement "enough of information" did
not show statistical significance (p > 0.05). However, it exhibited a positive
association. Conclusively, criteria like "easy cultivation" and "fair seed
distribution" had a big impact on how smallholder farmers perceived and
knew about diverse legumes. However, "enough information" did not appear
to have a major significance. In addition, it was found that major influences on
farmers' attitudes and understanding of diversified legumes included the
availability of food, rising income levels, high yields of legumes, and perceived
profitability. The paper recommends for the improvement of farmers'
awareness and perception of diversified legumes, fair seed distribution
methods must be established that provide equal access to high-quality seeds
with the help of government organizations, non-profit organizations, and seed
businesses
Adapting coffee (Coffea Arabica, L.) production to climate change through types of seedlings and soil fertility management practices in Tanzania
No full textPhD ThesisIn Tanzania, coffee is the second largest traditional export commodity
after tobacco, accounting for 24 % of the country‘s total foreign
exchange earnings. Average annual production has stagnated at
about 50,000 metric tons over the past 35 years. One of the widely
held reasons is climate change, manifested by high rainfall variability
and decline as well as increase in temperature. Elsewhere different
adaptation strategies like use of shade trees, drought tolerant coffee
varieties and organic fertilizer have been proposed to deal with the
effect of climate change on coffee production. However, climate
change adaptation studies for coffee production in Tanzania are
largely missing. An overall objective of this work was to develop
agronomic techniques for adapting Coffea arabica, L. production to
climate change. Specifically, the study aimed to: 1) asses coffee
growers‘ perceptions on climate change; 2) asses the relationship
between scientific climate change record and production records; 3)
evaluate field performance of compact coffee variety under selected
propagation methods and soil fertility amendment practices and 4)
determine the role of type of seedling and fertilizer management
practices in increasing resilient of coffee species to the changing
climate.
The study was undertaken in the Northern Highland zone (Kilimanjaro
and Arusha regions) and Southern Highland zone (Songwe, Mbeya
and Ruvuma regions), purposively selected based on the level of
Arabica coffee production. First a survey was conducted to examine
smallholder farmers‘ perceptions of climate change. The findings
indicate that, 163 (67 %) farmers perceived climate change has been
taking place in their areas (increase in temperature and decrease in
rainfall); the most influential factors in their perception being level of
education, farming experience and access to climatic information.
Farmers‘ perceptions were also consistent with meteorological data
both pointing to significant decline in rainfall and increase in
temperature. Smallholder farmers have been responding to climate
change through planting shade trees, use of disease-tolerant
varieties, soil fertility management, and irrigation practices. A follow-
up study was conducted to assess the impact of current climate change on Tanzania‘s Arabica coffee production. The findings reveal
minimum temperature has been increasing at a higher rate than the
maximum temperature in both zones. Increase in minimum
temperature by 1°C during short rains and annual mean temperature
resulted in a significant coffee production decrease in Kilimanjaro and
Arusha regions by -6,041 and -4,450 tons respectively. Field
experiments were also established to evaluate performance of
cutting, grafting and seed propagules when combined with 75 g N. P.
K tree-1, 37.5 g N. P. K +10 Kg Farmyard manure (FYM) tree-1 and
37.5 g N. P. K +20 Kg FYM tree-1. Two split plot experiments laid out
in a Randomized Complete Block Design with three replications were
established at the two locations (Lyamungu-Hai district and Burka -
Arusha district) based on the existing climatic gradient; cutting-
propagated plants resulted into highest yield ranging between 1800-
3600 Kg green coffee ha-1 while grafted-propagated plants had the
lowest green coffee yield (600-1700 Kg ha-1.). The fourth study
utilized climatic data from Coordinated Regional Climate Downscaling
Experiment under Representative Concentration Pathway 4.5 to
evaluate the potential of cutting, seed and grafted seedlings in
attenuating the effects of climatic conditions using Dynamic
Agroforestry Coffee model.
During the Near-term period (2026-2056) rainfall will increase in
Kilimanjaro region at the range of 0.2-13 % while in Arusha region the
increase will be 6.05-13 %. Minimum temperature is expected to
increase at higher rate than maximum temperature at the range of
1.4-1.48 °C in Kilimanjaro region and in Arusha region at the range of
1.36-1.64 oC. The use of cutting, seed and grafted propagated coffee
plants when combined with FYM will result into 40% 35 % and 10%
yield reduction respectively. Specific Leaf Area (SLA) among the
three types of seedlings also varied; 28 (cutting), 19 (Seed) and 9
(grafted). Higher SLA observed in cutting-propagated plants may
affect coffee production since it is linked to high loss of water in
plants. Future higher yield loss was observed with the use of
inorganic fertilizer (38%) than FYM (18%) in all the three types of
seedlings. Based on the above results, it can be concluded that during the last
40 years, coffee farmers from the Northern and Southern Highlands
zone of Tanzania have experienced increase in temperature and
decrease in rainfall. Rise in minimum temperature and decline in long
rains has significantly affected coffee production in the Northern
Highlands zone. Similar to the historical period, minimum temperature
is expected to increase at the higher rate than maximum temperature
in the Northern Highlands zone during the Near-term period.
Integrated nutrients sources are able to provide sufficient nutrients to
the three types of seedlings as the recommended rates of inorganic
fertilizer. Yield of cutting propagated plants under the age of four
years if established at the same time with seeds and grafted
propagated plants is significantly higher than that of its counterpart.
However, grafted propagated plants are more resilient to climate
change. It is therefore recommended that, integrated soil fertility
management (37.5 g N.P.K +10 Kg FYM) tree-1 to be used as one of
the adaptation strategies because apart from providing nutrients to
the coffee plants the package also helps in improving water retention
properties of the soil. In addition, seedling distribution should be
location specific, with cuttings-propagated plants being distributed in
areas with rainfall above 1200 mm year-1.
The findings hold significant policy implications for enhancing coffee
production in regions affected by climate change. Policymakers
should enhance timely and accurate weather information delivery
along with developing institutions responsible for education and
extension services provision. Multiplication and adoption of improved
coffee varieties has to be enhanced and promoted by the
policymaker. By promoting adoption of improved coffee varieties
policymakers can enhance farmers' adaptive capacity and reduce the
vulnerability of coffee production to climate-related risks. Future
studies will focus on monitoring the response of three types of
seedlings above the age of four years assuming that at a later age
coffee tree will have reached its maximum production and so more
nutrients and water will be required
Trends in communication strategies through traditional medicine: responding to the COVID-19 pandemic in Tanzania
No full textResearch articleThis study sought to establish trends in communication strategies through traditional
medicine in Tanzania. The study employed the descriptive content analysis design as it was crucial for
gaining insights into how language and communication strategies impact the utilization of traditional
medicine in the context of COVID-19 management in Tanzania. The study involved a comprehensive
documentary review of COVID-19 communication materials used in Tanzania to establish how
language and communication strategies impact the utilization of traditional medicine in the context of
COVID-19 management in Tanzania. Data was analyzed through the qualitative content analysis
approach.The study concludes that COVID-19 communication materials made commendable efforts to
reach the diverse linguistic communities in Tanzania, taking into account the country's linguistic
diversity. Kiswahili and English emerged as the dominant languages, which aligns with the linguistic
distribution of the population. This approach promotes inclusivity and ensures access to information.
The materials demonstrated effective translation and interpretation, highlighting a commitment to
accurate translation and cultural sensitivity. It is advisable to incorporate multiple languages, including
local languages, to make the campaigns more accessible and relatable to linguistically diverse
communities in Tanzania. Secondly, it is imperative to maintain clear communication strategies that
empower individuals with varying levels of health literacy. Furthermore, when discussing traditional
remedies, adopting an objective approach and stressing the significance of consulting healthcare
providers for well-informed decision-making is essential. Moreover, the strategic use of visual
elements should be employed to ensure a consistent and well-structured presentation of crucial
informatio
Farmers’ perceptions of the effectiveness of climate information services in predicting hazard occurrences in Kondoa and Kiteto districts, Tanzania
No full textJournal ArticleThe heightened occurrence of climate-related disasters such as droughts, floods, and storms has amplified agricultural vulnerability in developing countries, particularly affecting farmers’ decision-making processes. Despite the availability of Climate Information Services (CIS), their perceived effectiveness in accurately predicting climate hazards remains underexplored. This study examines farmers’ perceptions of the effectiveness of CIS in predicting climate-related hazards in Kondoa and Kiteto districts, Tanzania, where 360 farmers who have access to the Global Framework for Climate Service Adoption in Africa (GFCS-APA) program were surveyed. Using a 5-point Likert scale, Kendall’s W-test, and Chi-squared tests, the study revealed significant variation in the perceived relevance and utility of different CIS. The findings highlight that droughts and erratic rainfall are the most prevalent hazards, affecting 88.91% and 75.21% of farmers, respectively. Meanwhile, flooding impacts 86.35% of farmers in Bukulu and 56.03% in Emarty, with pest and disease outbreaks affecting approximately 41-43% of households. Farmers ranked drought as the most critical hazard (mean rank 2.61), followed by erratic rainfall (2.82) and pest outbreaks (3.09). The Kendall's W-test (W = 0.185, p < 0.001) confirmed moderate agreement on these rankings, with considerable heterogeneity in perceptions. Regarding CIS effectiveness, farmers ranked agrometeorological advisory services highest (mean score 4.72), followed by seasonal weather forecasts (4.36). However, extreme weather predictions were perceived as less useful (mean score 3.53). The Kendall’s W coefficient for CIS rankings was 0.411 (p < 0.001), indicating strong consensus among farmers. Despite these services’ availability, qualitative data suggested that their technical language and lack of location-specific details limited practical application. The study recommends enhancing CIS through participatory approaches and improved dissemination strategies to better tailor services to farmers’ needs, ultimately fostering more resilient agricultural practices in the face of climate variability
Effects of biopesticides on developmental biology of fall armyworm (spodoptera frugiperda (jesmith) (lepidoptera:noctuidae) in maize crops in Morogoro, Tanzania
No full textJournal ArticleThe Fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith), is a highly mobile and polyphagous
herbivore threatening crop production and the livelihoods of millions of smallholder farmers in the
newly invaded areas in Africa, including Tanzania. 353 host plant species, principally Poaceae
(maize, sorghum, rice, wheat, sugarcane, millet), Asteraceae (sunflower), Malvaceae (cotton),
Fabaceae (soybean), families, groundnuts, potatoes, several fruit trees, ornamental plants, weed
species, and vegetable crops are also hosts to FAW. This study aims to determine the effect of
biopesticides on the developmental biology of FAW. A completely randomized design (CRD) was
used to establish an experiment involving biopesticides; Bacillus thuringiensis Bt, Metarhizium
anisopliae and Azadirachta indica seed extract each applied at a lower dose of 2 millimeters, 2
millimeters and 30gram per liter of water respectively, and tested against FAW in the laboratory.
Each treatment was replicated four times. Results showed the developmental duration of FAW stages
differed significantly between treatments. The time for each growth stage; egg incubation, larval,
pupation and the total developmental were significantly longer (p < 0.001) in the biopesticides-
treated colony compared to the untreated ones. The shortest developmental duration of FAW stages
was observed on control colonies at 2.1 ± 0.18, 14.88 ± 0.18, and 27.7 ± 0.34 days for egg, larva
and pupa stages respectively. The longest developmental duration of 3.5 ± 0.37, 22.03 ± 0.59,
12.68 ± 0.23 and 37.7± 0.54 days for egg, larva and pupa stages respectively was observed in
colonies under B. thuringiensis treatment. These results confirmed that biopesticides can work
effectively to keep FAW levels under control. Therefore, these are promising biocontrol alternatives
to be included in the integrated pest management scheme