SUAIRE (Sokoine Univ. of Agriculture)
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Influence of livelihood assets on coping strategies against poverty among the working poor in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania.
No full textResearch articleStudies inadequately addressed the influence of livelihood assets on coping
strategies against poverty used by the working poor in Tanzania. This paper
examines coping strategies used by the working poor, identifies the ownership
of livelihood assets and examines the influence of livelihood assets on the
coping strategies used. The study used a cross-sectional research design,
whereby quantitative data were collected from 336 respondents using a
structured questionnaire. A multivariate regression model was used to
determine the influence of livelihood assets on the coping strategies against
poverty. The study findings show that the working poor mainly resorted to
taking loans from relatives and friends and participating in ROSCAs as coping
strategies. Despite having low income, the working poor managed to own
various livelihood assets such as human, physical, natural and social capital.
Furthermore, the use of coping strategies by the working poor households was
generally influenced by livelihood assets. Conclusively, the working poor are
more likely to vary their strategies in accordance with the assets at their
disposal. It is recommended that the local authorities should adequately
address the constraints of using livelihood assets so that the working poor use
life-improving coping strategies
Satisfaction and compliance to recommended management practices among type 2 diabetes patients in Morogoro Municipality, Tanzania
No full textMSc DissertationThe prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus has been increasing
primarily due to the rising of risk factors such as sedentary lifestyles and
unhealthy eating habits, resulting to overweight and obesity. Diabetes-
related complications are the major causes of morbidity and mortality
among people with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Changes in lifestyles and
dietary patterns are essential for the management of type 2 diabetes
mellitus, including regular physical exercises, smoking cessation,
weight management, and diet control, which help to mitigate the long-
term effects of diabetes. Patient counseling has been identified as an
important means to enhance patients' knowledge about risk factors,
lifestyle modifications, and diabetes-related complications, which can
influence adherence to recommended management practices. Little is
known on counselling practices, satisfaction of diabetes related health
care services received and adherence to recommended prevention and
management practices among type 2 diabetes patients. Thus, the
present study aimed to evaluate counseling practices, challenges and
satisfaction with the services provided among type 2 diabetes patients.
It also assessed compliance to recommended management practices
for prevention and management of the disease related complications in
selected health facilities in Morogoro Municipality, Tanzania. A hospital-
based cross-sectional study was conducted from February to May 2023
among 140 patients, including those diagnosed with type 2 diabetes for
at least 3 months and receiving healthcare services in selected diabetes
clinics. Two health facilities with diabetes clinics which are Sabasaba
Health Centre and Morogoro Regional Referral Hospital, were
purposively selected to represent public health facilities with diabetes
clinics. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews using a
structured questionnaire that included patients' characteristics.
Additionally, a previously validated Summary of Diabetes Self-care
Activities questionnaire was used to assess patients' compliance with
recommended prevention and management practices, and a Diabetes
Clinic Satisfaction Questionnaire was used to assess services
satisfaction. Data were analysed using Statistical Package for Service
Solutions, version 25. Descriptive statistics and appropriate significance
tests such as mean, frequencies, percent and standard deviations (SD) were obtained. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was employed
to identify factors influencing services satisfaction and those that are
associated with compliance with recommended prevention and
management practices. The study commenced after receiving ethical
approval from National Health Research Committee of the National
Institute for Medical Research. Permission to conduct this study was
also sought from the President's Office Regional Authority and Local
Government, as well as the respective regional, district, and health
facility authorities. The mean age of the respondents was 59±12 years,
with 65% (n=91) being females, and 62% (n=87) having completed
primary-level education. Almost all respondents 96% (n=135)
acknowledged receiving advice on medication and healthy diet. Advice
on adopting a healthy lifestyle was not mandatory, with approximately
one in four respondents never having received counseling on either
alcohol intake or tobacco use. Nearly half of the respondents (49%,
n=68) expressed satisfaction with the services offered. There was a
significant association between patient satisfaction and the duration of
living with type 2 diabetes mellitus (AOR 2.2, 95% CI: 1.1-4.4), marital
status (AOR 2.1, 95% CI: 1.2-4.8), and waiting time to receive services
in the healthy facility (AOR 0.76, 95% CI: 0.6-0.9). Diabetes services
were mostly limited to large patient-load and shortage of trained
healthcare providers, private space and time, as well as lack of
guidelines and protocol for counseling. Findings also revealed that
among the 140 patients, 91.4% (n=128) exhibited poor or unsatisfactory
self-care practices, with an overall mean of 3.81±2.08 days per week for
diabetes management. Self-care practices with good or satisfactory
performance included non-smoking, not drinking alcohol, and using
prescribed medication, while unsatisfactory performance was observed
on the practices of self-monitoring of blood glucose and physical
activity. Multiple regression analysis indicated that having co-morbidities
(AOR 4.5, 95% CI: 1.14-18.02) and being employed (AOR 4.4, 95% CI:
1.25-15.44) were independently predictive of adherence to self-care
practices. Generally, this study shows moderate satisfaction with
counseling practices and services, as well as poor compliance to
recommended prevention for complications and management practices.
Self-monitoring of blood glucose, physical exercise, and dietary
practices were the least practiced aspects, which could potentially increase the risk of complications among patients with type 2 diabetes.
The government through the Ministry of Health and other stakeholders
should ensure the formulation of clear protocol and guidelines for
counseling and diabetes prevention and management. It is further
suggested that recommended practices should be integrated into
existing healthcare systems to ensure that they become a routine part
of care
Klerksdorp Tornado on March 4, 2007, in South Africa: a synoptic overview
No full textJournal ArticleThis research delves into the factors contributing to tornado formation in South Africa, with
a specific focus on the Klerksdorp tornado that occurred on March 4, 2007, in Northwest
Province. Despite their recurrent occurrence and significant potential for damage, tornadoes
have received relatively little attention. Between 1990 and 2014, these weather phenomena
incurred estimated costs exceeding half a billion American dollars in addition to other
weather-related disasters. In this study, data from multiple observation systems, including
the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the National Centers for
Environmental Prediction (NCEP), the European Organization for the Exploitation of
Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT) in Germany, and the South African Weather
Service (SAWS), were thoroughly analyzed. The findings reveal that the Klerksdorp tor-
nado was linked to a cold front and a cut-off low, which were the dominant weather
systems on the day of the tornado. This case study enhances our comprehension of tornado
dynamics in South Africa, aiding in improving short-term forecasts and potentially early
warning systems. Future research should concentrate on the recurring nature of tornadoes
in association with tropical weather systems and locally-driven factors
Genetic parameters estimate of iron and zinc nutrients in common bean genotypes
No full textFull Length Research PaperThere is need to know the heritability of different traits for the effective selection of parents for future
breeding activities. A study was carried out to determine heritability of iron and zinc in common bean.
Crosses were made with each donor and recipient parents to obtain four different types of crosses. Part
of the F1 seed from each cross was sown in the screen house to produce F2 seeds and also
backcrossed to both parents. Heritability was estimated using backcross method for high broad sense
heritability and narrow-sense heritability. Broad sense heritability for progenies of NUA 11 × Zawadi
(56%), NUA 11 × Pesa (76%), NUA 17 × Zawadi (57%) and NUA 17 × Pesa (59%) were obtained. Narrow
sense heritability estimates for progenies of NUA 11×Zawadi, NUA 11 × Pesa, NUA 17 ×Zawadi and NUA
17 × Pesa were 65%, 71%, 79% and 63%, respectively. Genetic advance (GA) values for NUA 17 ×
Zawadi, NUA 11 × Pesa, NUA 17 × Pesa and NUA 11 × Zawadi was 35, 12.3, 3.5 and 1%, respectively.
This study demonstrates that there is a potential for improvement of concentration of iron and zinc in
common bean genotypes. Therefore, selection of a superior genotype on the basis of its phenotypic
performance, heritability of traits could be well exploited
Agricultural health and safety
No full textJournal ArticleEmploying over a third of the global workforce, agriculture remains a pivotal yet inherently risky sector. In many regions,
family farms expose individuals, including children, to diverse hazards. The physical nature of the work poses musculoskel-
etal and noise-induced hearing risks, while chemical agents like pesticides and toxins pose potentially even greater dangers.
Recognizing these evolving threats, this chapter outlines pertinent challenges and explores evidence-based approaches to
safeguard agricultural communities, paving the way for a safer and more sustainable future
Estimating heterogeneous effects of land titling on rural household’s agricultural productivity: evidence from the southern highland regions of Tanzania
No full textJournal articleThis paper analyses the effect of land titles on agricultural productivity in the southern highland regions of
Mbeya and Ruvuma and assesses the potential mediating effect of access to credit. The contribution of this paper
to the existing literature is threefold. First, it contributes to the general literature on the impact of land titling on
agricultural performance. Second, it investigates whether access to credit is an important mediating variable.
Third, it assessed whether households respond differently depending on farmer and land characteristics. To
contribute to the evidence on the impact of land titling four hypotheses were tested: Since the study is based on
observational data, propensity score matching technique was employ to determine the land titling effects. The
findings suggest that land titles have a statistically significant positive effect on productivity. This can at least
partially be explained by an increase in credit access for titled households. The study results further suggest
heterogeneous effects of titles, which vary with age of the head of household and size of land cultivated
Genetic diversity, population genetic structure and demographic history of the Ribbontail stingray Taeniura lymma (Fabricius, 1775) (elasmobranchii: myliobatiformes: dasyatidae) along the Tanzanian coastline
No full textJournal ArticleThe Ribbontail stingray Taeniura lymma is an economically important fish and attractive species for
the aquarium trade industry. Overfishing, habitat degradation, and pollution, however, pose a threat
to this species. This study used partial mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) sequences
(603 base pairs long) from 96 samples of T. lymma collected at five fish-landing sites (Deep
Sea-Tanga, Malindi-Unguja, Kaole-Bagamoyo, Kivukoni-Dar es Salaam, and Bandarini-Mtwara) located
along the coast of Tanzania to determine the species’ genetic diversity, population genetic structure,
and demographic history. The findings revealed an average nucleotide diversity of 0.24 ± 0.16% and
a haplotype diversity of 0.75 ± 0.04. Nucleotide and haplotype diversities were relatively low at
Kaole-Bagamoyo compared to the other studied localities. An Analysis of Molecular Variance
(AMOVA) indicated limited but statistically significant genetic differences among populations (Overall
FST = 0.09, p < 0.01). Pairwise AMOVA revealed genetic difference between the Deep Sea-Tanga
population and all other populations studied with exception of Malindi-Unguja. Analyses of
mismatch distribution, demographic history, and a haplotype network support a scenario of
historical population expansion in the studied species. Immediate effort is required to protect
population exhibiting low genetic diversity in this commercially important ray
The synergy of food sovereignty and the politics of malnutrition in tanzania: what works, why and how?
No full textJournal articleRecent data from Tanzania's National Bureau of
Statistics show the alarming extent of malnutrition: 35% of
under-five children classified as stunted and 15% as
underweight, demanding urgent intervention. This paper
investigates the synergy between food sovereignty and
politics of malnutrition in Tanzania, examining mechanisms,
effectiveness, and strategies. It asserts that the interplay
between food sovereignty and politics of malnutrition drives
socio-economic progress and food security. Using a case
study approach, the paper evaluates scalable food
sovereignty projects in Tanzania. Interviews with
stakeholders,
including
officials,
non-governmental
organizations (NGOs), and experts, offered insights into the
complex relationship. The paper explores “food sovereignty”
theory alignment with case studies (the What), rationale for
realizing the right-to-food in Tanzania (the Why), and
operationalizing policies amid the “politics of malnutrition”
(the How). The paper draws on political ecology theory by
Bryant and Bailey to explore food sovereignty-malnutrition
synergy. Findings reveal that successful food sovereignty
projects enhance food security and reduce child malnutrition. Factors include agroecological practices, traditional food
systems, women and youth engagement, and community
resource mobilization, empowering communities and
prioritizing nutrition. Food sovereignty proves transformative
in Tanzania and similar contexts, yet structural/political
changes are vital to challenging industrial agriculture and
global markets. In general, the success of food sovereignty
projects in addressing malnutrition in Tanzania illustrates the
potential of food sovereignty as a transformative approach to
addressing food insecurity and malnutrition. However,
achieving food sovereignty requires challenging the
dominance of industrial agriculture and global food markets
Participatory establishment of cenchrus ciliaris among pastoralists using different seedbed types and manure levels in semi-arid area, Mvomero, Tanzania
No full textMSc DissertationRuminant livestock species such as cattle, sheep, and goats in
tropical countries including Tanzania to a large extent depend on
natural pasture found in semi-arid rangelands as the major feed
resource. Among the major challenges in the communal semi-arid
rangelands in Tanzania is the seasonal fluctuations in availability of
forages in terms of both quantity and quality. Natural forages are
plenty and nutritious during wet seasons but become scarce and
with less protein content during dry seasons, hence; inability to meet
nutritional requirements of ruminants throughout the year. There are
incidences of dry season loss of conditions and even mortalities of
cattle reared in the semi-arid rangelands. Various efforts are
employed to improve the situation, in particular towards improving
feed availability during dry seasons. The pastoralists practice
nomadism, the movement with animals to other potential places with
substantial pasture and water. The livestock mobility are
accompanied with serious consequences including conflicts with
crop farmers and conservation agencies, animal deaths, and
environment damage such as soil erosion and pollution of surface
water resources. Improving the utilisation and productivity of grazed
semi-arid areas under the pastoral system is crucial. Cenchrus
ciliaris forage could be cultivated to ensure feed availability for
sustainable dry-season livestock feeding. However, forage
cultivation is new among pastoralists, and there is a need for
participatory cultivation through Farm Field School (FFS). The
research project was conducted to evaluate the growth and
nutritional value of C. ciliaris cultivated under not-tilled (NT), tilled flat
(TF), and tilled sunken (SN) land preparation methods and different
manure levels (0 t/ha, 5 t/ha, 10 t/ha, and 15 t/ha). Quantitative and
qualitative data were collected in a semi-arid village in Mvomero
district, eastern Tanzania. The qualitative data involved information
on livestock importance and breeds, milk production and marketing,
livestock production challenges, and manure management. Other
qualitative data were grazing land conditions, improvement practices, and dry-season feeding strategies. Quantitative data
included C. ciliaris establishment rate, grass cover, agronomic
characteristics, and nutritional values. Pastoralists were keeping
local cattle, goat, and sheep breeds, which they depend upon as a
source of income, food, insurance during emergencies, and other
socio-cultural values. The FFS members had a smaller average herd
size (35 cattle, 14 goats, and 8 sheep per household) than the non-
members (52 cattle, 30 goats, and 12 sheep per household). The
attitude of FFS members to keep fewer number of livestock
compared to non-members was attributed to awareness on safe
livestock caring capacity. Daily milk yield was low in both FFS
members and non-members (0.5 - 1.4 litres/cow/day) and varied
seasonally (p < 0.05), in dry season was lower than wet season,
which led to poor market access in the studied area. Many
respondents (68%) were not collecting or using manure for either
food crops or pasture production. Moreover, most respondents in
FFS member and non-member groups perceived grazing land to be
poor because it took their livestock a long time and distance to find
forage. Also, there were limited grazing land improvement practices
because of the communal grazing, limited privately owned land and
large herd sizes. Migration and use of crop residues were the main
dry-season feeding strategies in both groups. Few individuals had
established private forage reserves in the grazing land, which were
smaller (p < 0.05) in FFS members (0.8 ha per houehold) than non-
members (2 ha per household). The Tilled flat seedbed in different
manure levels had higher (p < 0.05) establishment rate (97%), grass
cover (66 - 78%), and biomass yields (10 – 12.6 t/ha) than no tilled
and sunken seedbeds. The responding FFS members perceived TF
as a better land preparation method because of its high yields and
grass cover at the study site. There were variations in biomass yield
and grass cover among manure levels, whereby a manure level of
10 t/ha resulted in the optimum return comparing to other manure
levels in the current study. The protein values (104 - 132 g/kg DM) in
cultivated forage were sufficient to meet the daily nutritional
requirements of ruminants. However, the estimated energy intake (7 - 15 MJ ME/day) was insufficient for optimum cattle performance
and would require other feed supplementation, such as treated
maize stover and bean haulm with molasses or urea during the dry-
season. Lack of effective dry-season feeding strategy, poor grazing
land conditions, and low milk yield showed the importance of C.
ciliaris cultivation at the study site. Based on the results from this
study, the TF and manure 10 t/ha are the recommended land
preparation method and manure level for C. ciliaris cultivation at
study site and similar areas due to better agronomic performance
Determinants of child undernutrition in Tanzania: agriculture and season perspective: a review
No full textJournal of Food and Nutrition Sciences; pp. 1-19The causes of undernutrition are known to be complex and interrelated which need responses and solutions from different sectors to effectively design proper nutrition interventions. The UNICEF conceptual framework is a useful tool for understanding the causes of undernutrition and serves as a guide for assessing and analysing the causes, particularly among children in developing countries. Identifying determinants of child nutrition status is a necessary step in designing interventions, policies and programme that can support the scaling up of nutrition. This review scrutinizes undernutrition and its determinants based on the UNICEF conceptual framework on malnutrition. Poor feeding practices and characteristic of complementary foods were observed as immediate causes while household’s food insecurity, environmental factors such as agricultural practices and seasonal influences as underlying determinants particularly in rural households. The highlight from this review suggests that seasons had significant impact on both immediate and underlying determinants of undernutrition and therefore intervention to improve nutrition status should consider variation in agriculture seasons. Lastly, multicomponent interventions focusing on agricultural interventions and practices that are affecting immediate changes in nutrition status among infants and young children are emphasized. Future attempt to improve children nutrition status in rural households should be multicomponent addressing nutrition sensitives farming practices including rural livestock intensification, poverty alleviation and considering agricultural seasons in all planning