SUAIRE (Sokoine Univ. of Agriculture)
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Factors influencing farmers’ participation in the beef market chain: the case of Arusha city and Longido district, Tanzania
No full textJournal ArticleThe performance of the beef industry in Tanzania is heavily dependent on the participation of
a few actors in it. The decision to participate in the beef market chain is likely to be influenced by
several factors. However, there is a paucity of knowledge on the determinants of farmers’ decisions
to participate in the beef market chain. Therefore, this paper assesses factors that influence farmers’
participation in the beef market chain in Longido District and Arusha City. Data for this study
were collected from 270 respondents in Longido District and Arusha City. Quantitative data were
analyzed using SPSS software. The number of cattle sold used as a proxy variable for participation
in the beef market chain. Data were analyzed using the linear regression model. Factors that were
identified to have a significant positive influence on the famers’ participation in the beef market
chain were distance to the nearby auction (p = 0.026), number of cattle owned by the household
(p = 0.05), plot size for improved pasture development (p = 0.000), and repeated transaction (p =
0.008). Meanwhile, a farmer’s age had a significant negative influence on the farmers’ participation
in the beef market chain (p = 0.097). The results show that 56.4% of the respondents kept cattle,
39.1% kept shoats, 1.8% were self-employed providing veterinary services and 2.7% were casual
labourers. The results also show that distance positively influenced participation in the beef market
chain because farmers from a distance villages once they reached the auction were forced to sell
whatever stocks they brought. The opportunity cost was too high for them to return with their
animals if they do find the price at the auction too low. In conclusion, policies should emphasize
equipping the auction with infrastructure that shall reduce transaction costs to all actors. This will
enable a fair price determination in which each actor will have a commitment and participate to
get a good price based on live weight
Participation in village savings and lending associations and rice profitability in Tanzania: application of propensity score matching and endogenous switching regression
No full textJournal articleWe assess the contribution of participation in bundled service-bundled VSLAs on rice productivity and profit
among smallholder rice farmers in Mvomero District, Tanzania. The study propensity score matching (PSM) and
endogenous switching regression (ESR) models, and found that participation in VSLA has a positive and sig
nificant contribution to rice productivity and profit for smallholder rice farmers. Participation in VSLAs increases
farmers’ ability to regenerate income for investing in improving productivity and profitability and enhancing rice
sector development. VSLAs prove as a tool for building financial capital through savings and easy access to credit
in rural areas. This study improves on existing research and offers new insights into the effects of VSLA as one of
the financial inclusion tools on the economic activities of agricultural households in Tanzania
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
Population genetic status of endangered whitespotted whipray Maculabatis gerrardi (Gray, 1851) in Tanzania
No full textJournal articleThe whitespotted whipray Maculabatis gerrardi is exploited in Tanzania for its meat, skin and
Accepted:cartilage, and is classified as an endangered species by the IUCN. A mitochondrial COI gene
April 12, 2024fragment from 105 M. gerrardi individuals obtained from four unprotected and one protected
Published:marine area in Tanzania was used to determine the present genetic diversity, demographics, and
July xx, 2024effective population size of whiprays. Lower levels of nucleotide and haplotype diversity and
Copyright:mean mutational effective population size were apparent in unprotected than in protected areas.
Owned by the journal.Analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) identified a significant genetic difference between sub-
The articles are open accesspopulations of M. gerrardi and hierarchical AMOVA identified separate genetic stocks, indicative
articles distributed underof high levels of philopatry or individual sedentarity in M. gerrardi. The importance of marine
the terms and conditions of the
Creative Commons Attribution
(CC BY 4.0) licence.
protected areas to conserve genetic diversity of whiprays is highlighted
Growing rice under stressed water availability: an economic evaluation of irrigation technologies in Kilombero sub-basin
No full textDisertationGrowing rice in Tanzania’s major basins is threatened by climate
change impacts. It is projected that rice yield will fall by 7.6% in
these major basins in aggregate. Climate change impacts in
Tanzania’s major basins including Kilombero sub-basin (KSB)
which is the biggest feeder of Rufiji basin is attributed to increasing
temperature which accelerates surface evaporation. There is also
increased water demand due expanding agriculture, influx of
livestock and water for hydropower generation. Climate change
impacts and increasing water demand in the sub-basin have called
for planned and sustainable use of water. One of the implemented
techniques is the new adaptive rice growing technologies. Irrigation
technologies like traditional flooding irrigation technology (TFIT) for
rice farming that exposes water to surface evaporation is no longer
a viable adaptation technology for growing rice under stressed
water availability from scientific point of view. Alternatively, the
system of rice intensification (SRI) irrigation has recently been
encouraged in KSB by the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA) to reduce
water loss through surface evaporation through controlled water
usage. However, 90% of rice irrigable land in KSB is still under
flooding irrigation which is inefficient in use of water.
From literature there is enough evidence in agronomic point of view
that SRI irrigation is more water use efficient than TFIT but
information on their economic efficiency at household level
especially in KSB is not readily available. This study was
conducted in Kilombero district to evaluate the profitability of TFIT
and SRI irrigation technologies and the determinants of profitability
of the two irrigation technologies and; factors that determine the
choice of rice irrigation technology in KSB. Data were collected
through Focus Group Discussions (FGDs), Key Informant Interview
(KIIs) and household survey that involved 100 households. The
study used farm budget method to evaluate profitability (Net
Revenue) of rice produced under SRI and TFIT. From Net Revenue (NR) obtained, profitability determinants were
evaluated using multiple linear regressions. This represented first
published paper on the economics of the irrigation technologies.
Furthermore, this study used the reduced household model to
evaluate factors that motivate farming households to decide on the
type of rice irrigation technology and allocation of production
resources between the two technologies in situ SRI and TFIT which
is the second published paper.
The findings from first published paper (on economics of SRI
irrigation and TFIT) have shown that on average rice production
costs per acre are TZS 471 572.5 and 248 939.9 for SRI and TFIT
respectively. Also, the study found that on average farming
households practicing SRI and TFIT produce 1268 and 608 Kgs of
threshed rice respectively per acre. Adding on that the average NR
per acre under TFIT and SRI were TZS 902 236 and 1 276 841
respectively, indicating that SRI irrigation was more profitable than
TFIT. Despite being more profitable, the findings have shown that
SRI is more labour intensive than TFIT; a farming household
practicing SRI needs to supply an average of 23 man-days per
acre per season while a household practicing TFIT has to supply
14 man-days per acre per season. On one hand, the study found
that farming experience, farm size, fertilizer application, agricultural
supporting services like capital assistance and high frequency of
extension visits positively and statistically influenced the profitability
of both SRI and TFIT but differed in magnitudes for example each
increment in extension visit caused a TZS 169 000 increase in SRI
compared to TZS 101 000 in TFIT ceteris paribus. One of the
notable recommendations from the findings is that the subsidization
to industrial fertilizers is the viable option by the MoA to benefit rice
farmers who irrigate using SRI principles and traditionally. Also
increasing extension officers is important especially in areas found
with inadequacy like Sululu
Use of physicochemical parameters and macroinvertebrates to assess impacts of anthropogenic activities on water quality in Pnyinyi river, Arusha, Tanzania
No full textDissertationRiver are one of the most important fresh water resources for the
sustainability of living organisms. However, various anthropogenic
activities such as agriculture, livestock keeping, industrial and domestic
activities have been reported to degrade the quality of rivers in
supporting the aquatic life and human need in large. To address this
situation, this study assesses the impacts of anthropogenic activities in
Pinyinyi River water quality using physicochemical parameters,
macroinvertebrates and social economic activities during the dry season
(11/2021) and wet season (02/2022). Nine water quality parameters were
analyzed, namely; Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD), Chemical Oxygen
Demand (COD), phosphate, potential of Hydrogen (pH), Electrical
Conductivity (EC), Total Dissolved Solid (TDS), turbidity, Dissolved
Oxygen (DO) and nitrate. Multi-parameter analyzer (model HANNA HI
9829) used for onsite measurement of pH, EC, TDS, DO and turbidity,
HACH spectrophotometer (HACH DR/2700) used for laboratory analysis
of phosphate and nitrate, BOD incubator and COD digester was used for
analysis of BOD and COD respectively. A macroinvertebrates hand net
with 250 μm mesh size was used to collect the macroinvertebrates per
sampling point. Structured questionnaire were used to collect data about
social economic activities. The DO, BOD, COD and turbidity were above
the permissible limit during dry and wet seasons. Phosphate, pH, EC,
TDS and nitrate were within the permissible limit during dry and wet
seasons. During dry season, aquatic caterpillar, pouch snail, dragon flies
and mosquitoes were collected whereas, creeping water bugs,
predacious dividing beetles, pigmy back swimmer, water mites, back
flies, mosquitoes larva, midges, aquatic earth worm, snail and moth flies
were collected during the wet season. Identification of these
macroinvertebrates was done using the Aquatic invertebrates of South
African Rivers field guidebook. Average score per taxon (ASPT)
indicated that, the Pinyinyi River was moderately polluted (ASPT = 5.25)
during the dry season and seriously polluted during the wet season
(ASPT = 3.6). The social economic activities were agriculture, livestock
keeping, soda ash harvesting, fishing, bathing and washing along the
river, deforestation, water diversion, sand mining and tourist guidance.The study revealed that, agricultural activities, sand mining, fishing, water
diversion, deforestation, livestock keeping, bathing and washing affect
the river water quality of the river. The study recommends riparian buffer
creation, strict laws, and best management of agriculture practices,
education provision and livestock exclusion to be the best ways of
Pinyinyi River restoration
Effect of thinning on selected stand parameters and revenue generation of tectona grandis at longuza plantation, Muheza,Tanzania
No full textVarious researches have reported the effect of thinning on stand
parameters of Tectona grandis in Tanzania. However, there is limited
information on the effect of thinning on growth and yield, and revenue
generation of Tectona grandis in Tanzania. This study assessed the
effect of thinning on growth and yield and revenue generation of
Tectona grandis at Longuza Forest Plantation. Data were purposely
collected from 168 circular plots of 9.78 m radius (0.03 ha) distributed
systematically in 9 thinned compartments. In each plot, all trees were
measured for diameter at breast height (Dbh) and total height of three
trees with largest, medium and smallest heights were measured.
Compartment register provided information on planting and thinning
year. Prices of wood volume at clear-felling, poles and expenses on
establishment and management costs of the surveyed stands were
collected. Growth and yield parameters described were Dbh,
dominant height, volume per ha, and stand density. Adequacy of
thinning was determined by calculating the remaining number of
stems per hectare (ha) and the deviation from scheduled values
expressed in percentages. Thinning timing was obtained by deducting
the age the compartment was supposed to be thinned as indicated in
the thinning schedule. An economic benefit was calculated by using
discounting method whereas net present value (NPV) was used to
determine the economic point of view. Thinning effect was assessed
by comparing measured values with mean values of Teak yield table.
One sampled t-test was used to compare if there were a significant
difference between measured and Teak yield table values. The
results have clearly showed that 88.9% of thinned compartments
were understocked and 11.1% were well stocked. Furthermore, 100%
and 75% of the first and second thinning were well-timed, whereas
25% of the second thinning was delayed by one year. Site classes I
and II comprised 66.7% and 33.3% of the surveyed compartments.
The effects of adequate and timely thinning on Dbh and volume were
2-42% and 9-53%, respectively. Heavy thinning in the first and
second thinning schedule maximized economic benefit of climatic and
ecosystem services provisioning goal by 181.5%. However, early
heavy first and second-intensity thinning was found to be one of the
essential treatments in producing higher financial returns but delayed thinning reduced the volume of logs produced with low quality and
thus graded lowly. Heavy, timely and adequately thinnings are
recommended. The results determines that Tectona grandis
plantations play a crucial role in providing quality timber and storing
carbon dioxide (carbon sink) from the atmosphere.Tanzania Forest Services Agency (TFS) for granting me sponsorshi
Assessment of the sustainability of agricultural technologies: a case of “bustani ya tushikamane” (ByT) Programme in Morogoro Region
No full textMA DissertationThe sustainability of agriculture technologies is a topic of growing
importance in today's world, as the global population continues to
expand, and the demand for food and resources escalates. The
study aims to undertake a systematic assessment of the
sustainability of agriculture technologies, with a focus on factors
affecting sustainability and compliance of the technologies with the
Agro ecological principles using the Agroecological Criteria
Tool(ACT). The study employed cross-sectional research design
with a sample size of 90 participants. Quantitative data was
gathered through questionnaire, while qualitative data was collected
through interview, focused group discussion (FGD) and
observations. The analysis of the data involved both descriptive and
inferential statistics, as well as thematic analysis of qualitative
information. Factors like market availability (p = 0.000), training (p =
0.021), and cost of the agricultural technologies (p = 0.000)
significantly predicted the likelihood of sustainability of agricultural
technologies at 5% level of significance. Technologies introduced
under the ByT programme were highly sustainable (60%), followed
by medium sustainability (27.8%). The findings indicate that the
agricultural techniques implemented by ByT have adhered to
agroecological principles at every level, including efficiency (86%).
This encompasses methods aimed at decreasing the use of
resources such as water, pesticides, and fertilizers, while
simultaneously enhancing crop yield. It is concluded that training,
market availability, and cost of introduced agriculture technologies
are crucial factors influencing sustainability of agricultural
technologies. Also, the agriculture technologies introduced by ByT
program are highly sustainable. This study offers a holistic
perspective on the challenges and opportunities associated with
sustainable agriculture technologies. The study concludes with
recommendations that introduced agriculture technologies by
stakeholders should consider the cost of introduced technologies,
market availability of agriculture product and training of the technologies so as to ensure sustainability of those technologies.
Also, need of future research and policy interventions to foster the
sustainable adoption of agriculture technologies and advance the
overall sustainability of the agricultural sector.Parent
Tap water scarcity and alternative water sources used at household level in Morogoro Municipality, Tanzania
No full textTanzania Journal of Agricultural Sciences (2024) Vol. 23 No. 02, pp. 288-300This study investigates the household-level response to tap water scarcity in Lukobe Ward,
Morogoro Municipality, Tanzania, focusing on the adoption of alternative water sources and the
resultant water acquisition. Employing a cross-sectional research design with a mixed-method
approach, it integrates quantitative analysis, including descriptive statistics and one-way Analysis
of Variance (ANOVA), with qualitative data subjected to content analysis. Data were collected
through a household survey of 120 respondents, key-informant interviews (KIIs), and Focus Group
Discussions (FGDs) conducted across three streets. Results reveal a heavy reliance on purchased
water from vendors (100%), fetching water from private sources (63.1%), utilizing shallow wells
(61.1%), and harvesting rainwater (100%). The mean daily water acquisition per household was
81.5 liters. While no significant disparity in daily water consumption was observed among the
streets (F=2.335, p=0.101), a notable difference was found in water procurement from shallow
wells and vendors between Lukobe Juu and Mgudeni streets (p=0.035). This study underscores
the incomplete implementation of the 2002 National Water Policy in the area, suggesting a need
for enhanced collaboration between stakeholders, including households and private sectors,
to safeguard and manage water sources effectively. Recommendations are made to align local
practices with national policy objectives to ensure sustainable water service delivery in Lukobe
Ward and similar contexts
Factors affecting sustainability of agricultural technologies in Tanzania: a case of bustani ya Tushikamane (byt) project in Morogoro region
No full textJournal ArticleSustainability of agricultural technologies is crucial for improving farmers’ livelihoods, food
security and poverty reduction. Most agricultural projects tend to be ultimately inactive as they
end leaving their beneficiaries poor and food insecure due to unsustainability of the projects.
The study on which this paper is based assessed sustainability of agricultural technologies and
factors affecting it. The study employed cross-sectional research design. Data were collected from
90 respondents using a questionnaire. Descriptive and ordinal logistic regression analyses were
done. Factors like market availability (p=0.000), training (p=0.021), and cost of the agricultural
technologies (p=0.000) significantly predicted the likelihood of sustainability of agricultural
technologies at 5% level of significance. It is concluded that training, market availability, and cost
of introduced agriculture technologies are crucial factors influencing sustainability of agricultural
technologies. For increased sustainability of agricultural technologies, it is recommended that
introduction of agricultural technologies should utilizing locally available resources to minimize
cost of the technologies