Households’ characteristics and perceptions of weather variability impact on rice yield: empirical analysis of small scale farmers in Tanzania

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Rice farming is characterized by various factors including environmental and non-environmental factors. The current paper analyses the influence of households’ characteristics, and perceptions of weather variability on rice yield. Authors used primary data collected from small-scale rice farmers in the Mbeya region of Tanzania. Garret technique and Stata software were used for data analyses. Results confirmed that farmer’s education, marital status, gender, and land ownership have a positive influence on rice yield. Thus, for every 1% increase in each variable increases rice yield by 14%, 98%, 26%, and 21% respectively. Owing to empirical results on farmers’ perceptions, it is confirmed that if the drought period increased by 1%, would on average reduce rice yield by 20%. The majority of farmers (70%) have perceived that drought period reduced their rice yield. In addition, farmers’ used averagely less quantity of rice seeds which have impaired their rice yields. If farmers increased the seed quantity by 1%, rice yields would increase by 17%. Our findings also revealed that the previous market price has positive association with the next seasons’ rice yield. Therefore, our study concluded that among households’ variables and their perceptions have positive implications on rice yield; however, with the empirical analyses other variables were insignificant due to multicollinearity effects. Authors recommended to the government and other responsible organizations to capitalize on irrigation infrastructures, agricultural extension and technological services to restraint the enduring food insecurity coercions in Tanzania.