Agriculture In Tanzania Research Articles

Gender and Agriculture in Tanzania

Gender and Agriculture in Tanzania

Climate Resilience VIA Climate Smart Agriculture in Tanzania: Does Contract Farming Help?

Climate Resilience VIA Climate Smart Agriculture in Tanzania: Does Contract Farming Help?

Trade Performance of Agricultural Commodities of Tanzania

Agriculture in Tanzania is the foundation of the economy as it supports employment, food production and export. In terms of agricultural trade, Tanzania has seen growth in both imports and exports, hence, emerging world demand for agricultural commodities offers a great opportunity. Tanzanian agricultural exports have increased in diverse; however, the contribution of agricultural export in the total export of the country has declined. The present study explored the trade performance and export competitiveness of Tanzania's major agricultural exports (cash crops) from 1996–1997 to 2016–17. Exports of agricultural commodities increased over the last decade although its share in total national exports declined. The CGR of agricultural export was 11.32 per cent, whereas that of agricultural imports was 15.64 per cent. Tanzania's imports decreased in terms of percentage share in total national imports from 14.47 per cent in 1997–98 to 6.29 per cent in 2016–17, whereas, agricultural exports declined in recent years. Tanzania's agricultural export faced problems in regulations of importing countries requirements, SPS measures and other standards, as well as cost competitiveness problem due to high transportation cost and marketing margins.

Transaction Costs, Land Rental Markets, and Their Impact on Youth Access to Agriculture in Tanzania

We use three waves of nationally representative panel data from Tanzania to estimate the extent to which land rental markets provide a pathway for youth to enter into agriculture. We also investigate how transaction costs may impede youth access to renting-in land. Results suggest that rental markets are important mechanisms through which young farmers access land, but younger farmers face higher transaction costs when renting land than do older farmers. We also find evidence that younger farmers pay higher prices for rented land and are somewhat less likely to belong to village savings groups than are their older counterparts. <i>(JEL O12, Q15)</i>

The Formal Divide: Customary Rights and the Allocation of Credit to Agriculture in Tanzania

ABSTRACTIt is generally held that one mechanism to enable inclusive growth in Tanzania is enabling farmers to access credit to raise productivity and incomes. The formalisation of property rights in Tanzania is being undertaken by a multiplicity of actors at great expense to donors, individuals and the government. While there have been a variety of different justifications for allocating Certificates of Customary Rights of Occupancy (CCROs) to farmers in Tanzania, perhaps the most prominent argument is that it will enable farmers to finally overcome the divide between ‘informal’ customary rights and the formal banking sector. CCROs would provide the collateral that would induce banks to lend money to small-scale farmers. As part of a six-year investigation in Manyara, Mbeya and Dodoma regions, our research team evaluated the impact of formalisation on farmers’ access to credit. The paper will present the results while pointing to the continuing institutional and market imperfections that perpetuate the formal divide.

Influence of Transplanting Age on Paddy Yield under the System of Rice Intensification

Agronomic practices such as transplanting age, plant spacing, and water application regimes in irrigated paddy production can have a significant impact towards the performance in rice growth and yield. A study was conducted to investigate the optimum transplanting age for maximum rice productivity under the systems of rice intensification (SRI) technology. The study treatments adopted were three representing 8, 12 and 15 days old seedlings replicated 3 times each. The experiment was set in randomized complete block design (RCBD) and transplanted at spacing 25 cm × 25 cm between rice hills. The rice variety tested was TXD 306 Super SARO, which was recommended by the ministry of Agriculture in Tanzania. Data was collected throughout the growing season in two mixed short rains and dry season of September 2013/2014 and September 2014/2015. Data collected included biomass at vegetative, flowering and harvesting stages, total number of tillers per hill, number of productive tillers per hill, number of grains per panicle and rice grain yield at the end of the season. Data was analyzed using SAS software version 9.1. The results suggested that transplanting at younger age of 8 to 12 days was recommended for Mkindo area in Mvomero Distirct, and other areas with similar soil conditions and agro ecological characteristics.

Knowledge, perception and practices about malaria, climate change, livelihoods and food security among rural communities of central Tanzania.

BackgroundUnderstanding the interactions between malaria and agriculture in Tanzania is of particular significance when considering that they are the major sources of illness and livelihoods. The objective of this study was to determine knowledge, perceptions and practices as regards to malaria, climate change, livelihoods and food insecurity in a rural farming community in central Tanzania.MethodsUsing a cross-sectional design, heads of households were interviewed on their knowledge and perceptions on malaria transmission, symptoms and prevention and knowledge and practices as regards to climate change and food security.ResultsA total of 399 individuals (mean age = 39.8 ± 15.5 years) were interviewed. Most (62.41%) of them had attained primary school education and majority (91.23%) were involved in crop farming activities. Nearly all (94.7%) knew that malaria is acquired through a mosquito bite. Three quarters (73%) reported that most people get sick from malaria during the rainy season. About 50% of the respondents felt that malaria had decreased during the last 10 years. The household coverage of insecticide treated mosquito nets (ITN) was high (95.5%). Ninety-six percent reported to have slept under a mosquito net the previous night. Only one in four understood the official Kiswahili term (Mabadiliko ya Tabia Nchi) for climate change. However, there was a general understanding that the rain patterns have changed in the past 10 years. Sixty-two percent believed that the temperature has increased during the same period. Three quarters of the respondents reported that they had no sufficient production from their own farms to guarantee food security in their household for the year. Three quarters (73.0%) reported to having food shortages in the past five years. About half said they most often experienced severe food shortage during the rainy season.ConclusionFarming communities in Kilosa District have little knowledge on climate change and its impact on malaria burden. Food insecurity is common and community-based strategies to mitigate this need to be established. The findings call for an integrated control of malaria and food insecurity interventions.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s40249-015-0052-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

The Continuing Significance of Rural Landscapes in the Urban Century

I write these reflections from the British Institute of Eastern Africa (BIEA) in Nairobi, Kenya, after a symposium that examined the ways landscapes in the region are being reconfigured. My location seems relevant as the last time I was at a symposium at the BIEA was in 1998, working with colleagues investigating ‘islands of intensive agriculture’ in the Rift Valley. Presenting work from geographical, archaeological, historical and anthropological perspectives, we explored how and why historic landscapes of intensive agriculture had been produced, and the processes through which they were, or were not, maintained. The studies of Konso terraces in Ethiopia, Marakwet irrigation in Kenya, Engaruka terraces and Iraqw intensive agriculture in Tanzania, demonstrated the importance of understanding the connections between the past and the present; the significance of historic wars, epidemics and migrations to landscape patterns; the connections between environmental parameters and social, cultural and political relations at different scales; the role of interregional and urban–rural connections; the nature and role of landesque capital; and the significance of these ‘islands of intensive agriculture’ for increasingly pressing questions of food security and sustainable development (Widgren and Sutton, 2004). The themes examined more than ten years ago have become more, not less relevant as rural landscapes in much of the Global South are undergoing processes of rapid and profound transformation. In Eastern Africa, new tarmac roads are being built across vast rural territories,

Adoption and Scaling-Up of Conservation Agriculture in Tanzania: Case of Arusha and Dodoma Regions

A study was conducted to assess the adoption and scaling-up of Conservation Agriculture in Arumeru district, Arusha region, northern Tanzania and Chamwino and Dodoma Urban districts in Dodoma region, Central Tanzania. The study employed structured questionnaire survey and key informant interviews as the main data collection methods. Data analysis was done descriptively to determine factors that influence the adoption. Results showed that farmers in Arusha have highly adopted terraces, minimum tillage and cover cropping whereas their counterparts in Dodoma have highly adopted large planting pits, minimum tillage, and rippers. The intensity of adoption in Arusha is higher for the wealthy compared to the poor while in Dodoma the wealth status was not a factor that influenced adoption of the Conservation Agriculture (CA) technologies. The process of technology adoption should include the use of various participatory methods including farmer field schools, experimental plots, farmer exchange visits, and training of trainers among others. Use of farmer groups, incentives, and support instruments such as Savings and Credit Co-operative Society (SACCOS) or warehouse receipts systems are also important to ensure that farmers realize some acceptable profits from their efforts. Involvement of various stakeholders is also very important including local governments and agricultural change agents at national, regional, district, ward and village levels. Hence, the intention to promote CA technologies should not only look at the economic importance, but also its socio-economic importance to the local people in the area. Their desire to adopt and out-scale a technology should be among the most important investment factors that the government and development partners should consider.

The prospects of Web 2.0 technologies in teaching and learning in higher learning institutes: The case study of the Sokoine University of Agriculture in Tanzania

The study investigated the perceptions of students and lecturers on Web 2.0 as learning and teaching tools. It identified the commonly used web 2.0 tools; determined how the tools facilitate teaching and learning; assessed the appropriateness of features of the commonly used web 2.0 tools in teaching and learning and; determined the challenges associated with the usage of the tools in teaching and learning in higher education environments. The study was conducted at the Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA) in Tanzania; it employed combined research designs where both qualitative and quantitative designs were used. Stratified sampling techniques were employed to select respondents from the different strata namely students (undergraduate and postgraduate) and teaching staff. Structured questionnaires were distributed to 120 students and 50 teaching staff who were randomly selected from each stratum. Findings show that blogs, Facebook, Wikis, Google drive and YouTube were used for teaching and learning at SUA. However, the level of usage of Web 2.0 tools for non academic activities was higher than for academic purposes. It is concluded that that not all tools and applications were suitable for teaching and learning. It is recommended that students and staff should be trained on how to use Web 2.0 tools in teaching and learning. Institutes should promote the usage of such tools because some of them have suitable applications for teaching and learning. Developers of Web 2.o tools should incorporate more applications that may help teaching staff to supervise and assist students in the learning process.

Conservation agriculture (CA) in Tanzania: the case of the Mwangaza B CA farmer field school (FFS), Rhotia Village, Karatu District, Arusha

This project was initiated to promote conservation agriculture (CA) in Tanzania so as to improve the food security and rural livelihood of small- and medium-scale farmers through the scaling-up of CA as a sustainable land management (SLM) tool as well as increasing the numbers of SLM-CA farmer field schools (FFS) in communities. The project had two phases from 2004 to 2010. It was funded by a Government of Germany trust fund and implemented by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Ministry of Agriculture in Tanzania. The project pilot districts include Arumeru (Arusha and Meru Councils), Karatu, Babati, Hanang and Moshi districts. CA has been shown to offer positive elements that could contribute to fighting hunger and poverty.

Environmental Burden of Charcoal Production and Use in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

Tanzanian forests are excessively threatened by increased charcoal production fuelled by increased demand crucially in Dar es Salaam city which consumes nearly 70% of all the charcoal produced in the country. Through use of ecological modeling software STELLA® the environmental burden of charcoal production and use in Tanzania has been established. The study has revealed that the country losses 150,433 ha of forest per year. Due to increase in population by year 2030 almost 2.8 million ha of forests will have been lost. This is equivalent to 8.5% of the total forest cover the country had in 2009. The environmental burden includes air pollution characterized by a total emission of 49, 1.0, and 9.0, 12 million tonnes of CO2, SO2, NOx, and CH4, respectively by 2030. Other adverse impacts include loss of forest cover which ultimately causes degradation of soil quality by increased soil erosion, degradation of water sources and disruption of rainfall pattern including inducing draught. Taking into account that the agriculture in Tanzania is primarily rain fed, this has an adverse impact in agricultural production. In the current exploitation of this important natural resource, its sustainability is severely challenged and the whole concept of the forest being renewable is put into question. From these findings, it is recommended that concrete and deliberate efforts be made to reduce and eventually prohibit the use of charcoal in cities and towns.

Biofuel potential and FAO's estimates of available land: The case of Tanzania

While there exists under-utilized lands in several countries of sub-Saharan Africa, the drive towards transforming huge areas of land to biofuel plantations must be reviewed critically. Both the facts that much of these lands are presently covered with forests or classified as wetlands, having a high carbon storage capacity and that these lands are used by local communities for their survival, must be acknowledged. The article analyzes the reasons why public authorities, academics and non-governmental organizations operate with very high estimates on available lands for agriculture in Tanzania, more specifically 550 km2 or almost two thirds of its territory. A figure which does not take into account the competing uses of the land, such as livestock or harvesting from the forest, or the need to preserve forests and other fragile ecosystems and areas under conservation, must be considered as highly problematic. Both this figure and other, much lower figures, originate from FAO. Even if subsequent FAO reports reiterate that this high figure should be used with caution, the article builds an argument to call upon FAO to explicitly denounce the use of this high figure, as it is not appropriate to apply it as a basis for planning agricultural expansion in Tanzania. Key words: Biofuels, land availability, Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO), agro-ecological assessment.

Pesticide-handling Practices in Agriculture in Tanzania: Observational Data from 27 Coffee and Cotton Farms

Pesticide-handling Practices in Agriculture in Tanzania: Observational Data from 27 Coffee and Cotton Farms

Pesticide-handling practices in agriculture in Tanzania: observational data from 27 coffee and cotton farms.

The practices of pesticide handling in agriculture were surveyed in 1991-1993 in Tanzania, to identify hazardous practices and farms where they occurred. The study involved 23 coffee farms with 246 persons exposed to hazardous practices, and four cotton farms with 45 exposed. An observation form addressed locations of important places with respect to pesticide spraying, storage, disposal, and equipment; personal protection; and hygiene. More pesticide formulations were used for coffee compared with cotton and by individual rather than cooperative farms. Coffee farms more often had unlabeled pesticide containers and missing mixing instructions, while cotton pesticides were stored in bedrooms, near food, and near open fires, and pesticide leftovers were often present. Hazardous practices were more pronounced at individual than cooperative farms, with significant differences in pesticide storage areas, as well as unlabeled and non-original containers. The study demonstrated the need to train farmers in pesticide safety, strengthen advisory and regulatory services, and extend protection to farm workers' families.

Gardening to reduce hazard: urban agriculture in Tanzania

AbstractUrban agriculture is an illegal activity in most African towns and cities, as it is seen to be competing with other, higher value, urban land uses. Despite this, food production occurs throughout the African urban environment and is crucial to the urban economy; providing employment, food security and investment opportunity for a large proportion of the urban population. Urban agriculture also adds value to urban land, bringing unused land into production, reversing degradation and improving the urban landscape. In the context of a rapidly expanding urban population, food production in Dar es Salaam is playing a crucial role in sustaining the city, employing 210000 people. Urban agriculture also has an important role to play in providing a viable land use in the hazard lands of Dar es Salaam, as an alternative to squatter housing which exposes the inhabitants to a substantial risk from flooding. This paper looks at the role that urban agriculture plays in Dar es Salaam and identifies the major actors. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley &amp; Sons, Ltd.

MATERIALS FOR THE HISTORICAL GEOGRAPHY OF TANZANIAN AGRICULTURE: SOME MAPS FROM ADJECTIVES

ABSTRACT During the past 50 years, despite a number of studies, surveys, and a full scale agricultural census in 1971–72, Tanzania did not produced data on agriculture that permitted detailed mapping and analysis of the geographic pattern of crops. An alternative, qualitative method, based on the nine Agro-economic Zones studies published by Diana Conyers and her associates at the University of Dar es Salaam, is illustrated. The spatial distribution of adjectives, used systematically to characterize the importance of crops in 265 agro-economic zones, creates a descriptive geography of Tanzania's agriculture in the early 1970s. Though not without problems, use of such texts may in some cases provide an acceptable alternative way of mapping geographic information, when standard methods cannot be used. In this instance, maps of crop patterns in the early 1970s provide an historical baseline against which data from some future agricultural census of Tanzania can be compared.

Urban Agriculture: Ethnicity, Cattle Raising and Some Environmental Implications in the City of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

Since gaining independence in the mid 1970s, the economies of many Third World countries have been worsened by a number of external and internal causes such as the oil crisis, political strife and economic mismanagement, coupled with droughts, increased populations, distorted industrialization and lack of job creation. These and other factors have led to an attrition of civil servants' efficiency, a decline in real incomes, increased balance of payment problems and low productivity, both in rural and urban areas (World Bank 1995, 1994; Bukuku 1993; Nyang'oro and Shaw 1992; African Development Bank 1992). In an attempt to address the continuing decline of their economies, Third World governments have pursued a variety of policies and practices collectively designed to encourage the involvement of the labor force in informal sector economic activities. The principal objectives of such activities include subsidizing individuals' incomes and increasing food production. One of these activities has been urban agriculture that emerged as a major urban sector activity during the 1980s (Rakodi 1988; Yeung 1988; Tricaud 1987; Sanyal 1985). Urban agriculture in Tanzania, and especially in the city of Dar es Salaam, involves the raising of livestock and growing of crops (cash, food) both for earning extra money and nutritional purposes. In spite of its perceived beneficial impact on individuals and society, urban agriculture is generally associated with serious problems relating to environmental degradation. Ironically, Third World countries have largely ignored this problem even though the environmental degradation that urban agriculture causes is rampant.

Africa Research Bulletin: Economic, Financial and Technical Series, February 16th 1997‐March 15th 1997. Published April 8th 1997

In this issue Indian Ocean France Backs Reunion 12917 Burkina Faso Infrastructure 12924 Cote d’Ivoire Privatisation 12925 Uganda Relief Hopes Dashes 12934 Tanzania Agriculture 12941 Nile Basin Tension 12948— Contents 1 Continental Alignments 129172 Policy and Practice 129233 Communications and Transport 129364 Commodities 129405 Industries 129466 Economic Aid 12951Rates and Sources 12953Index 12954

Economic reform and smallholder agriculture in Tanzania: A discussion of recent market liberalization, road rehabilitation, and technology dissemination efforts

This paper discusses the reforms affecting Tanzania's small-farm sector during 1984–1993. It focuses on changes in marketing and input supply, including the revival of regional cooperative societies, the ending of the state monopoly in food crop procurement, and changes in the export crop sector. Efforts to rehabilitate the country's road network, and the effects of institutional change on a technology dissemination program, Sasakawa-Global 2000, are also discussed. The author concludes that improvements in the performance of the smallholder sector cannot be expected to follow automatically from a withdrawal of government.