Chamwino District Research Articles

Do household perceptions influence enrolment decisions into community-based health insurance schemes in Tanzania?

BackgroundSeveral countries including Tanzania, have established voluntary non-profit insurance schemes, commonly known as community-based health insurance schemes (CBHIs), that typically target rural populations and the informal sector. This paper considers the importance of household perceptions towards CBHIs in Tanzania and their role in explaining the enrolment decision of households.MethodsThis was a cross-sectional household survey that involved 722 households located in Bahi and Chamwino districts in the Dodoma region. A three-stage sampling procedure was used, and the data were analyzed using both factor analysis (FA) and principal component analysis (PCA). Statistical tests such as Bartlett’s test of sphericity, Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO) for sampling adequacy, and Cronbach’s alpha test for internal consistency and scale reliability were performed to examine the suitability of the data for PCA and FA. Finally, multivariate logistic regressions were run to determine the associations between the identified factors and the insurance enrolment status.ResultsThe PCA identified seven perception factors while FA identified four factors. The quality of healthcare services, preferences (social beliefs), and accessibility to insurance scheme administration (convenience) were the most important factors identified by the two methods. Multivariate logistic regressions showed that the factors identified from the two methods differed somewhat in importance when considered as independent predictors of the enrollment status. The most important perception factors in terms of strength of association (odds ratio) and statistical significance were accessibility to insurance scheme administration (convenience), preferences (beliefs), and the quality of health care services. However, age and income were the only socio-demographic characteristics that were statistically significant.ConclusionHousehold perceptions were found to influence households’ decisions to enroll in CBHIs. Policymakers should recognize and consider these perceptions when designing policies and programs that aim to increase the enrolment into CBHIs.

Montreal Cognitive Assessment 5‐minute protocol is accurate in screening for mild cognitive impairment in the rural African population

AbstractBackgroundThe prevalence of dementia in Tanzania, as in other developing countries is progressively increasing.1 Yet the screening instruments for the pre‐clinical stage of the diseases are lacking. This study examined the diagnostic accuracy of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment‐5‐minutes protocol (MoCA‐5‐min) among older adult in the rural Tanzania.MethodsAfter cultural adaptation following Brislin’s approach,2 the MoCA‐5‐min and the IDEA cognitive screening were concurrently administered to community‐dwelling older adults (n=202) in Chamwino district and 40 re‐evaluated at 6 weeks. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) using principal component method and oblique rotation was performed to determine the underlying factor structure of the scale. The concurrent and the diagnostic accuracy of the MoCA‐5‐min were examined by comparing its score with IDEA cognitive screening and the psychiatrist’s diagnosis using DSM‐V criteria respectively.ResultsThe EFA found that all the MoCA‐5‐min items highly loaded into one component, with factor loading ranging from 0.550 to 0.879. The intraclass correlation coefficient for 6 weeks test‐retest reliability was 0.85. Its strong significant correlation with the IDEA screening (Pearson's r = 0.614, p < 0.001) demonstrated a good concurrent validity. Using the psychiatrist’s rating as a gold standard, the area under the curve (AUC) was 0.861, (95% CI = 0.799 – 0.922) (Figure 1). With the optimal cut‐off score for MCI at 22, the sensitivity was 80% and specificity was 74%. As for dementia, at a score of 16 the sensitivity was 90% and specificity was 80%, whereas the AUC was 0.910, (95%CI = 0.852 – 0.967) (Figure 2). Upon stratifying the sample into different age groups, the optimal cut‐off scores tended to decrease with the increase in age (Table 1).ConclusionThe MoCA‐5‐min is reliable and provides a valid and accurate measure of cognitive decline among older population in the rural settings of Tanzania. The use of varying cut‐off scores across age groups may ensure a more precise discriminatory power of the MoCA‐5‐min.

Psychometrics and diagnostic properties of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment 5-min protocol in screening for Mild Cognitive Impairment and dementia among older adults in Tanzania: A validation study.

The prevalence of dementia in Tanzania, as in other developing countries, is progressively increasing. Yet international screening instruments for mild cognitive impairment are lacking. The aim of this study was to determine the psychometrics and the diagnostic ability of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment 5minutes protocol (MoCA-5-min) among older adults in the rural Tanzania. The MoCA-5-min and the Identification and Intervention for Dementia in Elderly Africans (IDEA) cognitive screening were concurrently administered through face to face to 202 community-dwelling older adults in Chamwino district. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) using principal component method and oblique rotation was performed to determine the underlying factor structure of the scale. The concurrent and construct as well as predictive validities of the MoCA-5-min were examined by comparing its score with IDEA cognitive screening and psychiatrist's diagnosis using DSM-V criteria, respectively. The EFA found that all the MoCA-5-min items highly loaded into one component, with factor loading ranging from 0.550 to 0.879. The intraclass correlation coefficient for 6weeks test-retest reliability was 0.85. Its strong significant correlation with the IDEA screening (Pearson's r=0.614, p<0.001) demonstrated a good concurrent validity. Using the psychiatrist's rating as the gold standard, MoCA-5-min demonstrated the optimal cut-off score for MCI at 22, which yielded the sensitivity of 80% and specificity of 74%; and dementia at score of 16 giving a sensitivity of 90% and specificity of 80%. Upon stratifying the sample into different age groups, the optimal cut-off scores tended to decrease with the increase in age. The MoCA-5-min is reliable and provides a valid and accurate measure of cognitive decline among older population in the rural settings of Tanzania. The use of varying cut-off scores across age groups may ensure more precise discriminatory power of the MoCA-5-min. Availability of the MoCA-5-min in Tanzania will facilitate clinicians to timely detect dementia at both pre-clinical and clinical stages. Its availability will also encourage further research and international collaborations in dementia prevention programs.

Accuracy of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment in Detecting Mild Cognitive Impairment and Dementia in the Rural African Population.

The incidence of dementia in the sub-Saharan Africa is rising. However, screening tools for cognitive decline that fits their linguistic and cultural context are lacking. The aim of this study was to determine the accuracy of the Kiswahili version of Montreal Cognitive Assessment (K-MoCA) to detect mild cognitive impairment or dementia among older adults in the rural Tanzania. We recruited 259 community-dwelling older adults in Chamwino district, Tanzania. The concurrent validity and discriminatory power of K-MoCA were examined by comparing its score with IDEA cognitive screening and psychiatrist's diagnosis using DSM-V, respectively. All the questionnaires were administered in face-to-face interview. K-MoCA demonstrated acceptable reliability (Cronbach's alpha=0.780). Concurrent validity was evident by its significant correlation with the IDEA screening test (Pearson's r=0.651, p<0.001). Using the psychiatrist's rating as the reference, the optimal cut-off score for MCI and dementia was 19 and 15, respectively, which yielded the sensitivity of 70% and specificity of 60% for MCI, and sensitivity of 72% and specificity of 60% for dementia. Further analysis indicated that education and age influence performance on K-MoCA. Overall, the K-MoCA is a reliable and valid tool for measuring cognitive decline. However, its limited discriminatory power for MCI and dementia may be compromised by the cultural irrelevance of some items.

Prevalence and risk factors associated with malnutrition among adolescents in rural Tanzania.

To determine the prevalence and risk factors associated with malnutrition among adolescents in a rural Tanzanian community. Cross-sectional survey of 1226 randomly selected adolescents from the Dodoma Health and Demographic Surveillance System (HDSS) in the Chamwino district in the Dodoma region. Anthropometric measurements for weight and height were collected. Height-for-age-z-scores (HAZs) and body mass index (BMI)-for-age-z-scores (BAZs) were computed. Descriptive estimates were documented in graphs and tables, and weighted linear regression models were used to examine predictors of malnutrition. Stunting prevalence was 18%, and thinness prevalence was 14%. Overweight and obesity affected 5.23% of participants. Girls had higher HAZs (β: 0.46, 95% CI 0.33, 0.59, P<0.0001) and BAZs (β: 0.20, 95% CI 0.05, 0.35, P=0.0098) than boys. Age was inversely associated with HAZs (β: -0.13, 95% CI -0.17, -0.08, P<0.0001) and BAZs (β: -0.05, 95% CI -0.10, -0.004, P=0.0327). Wealth score (β: 0.10, 95% CI 0.04, 0.16, P=0.0009) and dietary diversity score (β: 0.04, 95% CI 0.01, 0.07, P=0.0080) were positively associated with HAZs and BAZs. Out-of-school adolescents had higher HAZs (β: -0.49, 95% CI -0.75, -0.23, P=0.0003) and BAZs (β: -0.68, 95% CI -0.99, -0.37, P<0.0001) than adolescents who attended school. There are substantial variations of HAZs and BAZs across gender, age, education and wealth, with an emerging burden of overweight and obesity among adolescents in this rural population. Interventions are urgently required to curb both ends of the malnutrition spectrum.

Consumption of Dark Green Leafy Vegetables Predicts Vitamin A and Iron Intake and Status among Female Small-Scale Farmers in Tanzania.

Inadequate consumption of micronutrient-dense foods such as vegetables and meat are an important contributing cause for anemia and deficiencies of iron and vitamin A in rural communities of Tanzania. A cross-sectional study was conducted in 2016 to examine nutritional and micronutrient status and their associations to the diet of female small-scale farmers in the sub-humid Kilosa (n = 333) and the semi-arid Chamwino (n = 333) districts, in the Morogoro and Dodoma region. An overall higher prevalence of overweight (19.7%) and obesity (7.1%) than of underweight (5.9%) was detected. Significantly more women in the two villages of Kilosa (27–40%) than in the two villages of Chamwino district (19–21%) were overweight/obese, but also more frequently had anemia (34–41% vs. 11–17%), iron deficiency (24–32% vs. 15–17%), and low serum retinol (21–24% vs. 8–9%). Overall, only a small proportion of women reached recommended daily micronutrient intakes: 27% for vitamin A, 17% for iron, 7% for zinc, and 12–38% for B-vitamins. The amount of dark green leafy vegetables (DGLV) consumed was the main determinant of vitamin A and iron intake by women in Chamwino and corresponded to higher hemoglobin, serum retinol and iron status than in the villages of the Kilosa district; in agreement, DGLV consumption also predicted iron and vitamin A intake in Kilosa district. DGLV consumed with wholemeal millet was advantageous in terms of women’s vitamin A and iron intake and status over the predominantly maize-rice-based diet lacking vegetables.

Factors associated with stunting in Dodoma region, Tanzania

Child undernutrition is a major public health concern, claiming the lives of numerous children below five years of age in the developing world. The objective of this study was to assess the factors associated with stunting of children of age 6 – 23 months in Dodoma Municipality and Chamwino District in Dodoma region. Dodoma region located in the central zone of Tanzania was chosen for this study because of its high prevalence (56%) of stunting among children under five years of age. A systematic random sampling technique was used to choose wards, villages, and households that had children aged 6 - 23 months, resulting in 394 households participating in this cross-sectional study. A standardized questionnaire was used to collect socio-demographic information and infant feeding practices. Anthropometric measurements were taken as per WHO standard procedures. A repeated 24-hour dietary recall was used to assess food intake among the study population. Multivariate logistic regression using backward stepwise selection method was used to obtain independent factors of stunting. The overall prevalence of stunting was 40.4% (95% CI; 29.8; 50.9), Chamwino District had a higher prevalence of stunting (44.3%) compared to Dodoma municipality (26.3%). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that, age of introduction of complementary food [AOR = 13.3; (95% CI: 2.6 – 67.6)], maternal education [AOR = 5.5; (95% CI: 1.0 – 9.8)], residence in Chamwino District [AOR = 3.2; (95% CI: 1.3 – 5.9)] were factors associated with stunting. About half of the study population (49%) was introduced to complementary foods early, the median age was four months instead of 6 months as recommended by WHO. Infant’s diet was mainly cereal-based, other foods such as animal food source, fruits, and dairy products were consumed by 18%, 11% and 7.1% of children respectively. The dietary pattern of infants was not diversified as 47.7% of infants scored 1 to 3 points out of 12 points categorized as low dietary diversity. Failure to attain normal growth pattern is the most prevalent form of undernutrition in childhood. Associated factors are many, diverse and interrelated. The present study identified maternal education, early introduction of complementary foods and being a resident of Chamwino District as factors to be associated with stunting. Prioritization of identified factors serves as a highlight for better planning of nutrition intervention programs that intend to promote child growth. Key words : Stunting, nutrition status, 6 – 23 months, dietary diversity and complementary food

Design and implementation of an m-health data model for improving health information access for reproductive and child health services in low resource settings using a participatory action research approach

BackgroundInformation and Communication Technologies (ICTs) have been utilised globally for advancing social and economic development. As information becomes key to enlightening development initiatives, the role of mobile technology-based ICT services is becoming more significant. The aim of this study was to design and implement a mHealth data model with an intention of improving mothers’ knowledge of Reproductive and Child Health (RCH) services in rural environments and to remind mothers who do not have access to mobile phones to attend antenatal care.MethodsThe methodology adopted in this research was participatory action research. A phased approach was utilised to answer the research question. The phases were: diagnosis of the problem, action planning, action taking, evaluation and reflection. The study was conducted in Chamwino district of Dodoma region, Tanzania. Reproductive and Child Health sections of Buigiri dispensary and Chamwino health centre were purposively selected. Data were collected through key informant interviews, document review, focus group discussion and observation. Content analysis methods were utilised during analysis. Consequently, the data model was designed, implemented and evaluated.ResultsChallenges of information dissemination in low resource settings noted in this study are: mobile phone ownership and access of mothers, vertical coordination of health services and low staffing levels of health workers. Mothers who do not own mobile phones can leverage phone ownership of community leaders, TBAs, CHWs and relatives. This in turn facilitates communication of health messages to mothers.ConclusionsAlthough this study was conducted in a low resource setting, mobile network coverage was good and thus SMS technology could be used. Research should be conducted on how to disseminate similar information in remote areas without mobile coverage.

Stakeholders’ Perceptions on the Adequacy of External Supervision in Secondary Schools in Chamwino District, Tanzania

Stakeholders’ Perceptions on the Adequacy of External Supervision in Secondary Schools in Chamwino District, Tanzania

Knowledge of obstetric danger signs among recently-delivered women in Chamwino district, Tanzania: a cross-sectional study

BackgroundLow knowledge of danger signs has been shown to delay seeking obstetric care which leads to high maternal mortality and morbidity worldwide. In Tanzania about half of pregnant women are informed about obstetric danger signs during antenatal care, but the proportion of those who have full knowledge of these obstetric danger signs is not known. This study assessed the knowledge of obstetric danger signs and its associated factors among recently-delivered women in Chamwino District, Tanzania.MethodsA community-based cross-sectional study was conducted in January 2014 in Chamwino District, Tanzania. A woman was considered knowledgeable if she spontaneously mentioned at least five danger signs in any of the three phases of childbirth (pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum) with at least one in each phase. Multistage cluster sampling was used to recruit study participants. Descriptive and bivariate analyses were conducted. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed to control for confounding and other important covariates.ResultsA total of 428 women were interviewed. The median age (IQR) was 26.5 (22–33) years. Only 25.2% of respondents were knowledgeable about obstetric danger signs during pregnancy, childbirth/labour and postpartum. Significant explanatory variables of being knowledgeable about obstetric danger signs were found to be maternal education (AOR = 1.96; 95% CI: 1.01, 3.82), maternal occupation (AOR = 2.23; 95% CI; 1.10, 4.52), spouse occupation (AOR = 2.10; 95% CI: 1.02, 4.32) and counseling on danger signs (AOR = 3.42; 95% CI: 1.36, 8.62) after controlling for the clustering effect, confounding and important covariates.ConclusionA low proportion of women was found to be knowledgeable about obstetric danger signs in Chamwino district. Therefore, we recommend the Ministry of Health to design and distribute the maternal health booklets that highlight the obstetric danger signs, and encourage antenatal care providers and community health workers to provide frequent health education about these danger signs for every pregnant woman in order to increase their level of knowledge about obstetric danger signs.

Influence of gender on roles, choices of crop types and value chain upgrading strategies in semi-arid and sub-humid Tanzania

Upgrading strategies for a given product value chain might not result in the intended impact on different gender groups, if gender analysis is not undertaken. This study investigated the gender influence on preferred food and cash crops, as well as upgrading strategies in sub-humid Kilosa and semi-arid Chamwino Districts, Tanzania. A mixed methods research design was used to collect information from 595 respondents, while content analysis was used to qualitatively analyze qualitative data obtained from focus group discussions and key informant interviews. Our findings show that farmers from Kilosa and Chamwino had no differences with respect to preferences expressed by men and women for their first priority cash. Gender differences for choices were evident in relation to the second priority, food crops, in the semi-arid area and the third priority, which was also food crops in the sub-humid area, where women and youth differed from men on their views toward maize versus sorghum in the semi-arid region. Here, youth differed from women and men in how they viewed cassava versus rice. For upgrading strategies, which were only conducted with the first priority crops, most of the strategies preferred by men differed from those preferred by women and youth. In both areas, youth and women preferred upgrading strategies related to crop harvesting, transportation and primary processing, whereas men preferred upgrading strategies for farm inputs and crop marketing. Therefore, it is recommended that site-specific gendered analysis on upgrading strategies in agricultural value chains should be completed prior to introducing an intervention.

The integration of smallholders in agricultural value chain activities and food security: evidence from rural Tanzania

The integration of smallholders into agricultural value chains is considered an important pathway for raising the welfare of farmers, including their food security. Distinct from literature that has mainly dwelt on smallholder integration in high-value and export-orientated agricultural value chains (AVCs), we focus on domestic, traditional AVCs, which are relevant to the majority of smallholders. Using primary household data from Kilosa and Chamwino districts in rural Tanzania, we examined the nature and extent of smallholder participation in traditional AVC activities and their associated welfare effects, focusing primarily on household food security. Cluster analysis was used to explore different smallholder livelihood activities and the extent of participation in traditional AVCs while propensity score matching and inverse probability weighted regression adjustment approaches were employed to analyze food security effects of various AVC activities. Results revealed that smallholders participate at varying levels in different AVC activities and their integration in traditional AVCs plays an important role in improving food security. Whereas other studies analyze only the impacts of participation in single AVC activities, we show the relevance of assessing the effects of multiple AVC activities on food security. Findings highlight the importance of promoting policies that enable effective vertical and horizontal integration of smallholder farmers into traditional AVC activities for enhanced food security and improved livelihoods.

Food Security Incidences Based on Dietary Energy Consumption, Dietary Diversity and Household Food Insecurity Access Scale in Chamwino District, Tanzania

Dietary energy consumption (DEC), dietary diversity (DD) and household food insecurity access scale (HFIAS) are used in determining food security. However, it is not known whether their uses give similar incidences of food security. The study on which this paper is based sought to determine food security based on the above methods, with the specific objectives to: a) determine DEC per adult equivalent and per capita both per day, b) determine household dietary diversity, c) measure food access by using HFIAS and (d) compare food security incidences based on the four methods of food security determination. Random sampling was used to select 400 households. The research was a cross sectional one and was conducted through structured interviews using a questionnaire, focus group discussions and key informant interviews. Using DEC per adult equivalent and per capita both per day, it was found that 84.2% and 81.8% of the 400 sampled households were food secure respectively. Using HFIAS and DD, 88% and 31.8% were food secure respectively. It is concluded that DEC per adult equivalent per day, per capita per day and HFIAS give almost similar food security incidences and have good potential to give reasonable results of food security status, while DD tends to exaggerate food insecurity incidences. It is recommended that the government and other stakeholders dealing with food security should use both DEC per adult equivalent, DEC per capita per day and HFIAS almost equally since they give almost similar results. Besides, effort should be made to establish international cut off points and food items to include in the classification of households into food secure and food insecure based on DD.

Birth preparedness and complication readiness among recently delivered women in chamwino district, central Tanzania: a cross sectional study.

BackgroundUnacceptably high maternal mortality rates remain a challenge in developing countries such as Tanzania. Birth Preparedness and Complication Readiness is among the key interventions that can reduce maternal mortality. Despite this, its status in Tanzania is not well documented. We assessed the practice and determinants of Birth preparedness and complication readiness among recently delivered women in Chamwino district, Central Tanzania.MethodsA community based cross-sectional study was conducted to women who delivered two years prior to survey in January 2014 at Chamwino district, Tanzania. Woman was considered as prepared for birth and its complication if she reported at least three of these; know expected date of delivery, saved money, identified a skilled birth attendant/health facility, mode of transport and Identified two compatible blood donors. Descriptive, bivariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed at P value < 0.05 level of significance.ResultsWe interviewed 428 women whose median age (IQR) was 26.5 (22–33) years. About 249 (58.2 %) of the respondents were considered as prepared for birth and its complications. After controlling for confounding and clustering effect, significant determinants of birth preparedness and complication readiness were found to be maternal education (AOR = 2.26, 95 % CI; 1.39, 3.67), spouse employment (AOR = 2.18, 95 % CI; 1.46, 3.25), booking at ANC (AOR = 2.03, 95 % CI; 1.11, 3.72), Four or more antenatal visits, (AOR = 1.94, 95 % CI; 1.17, 3.21) and knowledge of key danger signs (AOR = 4.16, 95 % CI; 2.32, 7.45). Prepared for birth was found to be associated with institutional delivery (AOR = 2.45, 95 % CI; 1.12, 5.34).ConclusionThe proportion of women who prepared for birth and its complications were found to be low. District reproductive and child health coordinator should emphasis on early and frequent antenatal care visits, since they were among predictors of birth preparedness and complication readiness.

Human Resource Management in a Decentralized Context: Case of Dodoma Municipal and Chamwino District Councils

This research report is based on a study on decentralized human resource management in two LGAs namely Dodoma Municipal and Chamwino District Councils. The study was motivated by the wider acknowledgement that decentralization of human resource management functions to lower levels of governance is crucial strategic policy agenda in the wake of new public management and local government reforms geared towards empowering LGAs in Tanzania.The study attempts to assess whether HR functions are best performed by a centralized or decentralized governmental structure, an issue hitherto studied in the Tanzania context. It focuses on three HR practices which are recruitment and selection, training and development, and rewards. It explores the positive and negative outcome of HRM decentralization as well as determinants for effective HRM decentralization at Dodoma Municipal and Chamwino District Councils. The study adopted case study design and employed triangulation by going beyond the sampled LGAs to include the Prime Minister’s Office – Regional Administration and Local Government (PMO-RALG) and the Public Service Recruitment Secretariat (PSRS). Questionnaires, interview guides and document review were used to gather data. The findings indicate that, both Chamwino District Council and Dodoma Municipal Council have no autonomy to recruit and select staff since the function is done by the Public Service Recruitment Secretariat. It was found that recruitment and selection is partially done in the LGAs by identifying vacancies and proposing the budget which has to be approved by the Ministry of Public Service and Ministry under which the staff category falls. This involvement of different ministries creates delays in decision making of HR matters. It surfaced that some flexibility were in the offing to empower councils to recruit low cadre personnel from nearby areas to reduce costs of recruitment while the public service recruitment secretariat would continue processing recruitment personnel in the professional cadres. Although the government training strategy underscores that staff training should be primarily focused on enhancing job specific knowledge and skills, the findings indicates that some staff pursue training not related to their job spheres. This is not accidental because it is geared towards career attrition from low pay to high pay jobs.It was found that rewards are centralized save for recommendation letters issued to hard working staff and incentives such as subsistence allowance. This system was necessitated by limited financial resources at the councils. These were indeed perceived as necessary but not sufficient motivation given the greater value of tangible rewardsIt emerges that centralization and decentralization have merits and demerits. The appropriateness of whatever option greatly depends on the context.

Agricultural information sources used for climate change adaptation in Tanzania

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to assess sources of agricultural information used by farmers for climate change adaptation in the semi arid areas of Tanzania.Design/methodology/approachMixed quantitative and qualitative methods were deployed. Semi‐structured interviews were used to collect qualitative and quantitative data from 100 farmers in three selected wards in Chamwino district in Tanzania. Focus groups were also used to collect qualitative data from 30 farmers in the same wards.FindingsThe results showed that the major sources of information for farmers were predominantly local (neighbours and friends), followed by public extension services. Apart from radio and cell phones, advanced technologies (i.e. internet and e‐mail) and printed materials were not used in the study area, despite their existence in the communities.Research limitations/implicationsThe study necessitates a need to conduct regular studies on preferred information source of agricultural information and knowledge, development of technologies and use multiple sources of knowledge and information (such as print and mass media) to deliver relevant information to farmers to enable them to adapt to climate change.Originality/valueThe study provides a deep understanding of sources of agricultural information used by farmers in the semi arid area, which necessitates a need for demand‐led and client‐based information services, in order to meet the disparate farmers' needs in this regime of climate change. These findings can serve as an example for the increasing use of mixed quantitative and qualitative in information research.