Browsing by Author "Urassa, J.K."
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Item Contribution of Heifer In-Trust schemes to smallholder households’ well-being in Highland area of Njombe Region, Tanzania(Livestock Research for Rural Development, 2015) Msangya, M. L.; Urassa, J.K.; Mahonge, C.P.Food insecurity and poor income is a big challenge in Njombe Region. The Heifer in-Trust Schemes (HIS) in this region aimed at reducing food and income insecurity. The study’s main objective was to determine the contribution of the HIS farming households’ well-being in the highland areas of Njombe, Tanzania. Specifically, the study aimed at determining the contribution of the HIS to food security measured by number of meals and composition of these meals and at exploring the contribution of sales of milk, calves and pastures to household income. The study adopted a cross-sectional design and using HIS registers books, data were collected from 200 randomly selected HIS beneficiary households using a structured questionnaire. In addition 4 Focus Group Discussion (FDGs) were conducted to supplement information collected through the questionnaires. Results from the study show that dairy farming was the major source of food and income. Despite the variations in seasonality in this highland agro-ecological zone, HIS has enormously contributed to the improvement of smallholder famers’ well-being. Generally, smallholder households’ food was secured; an average of three meals daily with diversified nutrients was taken and income has increased.Item Digital literacy and crop productivity: evidence from cross- sectional data in Hai and Moshi districts, Kilimanjaro-Tanzania(AJOL, 2024-03-08) Hassani, M.S.; Mohamed, H.I.; Urassa, J.K.; Muhanga, M.I.Access to information through digital platforms particularly social media has the potential to improve agricultural productivity, henceimprovement of smallholder farmers' well-being. This is anticipated where farmers can significantly access, understand, evaluate and apply information obtained in agricultural-related activities. However, this depends, inter alia, on the extent to which farmers are digital literate, despite notable access and general use of digital platforms by farmers, there is a need to empirically understand how farmers digital literacy contributes to crop productivity . The study explored the use of social media and the Internet through digital platforms by smallholder farmers and determined the contribution of digital literacy to agricultural productivity. The study adopted a cross-sectional research design; data were collected using a structured questionnaire from 200 purposefully selected smallholder farmers. Focus group discussions and key informant interviews were used to collect complementary data. Descriptive statistical analysis was used to explore the use of the internet and social media, multiple linear regression analysis was used to determine the contribution of digital literacy to agricultural productivity. The results show that 70.5 per cent of smallholder farmers have access to social media. However, the majority (95%) lack awareness of agricultural information apps. Although digital literacy had a negative but significant effect on maize productivity, it nonetheless had a positive and significant effect on common beans' productivity. It is concluded that smallholder social media and the internet contribute to agricultural productivity. It is recommended that the agricultural and ICT departments in Hai and Moshi districts and other interested stakeholders should conduct awareness campaigns and training in rural areas on accessing information concerning agricultural activities through the use of digital platforms towards improved productivity.Item Heifer In-trust schemes and incomes of smallholder households in the Highland and Semi-arid regions of Tanzania(Livestock Research for Rural Development, 2015) Msangya, M. L.; Urassa, J.K.; Mahonge, C.P.Poor household incomes are a major challenge to smallholder farming households’ expenses in Tanzania including Njombe and Shinyanga regions. The Heifer In-trust Schemes (HIS) were introduced in these regions purposely to enable vulnerable households to improve their food and income security hence raising such households’ purchasing power. The study’s main objective was to assess the role of the HIS to smallholder households’ major expenditures in the above-mentioned areas. Specifically, the study aimed at exploring the assets and income acquired through the beneficiary household’s involvement in the HIS and at examining their ability to meet children’s educational and households' health costs. The study adopted a cross-sectional design whereby data were collected from 402 randomly selected HIS beneficiaries’ households using a structured questionnaire. In addition, nine focus group discussions involving 135 discussants were conducted to complement information collected through the questionnaire. Children’s education, assets acquisition and food accounted for 36.2, 24.3 and 10.5% of the income accrued from the HIS dairy enterprise. The benefits in Njombe (a highland area) and Shinyanga (a semi arid area) zones were similar.Item Influence of Agro-Ecological factors and cultural practices on Heifer in-trust schemes in Njombe and Shinyanga Regions of Tanzania(International Journal of Agricultural Extension and Rural Development, 2015) Msangya, M L.; Urassa, J.K.; Mahonge, C.P.Dairy farming can be a panacea to addressing rural poverty. The Heifer In-trust Schemes (HIS) in Njombe and Shinyanga regions aimed at reducing food and income insecurity. However, the influence of seasonality, traditional livestock grazing systems, animal treatment and protection practices challenge the schemes objectives. The study’s main objective was to assess the influence of seasonality, rainfall patterns; and traditional animal grazing style, animal treatments and protection on HIS. Specifically, the study determined the influence of seasonality unavailability of quality pasture, milk and income, and explored the implications of traditional livestock grazing systems, treatment and protection. Study adopted a cross-sectional design. Data were collected from 402 randomly selected HIS households. Results show that during the wet season average daily milk production increased by six litres per cow. Results also show that more milk is sold during the dry season as the demand is higher while production is low. Results further show that traditional grazing systems and animal protection practices led to low milk production and less income. The diverse agro-ecological factors and cultural practices have influenced HIS in the study areas. HIS beneficiaries should establish pasture plots to address negative agro-ecological influences, reduce free range-grazing methods and avoid adverse traditional animal treatment and protection practices.Item Role of heifer In-Trust Scheme in employment among smallholder farmers in Highlands and Semi-Arid Regions of Tanzania(International Journal of Sciences: Basic and Applied Research (IJSBAR), 2015) Msangya, .M.L.; Urassa, J.K.; Mahonge, C.P.This paper explores the employment opportunities generated by Heifer In-trust Schemes (HIS) in highlands and semi-arid regions in Tanzania. The measurements used are the types and the number of self-employed jobs and the income attributed to HIS self-employment among smallholders. The study adopted a cross-sectional design whereby primary data were collected from 402 randomly selected HIS beneficiaries’ households using a pretested structured questionnaire. In addition, nine focus group discussions were conducted to supplement information collected through the questionnaire. Results show that HIS had generated employment opportunities and income among smallholder farmers in highlands and semi-arid areas of Tanzania through rural dairy farming, milk collection, milk vending, water trading, animal health provision and Artificial Insemination (AI) services. HIS has also contributed to rural employment opportunities among low formal educated youth, women and men in the study areas. The study recommends more investments in rural dairy farming to promote self-employment.Item Socio-economic determinants of smallholder farmers sisal productivity and profitability: a case of Korogwe District, Tanzania(AJOL, 2021) Beleko, A.H.; Urassa, J.K.Tanzania’s sisal industry employs about 100 000 individuals with its current total production estimated at 40 000 tons per year. This follows efforts by the Tanzania’s Sisal Board (TSB) to promote smallholder farmers participation in the sisal industry. However, there is a lack of enough information on socio-economic determinants associated with smallholder farmers’ sisal productivity and profitability. Therefore, the study was conducted to address the above. Specifically, the study aimed at identifying determinants of the smallholder farmers’ sisal productivity and profitability in the study area. A cross-sectional research design was used in the research whereby data were collected from 150 randomly selected smallholder sisal producing households based on registers availed by estate managers in Ngombezi and Mwelya Wards. Primary data were collected through questionnaire with close and open ended questions. In addition, focus group discussions and key informant interviews were used to gather complementary data. Quantitative data from the questionnaires were analyzed using the IBM-SPSS software whereby descriptive (ie. frequencies and percentages) and inferential statistics(through the use of simple linear regression) were determined. Qualitative data were analyzed using thematic content analysis whereby collected information were summarized based on themes and objectives of the study. Generally, study findings show that factors significantly associated with the smallholder sisal farmers’ productivity were amount of land allocated to sisal production and amount of sisal harvested (P≤0.001) and amount of land owned by household (P≤0.05). On the other hand, factors associated with the sisal farmers profitability included sex of the household head (P≤0.1), farm size (P≤0.05) and amount of sisal harvested (P≤0.001). Therefore, the study recommends that agricultural and investment banks should consider financing smallholder sisal farmers so as to enable them raise their incomes and capital needed for sisal production in order to increase sisal productivity and profitability.