Gendered yield gap analysis in groundnut production in Tanzania: social and economic implications

Abstract

The study explored groundnut gendered yield gap and socio-economic factors for groundnut production in Tanzania. The study was based on ICRISAT survey data collected from 938 farmers randomly selected in 9 producing regions namely; Shinyanga, Mwanza, Geita, Dodoma, Tabora, Mbeya, Songwe, Rukwa and Mtwara representing different socio-cultural and agro-ecological zones. Data were analyzed using stochastic frontier production function to establish groundnut yield gap and factors affecting groundnut production in Tanzania. The results revealed that, groundnut is the most important crop in all age groups, across sex and agro ecological zones. Youth (16-35 years) had the highest actual groundnut yield of 0.4984 Mt/ha, relative to adults (36-60 years) with 0.3643 Mt/ha and elders (above 60 years) with 0.3216 Mt/ha. However, youth participation was low compared to adults and elders. Actual groundnut yield for male groundnut farmers was 0.4205 Mt/ha and female was 0.3363 Mt/ha, differences in actual groundnut yield between sex was significant at 5%. The overall actual groundnut yield was 0.3868 Mt/ha and the potential groundnut yield was 0.8271 Mt/ha, making the groundnut yield gap of 0.4403Mt/ha. Results from the maximum likelihood estimates revealed that amount of groundnut seed in kilograms, plot size in hectares and labor measured in man days were the factors associated with changes in groundnut yield and all of the factors were significant at 1%. Analysis of socio-economic and physical factors that can significantly increase the groundnut yield indicated that a farmer being male, being in youth age group, having formal education and being in southern highland and southern zone increases the efficiency of producing groundnut. It was concluded that since there is economies of scale with the use of more labors and groundnut seed, thus these factors and socio-economic factors should be considered for increased groundnut yield per hectare.