Sunflower as an alternative to tobacco and its implication to deforestation in Sikonge District, Tabora Region
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Date
2011
Authors
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Journal ISSN
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Publisher
Sokoine University of Agriculture
Abstract
Tobacco farming as an agricultural development issue, has been identified among others
as an important theme to study the relationship of its production to deforestation. This
study was carried out in Tutuo ward, Sikonge district in Tabora region to assess land use
changes due to switch from tobacco to sunflower as an alternative cash crop; and its
influence on deforestation. The villages namely Usanganya, Mole and Tutuo were
involved. Household questionnaire, checklists, participant observation, PRA techniques
and remote sensing were employed for data collection. Logistic regression models, linear
regression analysis and geographic information system techniques were used to analyse
factors influencing farmers switch from tobacco to sunflower, study the relationship
between hactrage of sunflower replacing tobacco and the rate of deforestation and/ or
regeneration of forest and analyse multi temporal Landsat TM and ETM+ satellite images
respectively. Factors likely to significantly influence farmers switch from tobacco to
sunflower cultivation in Tutuo ward included unreliable tobacco market and farm size;
while farming experience significantly reduced the likelihood of shifting from tobacco to
sunflower cultivation. The switch found to have no significant on reduction of
deforestation and not favoured miombo woodland regeneration. The conclusion of this
study is that land use changes due to switch from tobacco to sunflower, shows a trend of
reducing deforestation and favouring regeneration of miombo woodlands. The study
recommends farmers to introduce sunflower as an alternative to tobacco. The effect of the
switch to poverty alleviation in terms of income from tobacco when compared to
alternative crops which is less lucrative, is to be studied to have a base for the decision to
before the switch. Farmers also have to reduce the volume of fuelwood consumption by
establishing household woodlots, community based forest management system and
construct efficient barns the efforts that contributes to reduction of deforestation.
Description
Keywords
Sunflower, Tobacco, Sikonge District,, Tabora Region
Citation
Konga,E.A(2011)Sunflower As An Alternative To Tobacco And Its Implication To Deforestation In Sikonge District, Tabora Region,.Morogoro;Sokoine University of Agriculture