Assessment of on-farm and off-farm income generating activities in Kisarawe district
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Date
2002
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Publisher
Sokoine University of Agriculture
Abstract
This study was designed to assess on-farm and off-farm income generating
activities in Kisarawe District.The study was conducted in five villages of Sungwi
Division namely Kazimzumbwi, Sungwi, Kisarawe, Kifuru and Visegese. It involved
101 randomly selected farmers. The general objective of the study was to assess
income-generating activities. The specific objectives of the study were, (a) to
identify the major on-farm and off-farm income sources at household level, (b) to
identify the most important sources of income at household level and, (c) to
delineate the main factors on income generation for identified sources. The study
used a cross-sectional design that employed the survey method. The survey
population comprised of smallholder farmers in five villages of Sungwi Division.
Data were collected by using structured questionnaire. A random sample of 101
respondents was picked using a table of random numbers from the sampling frame
that was developed. Field observations supplemented the questionnaire. Statistical
Package for Social Sciences was used to analyse the data. Frequencies and
percentages were used to present the results. The findings of the study show that
the major on-farm income sources are cassava, cashewnut, orange, paddy and
potato production. Major off-farm income sources were carpentry work, petty
business and charcoal selling. But of the two income sources, most farmers
depended on more on-farm activities. Off-farm sources have low contribution to
income in the District. The most important income sources were obtained from on-
farm activities namely crop (cassava and cashewnut) and local chicken production.
However, income generation was affected by lack of market information, vermine,
lack of market, lack of credit, unreliable rainfall, high cost of inputs, pests andiii
diseases. It was observed from this study that the District is only 28 kilometers from
Dar es salaam, which facilitates easy transportation of produce to the main market
(Kariakoo), and from town to the District. Being near the forest, raw materials for
off-farm activities are obtained easily. Carpentry and charcoal business draws raw
materials from the forest. About 52.5% of the respondents kept records for off-farm
income generating activities. The study, among other things, recommends that
Government and NGOs should mobilize the formation of farmers* groups to
facilitate access to credit. The Ministry of Cooperatives and Marketing should
provide market information to farmers through their associations on what to
produce for both local and export markets. Well articulated official policies and
incentives for the off-farm sector should be developed. Planners and policy-makers
should recognize the important positive implication of improving smallholder
farmers economic situation, and the need to support economic activities in the
overall village development plans. There is a need for the government and Non
Governmental Organizations (NGOs) to provide more technical and financial
support to the farmers to undertake and augment income generating enterprises,
such as simple technologies on processing and preservation of fruits and
vegetables.
Description
MSc. Dissertation in Agricultural Education and Extension
Keywords
Income generating activities, Kisarawe district