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Sokoine University of Agriculture Institutional Repository (SUA IR). This repository was built and is maintained by the university library (Sokoine National Agricultural Library-SNAL) , in order to collect, preserve and disseminate scholarly output generated by University research community (staff and students) members.
This repository hosts a variety of openly accessible materials including: scholarly articles and books, theses and dissertations, conference proceedings and technical reports. For assistance about depositing your research output in the repository click here. SUA IR Policy click here or any queries contact us at snal@sua.ac.tz.
Recent Submissions
Food vending marketing and promotion strategies in school environments in Tanzania
(The sub Saharan Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities, 2023-12-26) Muhomba, Elina S.; Msollo, Safiness S.; Mwanri, Akwilina W.
Marketing and consumption of ultra-processed foods have increased across countries in Africa and it is
associated with the risk of childhood obesity. The current school food environment has been reported to contribute to the
increase in obesity rates worldwide; hence a need for increasing attention to the roles of the school environment in changing
children’s dietary behaviour. This study assessed marketing and promotion strategies for foods sold around the school
environments in Tanzania. A cross-sectional study involved 335 parent/caregiver-child pairs from rural and urban settings of
Morogoro region. A stratified sampling technique was used to acquire a sample of children from registered primary schools.
The schools were stratified into districts based on location and sampled separately through a probability sampling technique
whereby, the population of school children in each school was divided into strata based on school ownership and area of
residence. A total of eight schools were sampled with an equal number of private and public schools in each of the locations.
Data on food marketing and promotion strategies were collected from 32 food vendors while information on food availability
and factors influencing purchasing behavior were obtained from the children through structured questions. An observation
checklist was used to collect additional information on food availability and marketing and promotion strategies for foods
sold around the school environment. Data was analyzed using IBM -SPSS) version 21 software. Chi-square was used to test
the difference between foods available in rural and urban school environments. The findings revealed that 60% of foods were
processed in rural compared to urban areas (40%). More ultra-processed foods such as carbonated soft drinks, candies and
ice lollies were identified in the urban (60.8%) than in rural-based schools (39.2%). The most purchased foods around
schools were potato balls (49.4%), ice cream (47.5%), corn snacks (chama) (46.2%), chocolates (43.9%), carbonated soft
drinks (37.3%), candies (36.6%) and sweet ice-lollies (34.4%). The most common marketing and promotion strategies around
schools were posters, price reduction and packaging. Feeling hungry, food price, environment and social pressure were the
factors contributing to food purchasing behaviour for foods sold around schools. Most of the foods consumed around the
schools were ultra-processed and multiple marketing and promotion methods were used. The government through the
Ministry of Education should regulate the types of foods sold in schools and plan for healthier school meals for all students by
strengthening the school feeding program.
Fruit consumption and storage practices among rural households in Chamwino district, Dodoma, Tanzania
(African Journal of Food Science, 2023-07) Ngawembela, Mwanaisha Assim; Mwanri, Akwilina Wendelin; Chove, Lucy Mlipano
Fruit consumption is still a challenge in many parts of Africa, and hence micronutrient deficiency
continues to be a serious problem in the continent. This study was conducted between December 2017
and May 2018 in Chinoje and Mzula villages in Chamwino district, Dodoma to assess availability of fruit,
consumption, storage practices and nutrient content. People responsible for food preparation were
interviewed from 345 randomly selected households by using semi-structured and food frequency
questionnaires. Multiple logistic regression model was used to determine the relationship between
frequency of fruit consumption and household socio-economic features by using SPSS. Laboratory
analysis was conducted to determine nutrient content of baobab, which was the most consumed fruit.
Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was used to determine if significant variations existed in the nutritional
quality of baobab fruit by using SAS. Only 35% of the households consumed fruit daily, while the
majority consumed fruit from one to three days in a week. Monthly income, household size and
headship significantly affected fruit consumption at p<0.05. Most of the baobab fruits were stored in
polypropylene sacks (77.4%), followed by plastic buckets (3.3%) and others as shelled fruit (18.4%).
Significant losses in Vitamin C and total carotenoids were observed in baobab fruits that were stored in
sacks. Storage of baobab fruit in plastic bucket is recommended for quality maintenance of nutrients.
Write effectively: a practical guide to academic writing for colleges and universities
(Dar es Salaam University Press (DUP), 2023) Mohamed, Hashim Issa; Nyinondi, Onesmo Simon
Write Effectively: A Practical Guide to Academic Writing for Colleges and Universities is a
comprehensive guidebook designed to help students, researchers and
professionals to navigate smoothly in their academic writing journey. The book
provides in-depth insights into each listed aspect of academic writing with
examples based on how each of the listed topics needs to be addressed.
Furthermore, the book contains practices in each section and at the end of each
chapter. This is followed by chapter summaries and key takeaways. We believe
that these tutorials and engaging activities will, to a great extent, provide a working
tool to the readers, which, if used as per the instructions, will potentially help them
escape writing blocks.
We are mindful that efforts have been made in enhancing academic writing skills
(including regular reviewing and strengthening of academic communication skills
courses) in colleges and universities in Tanzania. However, evidence is frequent
from external examiners’ reports indicating that problems related to
communication skills including academic writing inabilities are still widespread
among students in many colleges and universities in Tanzania (see also Komba
and Mohamed, 2016; Mohamed and Nyinondi, 2016; Mohamed, 2021).
Moreover, students’ writing inabilities in colleges and universities in Tanzania are
the realities authors of this book have been encountering in their everyday
working life as communications skills instructors. Undoubtedly, uncovering
academic writing mediocrity among students is an important step towards
addressing the problem and it should be followed by developing learning materials
on academic writing, such as this book. Thus, this book contributes to the ongoing
efforts of enhancing academic writing skills among students in colleges and
universities by providing self-explanatory tutorials and using a practical approach
to engaging readers’ interaction with the book; we believe this is among the major
strengths of the book.
This practical guide is an indispensable resource for anyone intending to enhance
their academic writing skills including students, researchers or professionals in
various fields. The book is written in an easy-to-understand style, making it
accessible to a wide range of readers. It is an important tool for writing academic
texts with precision, clarity, economy and supporting evidence. The
comprehensiveness and straightforward approach used in the book are attested
by the comments of our internal reviewers who consistently commended the
Trends in communication strategies through traditional medicine: responding to the COVID-19 pandemic in Tanzania
(East African Journal of Education and Social Sciences, 2024) Nyinondi, Onesmo S.
This study sought to establish trends in communication strategies through traditional
medicine in Tanzania. The study employed the descriptive content analysis design as it was crucial for
gaining insights into how language and communication strategies impact the utilization of traditional
medicine in the context of COVID-19 management in Tanzania. The study involved a comprehensive
documentary review of COVID-19 communication materials used in Tanzania to establish how
language and communication strategies impact the utilization of traditional medicine in the context of
COVID-19 management in Tanzania. Data was analyzed through the qualitative content analysis
approach.The study concludes that COVID-19 communication materials made commendable efforts to
reach the diverse linguistic communities in Tanzania, taking into account the country's linguistic
diversity. Kiswahili and English emerged as the dominant languages, which aligns with the linguistic
distribution of the population. This approach promotes inclusivity and ensures access to information.
The materials demonstrated effective translation and interpretation, highlighting a commitment to
accurate translation and cultural sensitivity. It is advisable to incorporate multiple languages, including
local languages, to make the campaigns more accessible and relatable to linguistically diverse
communities in Tanzania. Secondly, it is imperative to maintain clear communication strategies that
empower individuals with varying levels of health literacy. Furthermore, when discussing traditional
remedies, adopting an objective approach and stressing the significance of consulting healthcare
providers for well-informed decision-making is essential. Moreover, the strategic use of visual
elements should be employed to ensure a consistent and well-structured presentation of crucial
information
Income Linkage as an Aspect Of Power Relations Among Chain Actors In The Groundnuts Seed Value Chain In Kongwa And Kiteto Districts, Tanzania
(Tanzania Journal of Community Development, 2022) Mulokozi, G. G.; Massawe, G. D; Mwololo, J.
This study aims at addressing limited knowledge on income linkages and
power dynamics within the groundnuts seed value chain. The study
population comprised members from three clusters: research institutes,
village and district authority level, including innovation platform members in
Kiteto and Kongwa Districts. Primary data was collected through focus
group discussions and interviews, while secondary data was obtained from
records relating to the groundnut crop and its value chain. Four Focus
Group Discussions (FGDs) (two in Mlali Village-Kongwa District and two in
Kiteto District) with a total of 48 purposively selected respondents
participated in the discussions. Key informants were also selected using a
purposive sampling technique to obtain a range of cases with relevant
knowledge of the groundnut seed value chain. Social network data on
income linkages among actors was analysed using the UCINET statistical
software package integrated with the NETDRAW program to determine
centrality measures and the level of influence and importance among chain
actors. Qualitative data from semi-structured interviews were also
analysed through content analysis involving breaking, comparing, and
categorizing to complement the social network data. The study revealed
that farmers and middlemen had the highest relative normalized
betweenness compared to other actors in both district and village levels,
indicating that they are powerful due to their importance in the value chain
setup. The study concluded that there is a need to ensure inclusive and
improved income linkages both vertically and horizontally with other actors
for stable and functional groundnuts seed value chain.