Browsing by Author "Lyatuu Thomas M."

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Contribution of round potato production on smallholder farmers’ food security in Meru District, Tanzania
(The sub Saharan Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities (SJSSH), 2023) Lyatuu Thomas M.; Jeckoniah John N.
Round potatoes are cultivated as food and cash crops and have the potential to improve the food security status. This paper analyses factors associated with round potato production to food security in Meru District, Tanzania. The study adopted a cross-sectional research design; multi-stage and simple random sampling techniques were used to select 341 respondents (122 project participants and 219 non-project participants). Mixed methods were used in data collection including structured questionnaires, key informant interviews and focus group discussions. Food security status was estimated using HFIAS, a multiple linear regression model was used to estimate the predictors of food security and the comparison for food security among project and non-project participants was estimated using propensity score matching. Findings showed that the use of quality potato seeds, loan application, availability of other inputs, access to extension services, and area cultivated were important predictors of round potato production (p<0.05). Project participants were more food secure than non-project participants in terms of HFIAS and HDDS, using NNM and MDM principles. Therefore, in the study area potato production contributes to the attainment of food security. It recommended that actors engaged in the promotion of round potato production including the LGA, NGOs and development partners should capitalize on factors identified for improved production and productivity such as more use of technologies, access to extension services, marketing strategies for potato produce, availability of quality seeds and other proper agro-inputs as well as provision of soft loans.
Contribution of round potato production on smallholder farmers’ wellbeing in Meru District, Tanzania
(The sub Saharan Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities (SJSSH), 2023-12-29) Lyatuu Thomas M.; Jeckoniah John N.
Round potato is an important food and cash crop for increasing smallholder farmers' well-being. The paper analyses factors associated with potato farmers’ well-being and assesses the contribution of round potato production on smallholder farmers' well-being in Meru District, Tanzania. The study involved 341 potato farmers (122 project participants of the potato project and 219 non-project participants). The study adopted a cross-sectional research design, multi-stage, and simple random sampling techniques; purposive sampling was used to select active groups of potato farmers, and non-project participants were selected using simple random techniques. Content analysis was used to analyze the qualitative information collected from FGD and Key Informant Interviews (KIIs). Correlation analysis was used to determine factors associated with potato farmers’ income. Propensity Score Matching (PSM) was used to estimate the impact of round potato production on smallholders’ farmers’ income by comparing the Average Treatment Effects (income outcomes/indicators) on the Treated (ATT). The results showed a positive and significant correlation between income and production (yield) (p<0.001), the project participants had better well-being than their non-participants' counterparts. The round potatoes project interventions influenced smallholder farmers’ well-being. It is recommended to actors engaged in the promotion of round potatoes production and productivity for improved well-being including LGAs, NGOs, development partners, research institutions and policymakers to ensure; the availability of improved seeds and other proper agro-inputs (fertilizers and pesticides), aces to extension services and loans