Browsing by Author "Mugula, Joseph Jovin"

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Farmers’ choices for sustainable intensification technologies in Kilosa district, Tanzania
(Sokoine University of Agriculture, 2017) Mugula, Joseph Jovin
The aim of this study was to assess farmers' choices to the adoption of sustainable agriculture practices (SAPs). It specifically aimed at determining the level of adoption profit margin between SAPs adopters and non-adopters and the influence of socio- economic and institution factors to the adoption of sustainable agriculture practices. A cross-sectional research design was used involving 550 smallholders maize fanners. The secondary data collected was used to undertake and enrich the study. Descriptive statistics was used to examine the adoption rale of SAPs among smallholders' farmers in Kilosa District. Binary logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the socio- economic and institutional factors affecting the decision of a farmer to adopt SAPs. Findings indicated that there was a low rate of sustainable agriculture practices adoption (27%) among smallholders farmers in Kilosa district despite the available policies to encourage the use of SAPs. Moreover, profit margin indicated that there was a significant difference between the adopters and non-adopters of SAPs with respect to maize production regarding the mean yield and revenue obtained from the field Education, level of income of farmers, farm size, family size, and extension service were socio-economic and institutional factors that significantly (p<0.05) affected farmers' choice to adopt SAPs. Generally, findings from the study suggested that policy makers at Kilosa District should address the factors that significantly influence the adoption of SAPs and to encourage the delivery of extension services by private agents. This might increase the adoption rate of SAPs among reluctant smallholder farmers for the consistent dissemination of S/\Ps as a way forward towards the sustainable improvement of food security and livelihoods of agriculture stakeholders.
Sustainable agricultural practices: implications on maize yields, household incomes, and food security
(Sokoine University of Agriculture, 2024) Mugula, Joseph Jovin
Sustainable agricultural practices (SAPs) are often promoted as a way to improve sustainable development in agriculture, resulting in subsequent economic growth and development on both national and global scales. The global endorsement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) has directed attention towards initiatives to expand the utilization of SAPs in developing nations. These countries are facing challenges due to population expansion and increased household incomes, which are negatively impacting the sustainability of natural resources. Nevertheless, the current information is insufficient to clarify the implementation of bundled SAPs comprised of intercropping, crop rotation, manure, improved maize seeds, crop residual practices, and associated impacts on several end measures, such as crop yields, household incomes, and food security among smallholder maize farmers in Tanzania. This argument is driven by an integrative framework that merges the theories of utility maximization with the diffusion of innovation. Consistent with prior research, this approach recognizes adoption as a complex activity by a number of factors. Motivated by this phenomenon, the study examined (a) rate and intensity of adoption of bundled SAPs; (b) determinants of adoption of bundled SAPs; (c) impact of adopting bundled SAPs on yields and household incomes; (d) impact of adopting multiple SAPs on food security, nutrition, and poverty indices among smallholder maize farmers in Morogoro region. The data were collected through household and key informants’ interviews. The structured questionnaires were administered to 470 farming households in Kilosa and Mvomero districts in Morogoro region. Data were analyzed using descriptive and quantitative methods. The multivariate regression analysis was used to analyze the determinants of adoption of multiple SAPs. The results reveal that age, gender, family size, education level, farm size, livestock ownership, access to extension services, production shocks, and distance from the market, had a significant influence on the adoption of multiple SAPs. Moreover, the results demonstrate that there were six significant pairwise correlation coefficients across SAPs, indicating that smallholder maize farmers have the potential to adopt SAPs concurrently. The findings support the study’s claim that the adoption of bundled SAPs is significantly influenced by socio- economic and institutions factors. Ordered probit analysis was employed to analyze the adoption intensity of bundled SAPs. The findings reveal that education level, occupation, farming experience, sex of the household head, farm size, plot ownership, geographical area, participation in farmers' organizations, and production diversity, significantly impacted the degree to which SAPs are adopted. Moreover, there were notable disparities in the degree of adoption intensity in contrast to the adoption rates. The findings are in line with the study’s claim that socio-economic factors have significant impact on the number of SAPs adopted. An analysis utilizing multinomial switching regression to analyze the impact of adopting bundled SAPs on crop yields and household incomes demonstrates that the adoption of multiple SAPs had significant economic impacts on both maize yields and household incomes through various combinations comprised of manure, improved maize varieties, crop residual, intercropping, and crop rotation. The endogenous switching regression model was employed to assess the impacts of adopting SAPs on food security, nutrition and poverty indices. The findings reveal that the adoption of improved maize varieties, crop residue use, and crop rotation practices had significant and positive impacts on household's food security and nutrition. In addition, the adoption of improved maize varieties had the most significant impact on poverty indicators, highlighting its capacity to mitigate poverty among small-scale farmers. The study suggests these. Policymakers and agricultural development organizations need to take these significant factors into account when planning, promoting, and enabling the implementation of SAPs. Second, when developing methods to spread the adoption of SAPs, it is crucial to consider the interrelatedness of these SAPs and ascertain an efficient combination of various practices to enhance maize production and household incomes. Third, increasing awareness, providing education to farmers regarding the advantages of using SAPs, and implementing strategies to alleviate the impacts of climate change. Fourth, the implementation of initiatives aimed at enhancing agriculture production through the adoption of SAPs. These initiatives should implement a targeted approach aimed at reaching food-insecure households and disadvantaged agricultural households, with the goal of eradicating hunger and correcting nutritional deficiencies among these vulnerable populations.