Browsing by Author "Mussa, Kassim R."

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Eliciting smallholder farmers’ tradeoffs and preferences on the attributes of climate smart agriculture in the breadbasket areas of Tanzania using a conjoint experiment method
(Science Publishing Group, 2015-11-13) Mussa, Kassim R.; Saria, Josephat A.; Kusiluka, Lughano J. M.; Jiwaji, Noorali T.; Gwambene, Brown; Pauline, Noah M.; Msofe, Nangware K.; Tegeje, Juma A.; Messo, Innocent
While policy and decision-makers are striving to enhance food security amidst maddening impacts of climate change, climate smart agriculture is thought of as a promising breakthrough for responding to climate change impacts in Tanzania and elsewhere in the world as it strives to increase food productivity; build resilience of agricultural systems to climate change impacts and reduce agricultural greenhouse gas emission. Studies show that agricultural sector is both, a cause and a victim of climate change. It significantly contributes greenhouse gases to the atmosphere. However, achieving climate change mitigation through agriculture without compromising food security is a huge policy and research challenge, some scientists say, it is practically impossible. This study sought to determine tradeoffs and preferences of smallholder farmers on the attributes climate smart agricultural practices, specifically modeling choices of smallholder farmers using choice experiment method. Upon estimating three different models, positive utilities were observed in high productivity, Moderate and low GHG emission as well as on moderate and high resilient farming systems. Smallholder farmers showed a complete disutility on low and moderate agricultural productivity, high GHG emission and low resilient farming systems. The models therefore justified the fact that, attaining more yield without a compromise in greenhouse gas emission reduction targets is a blue-sky dream. In order to concisely inform policy, more research on farmers’ preference and tradeoff on the attributes is needed to establish a scientific and logical progression about the tradeoffs people are willing to make with regard to the attributes of climate smart agriculture practices.
The use of the DRASTIC-LU/LC model for assessing groundwater vulnerability to Nitrate contamination in Morogoro municipality, Tanzania.
(MDPI Earth, 2022-11-07) Mkumbo, Neema J.; Mussa, Kassim R.; Mariki, Eliapenda E.; Mjemah, Ibrahimu C.
Groundwater is a useful source of water for various uses in different places. The major challenge in the use of this resource is how to manage and protect it from contamination. The current study was conducted in Morogoro Municipality to identify vulnerable groundwater areas by using DRASTIC-LU/LC model. The study applied eight input parameters, i.e., depth to water table, net recharge, aquifer media, soil media, topography, impact of vadose zone, hydraulic conductivity and land use/land cover patterns, which were overlaid in GIS to generate groundwater vulnerable map. The model used rating (R = 1–10) and weighting (W = 1–5) techniques to assess the effect of each parameter on groundwater contamination. The DRASTIC-LU/LC Vulnerability Index map was classified into low- (area = 29.2 km 2 ), moderate- (area = 120.4 km 2 ) and high-vulnerability zones (area = 124.4 km 2 ). Nitrate analysis was conducted using the cadmium reduction method (DR 890) to assess the validity of the model and it was observed that 55%, 15% and 50% of the samples with unacceptable (>50 mg/L), high (29–50 mg/L) and moderate (14–28 mg/L) nitrate concentrations, respectively, fall into the high-vulnerability zone. Furthermore, 45%, 70% and 50% of the samples with unacceptable, high and moderate nitrate concentrations, respectively, fall into the moderate- vulnerability zone. In the low-vulnerability zone, only 15% of samples were found with a high nitrate concentration.