Browsing by Author "Mwaseba, Dismas L."

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If technology is the answer, what does it take?
(Taylor & Francis, 2016) Haug, Ruth; Hella, Joseph P.; Msolla, Susan Nchimbi; Mwaseba, Dismas L.; Synnevag, Gry
This article aims to assess why technology such as improved crop varieties has not taken off in Tanzania in spite of substantial efforts, and to consider what role policy plays in that regard. Few farmers use improved varieties due to reasons such as affordability in relation to the low profitability of farming; high risk, including fake seed in the market; and unpredictable policies and marketing opportunities. Effective governance is needed for agriculture to be transformed in the direction stated in national policy documents, but weak institutions and the collective interests of farmers not being sufficiently recognised hinder the likelihood of necessary technological changes happening. Cet article cherche à évaluer pourquoi les technologies comme les variétés de cultures améliorées n’ont pas décollé en Tanzanie, malgré des efforts considérables, et à réfléchir au rôle que les politiques générales jouent à cet égard. Rares sont les agriculteurs qui ont utilisé les variétés améliorées, ce pour des raisons comme l’accessibilité par rapport à la faible rentabilité de l’agriculture ; les risques importants, y compris les fausses semences présentes sur le marché ; et des politiques et opportunités de commercialisation imprévisibles. Il faut une gouvernance efficace pour que l’agriculture puisse être transformée de la manière présentée dans les documents de politiques nationales, mais la faiblesse des institutions et le fait que les intérêts collectifs des agriculteurs ne sont pas suffisamment reconnus entravent la possibilité de changements technologiques suffisants. El presente artículo propone valorar las razones por las cuales, a pesar de los importantes esfuerzos realizados, en Tanzania no ha sido adoptada la tecnología —por ejemplo, aquella que ha producido variedades mejoradas de cultivos. Asimismo, el artículo señala que es necesario comprender el papel que en este sentido desempeñan las políticas públicas. Se constata que muy pocos campesinos utilizan las variedades mejoradas, lo cual responde a diversas razones: la accesibilidad a las mismas en relación con la pobre rentabilidad que deja el cultivo; el alto riesgo generado por la incertidumbre en el mercado, donde se evidencia, por ejemplo, la existencia de semillas espurias; las impredecibles políticas públicas y oportunidades de venta. Por lo que, para transformar la agricultura en el sentido trazado por los documentos de políticas nacionales, se requiere contar con un gobierno efectivo. Sin embargo, la presencia de instituciones débiles y la poca atención prestada a los intereses colectivos de los campesinos disminuyen la probabilidad de impulsar las necesarias transformaciones tecnológicas.
Impact of agricultural research:
(Norwegian University of Life Sciences, 2005-09) Mwaseba, Dismas L.
This study focuses on the role of agricultural research in development. In particular, the study draws on the experiences based on agricultural research conducted during the period 1980- 1990 in the Southern Highlands and Eastern Zones of Tanzania. The two zones arc part of a total of seven agricultural research zones of the National Agricultural Research System (NARS), managed by the Department of Research and Development in the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security. The findings reported in this study are based on a review of earlier impact studies and fieldwork focusing on the impact of rice research programmes in the two zones. The latter, in particular, paid attention to the adoption of selected rice research-based innovations, impact of rice research on food security, and the economic costs and benefits of rice research. The review of the impact studies shows that, unlike at the international level where, since the 1990s. attention has largely focused on the poverty reducing effects of agricultural research, no similar attention has been given to the role of agricultural research in poverty reduction in Tanzania. This fits in within a broad context in which agricultural research and extension have hardly been sufficiently able to address the needs of the poor fanners. Moreover, the limited use of selected rice research-based innovations is further evidence of the inability of agricultural research to generate innovations that cater for the different categories of farmers including the poor. This study also shows a weak impact of rice research on food security. Although this could be attributed to the limited impact of rice research on crop productivity, the multiple livelihoods that farmers seek to achieve through rice production imply that food security should be understood in the context of livelihood strategics pursued by the farmer. In reference to the economic impact of rice research, besides the rates of return, which vary widely depending on assumptions informing the analysis, the study also found great fluctuation of the benefits of research reflecting the unstable nature of rice fanning carried out under rainfed conditions and limited inputs.
The contribution of the RIPAT approach in the adoption of agricultural technologies in the uluguru mountains
(Mkuki na Nyota Publishers Ltd, 2023) Nyanda, Suzana S.; Martin, Respikius; Mwaseba, Dismas L.
Extension services play pivotal roles in linking farmers to knowledge, information and technologies that are central to attaining agricultural productivity. The limited number of extension agents coupled with the use of inappropriate approaches in the delivery of extension services has been regarded as one of the causes of low adoption of agricultural technologies. To overcome this, innovative and cost-effective agricultural extension approaches have been developed and promoted. One of such approaches is the Rural Initiatives for Participatory Agricultural Transformation (RIPAT) which forms the focus of this chapter. Specifically, the chapter presents: (i) the role of the RIPAT approach in the adoption of agricultural technologies, (ii) technologies promoted by the RIPAT-SUA project and their adoption by farmers, and (iii) factors affecting the adoption of the promoted technologies. The findings presented are drawn from an exploratory cross-sectional research done in six randomly selected villages surrounding the Uluguru Mountains where the RIPAT-SUA project has been implemented. A total of 238 households (120 RIPAT participating farmers and 118 non-group farmers) were randomly selected from the project villages for the farmers' survey. Additionally, a total of 15 key informants were involved in in-depth interviews. Desk review of project documents was also conducted. Descriptive statistics and content analyses were used for the quantitative and qualitative data analysis respectively. The study found that a basket of options that gave farmers the opportunity to choose the technologies they can implement was the key to adoption of technologies. In this respect, 92.5% of the group members adopted more than two technologies whereas 69% of non-group members adopted at least two technologies from the basket of options. The RIPAT approach has great potential to reach many farmers through its scaling-up tactic involving the RIPAT start and RIPAT spreading groups using lead farmers. This approach can facilitate the dissemination of new agricultural technologies in situations with limited professional extension workers. The study therefore recommends that the Ministry of Agriculture should integrate the RIPAT approach in the public agricultural extension framework.