Browsing by Author "Ngowi,Edwin E"

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Drivers and barriers to climate‑smart aquaculture adoption: Insights from Mwanza and Mara Regions, Tanzania
(Springer, 2025) Mdoe,Christopher N; Mahonge,Christopher P; Ngowi,Edwin E
Climate-Smart Aquaculture (CSAq) optimizes resource use, minimizes environmental impacts, and enhances resilience to climate stresses. However, adoption remains limited in African countries, including Tanzania, due to socio-economic, institutional, and environmental barriers. This study investigated drivers and enabling conditions for CSAq adoption in the Lake Zone of Tanzania. A cross-sectional survey of 384 smallholder aquaculture farmers in Mwanza and Mara regions was analyzed using a multinomial logit regression model. The results show that socio-economic factors significantly influenced adoption, particularly education level (higher education increased integrated farming adoption; χ2 = 132.48, p < 0.001), gender (male farmers were more likely to adopt integrated farming; χ2 = 5.239, p = 0.003), and household size (larger households favored integrated systems; χ2 = 10.838, p = 0.021). Institutional factors, including access to finance (χ2 = 10.258, p = 0.013), extension services (χ2 = 14.888, p = 0.008), and training (χ2 = 19.564, p = 0.003), facilitated adoption. Environmental conditions, such as proximity to water (χ2 = 6.351, p = 0.048) and lower climate variability (p = 0.011), also influenced uptake. Integrated farming, which combines aquaculture with agriculture and livestock, emerged as the dominant CSAq practice. Polyculture and monoculture were less commonly adopted. The regression results confirmed that integrated CSAq adoption is significantly driven by income diversity, household size, training, and climate risk perceptions. These findings directly inform the study’s recommendations, which emphasize targeted financial and technical support, including access to credit, extension services, and gender-responsive policies. Strengthening institutional capacity and embedding CSAq into national climate adaptation frameworks will be critical for scaling sustainable aquaculture in Tanzania and similar contexts.
Implications of climate-smart aquaculture practices on households’ income and food security in Mwanza and Mara, Tanzania’s Lake Zone
(The North African Journal of Food and Nutrion Research, 2025) Ngowi,Edwin E; Mahonge,Christopher P; Mdoe,Christopher N
Background: Climate-Smart Aquaculture (CSAq) practices present significant opportunity for the mitigation of climate-related challenges within the aquaculture sub-sector, particularly in the Lake Zone of Tanzania, where aquaculture and fisheries are central to household well-being. Aims: This study aimed to evaluate the impact of three CSAq practices—integrated farming, polyculture, and monoculture—on household income and food security. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted between November 2023 and February 2024, involving 384 aquaculture households across the Mara and Mwanza regions. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistical methods, including chi-square and t-tests, to determine the influence of CSAq practices on economic and food security outcomes. Results: The findings revealed that integrated farming significantly enhanced both household income and food security, with participating households achieving a "Very Satisfactory" Household Food Security Index (HFSI) score. In Mara, where integrated farming was more prevalent, households reported significantly higher yields (3303 ± 155 kg) compared to those in Mwanza (2454 ± 146 kg; t = 4.96, p < 0.001). However, Mwanza exhibited significantly higher prices per kilogram (6719 ± 103 TSH) than Mara (5799 ± 122 TSH; t = -5.29, p < 0.001) attributed to superior market access and infrastructure. Polyculture practices, more frequently adopted in Mwanza (35.7%) than in Mara (21.8%), yielded variable impacts on income and food security. Chi-square analysis (χ² = 9.269, p = 0.010) indicated significant regional disparities in CSAq adoption, with Mara exhibiting higher adoption rates of integrated farming (69.3%) compared to Mwanza (56.0%). Conclusions: This study confirmed that integrated aquaculture-agriculture systems significantly improve household income and food security, while monoculture increases vulnerability. Regional variations indicate higher yields in Mara, associated with the widespread adoption of integrated farming, whereas Mwanza benefited from enhanced market access and elevated fish prices. Strengthening financial access, training programs, and institutional support is crucial for enhancing CSAq adoption. Key recommendations include the expansion of extension services, the improvement of market infrastructure, and the fortification of cooperative support systems to ensure sustainable aquaculture.
Mapping the trends, knowledge production, and practices of climate-smart aquaculture scholarship: Empirical insights from bibliometric analysis
(Elservier, 2024) Mdoe,Christopher N; Mahonge,Christopher P; Ngowi,Edwin E
This bibliometric review synthesizes the trends, knowledge, and practices in climate-smart aquaculture (CSAq) research globally, underscoring its significance amidst climate change’s growing threat to food security and aquaculture sustainability. Using the PRISMA 2020 protocol, 369 records from the Scopus database (2010–2024) were systematically analyzed. The research found a significant rise in CSAq publications over the years, particularly from 2013 onward, with the United States leading with 58 publications, followed closely by India (54), China and the United Kingdom (34 each). Germany had the highest total link strength (55), reflecting its extensive international collaborations in CSAq research. Although most research contributions were from developed countries, there was a notable scarcity of CSAq interventions documented in developing regions, despite being disproportionately impacted by climate change. Statistical analysis of publication trends revealed that the most active journals in CSAq research were Aquaculture, Sustainability (Switzerland), Ocean and Coastal Management, and Science of the Total Environment, with the highest output between 2020 and 2024. Annual publication frequency increased steadily, peaking at 64 publications in 2023, but a drop to 19 in 2024 was observed, attributed to the analysis being conducted before the year’s end. Keyword analysis highlighted recurring themes such as “climate change,” “sustainability,” and “food security,” emphasizing the global focus on CSAq as a critical tool for building resilience in aquaculture systems. Notably, Integrated Aquaculture- Agriculture (IAA) emerged as a key practice, alongside polyculture and aquaponics. The study concludes that CSAq research is gaining momentum, driven by global collaborations, but calls for more focus on developing regions, where the impacts of climate change are most severe.
The Synergy of Food Sovereignty and the Politics of Malnutrition in Tanzania: What Works, Why and How?
(Journal of Academics Stand Against Poverty, 2024) Ngowi,Edwin E; Martin,Respikius
Recent data from Tanzania's National Bureau of Statistics show the alarming extent of malnutrition: 35% of under-five children classified as stunted and 15% as underweight, demanding urgent intervention. This paper investigates the synergy between food sovereignty and politics of malnutrition in Tanzania, examining mechanisms, effectiveness, and strategies. It asserts that the interplay between food sovereignty and politics of malnutrition drives socio-economic progress and food security. Using a case study approach, the paper evaluates scalable food sovereignty projects in Tanzania. Interviews with stakeholders, including officials, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and experts, offered insights into the complex relationship. The paper explores “food sovereignty” theory alignment with case studies (the What), rationale for realizing the right-to-food in Tanzania (the Why), and operationalizing policies amid the “politics of malnutrition” (the How). The paper draws on political ecology theory by Bryant and Bailey to explore food sovereignty-malnutrition synergy. Findings reveal that successful food sovereignty projects enhance food security and reduce child malnutrition. Factors include agroecological practices, traditional food systems, women and youth engagement, and community resource mobilization, empowering communities and prioritizing nutrition. Food sovereignty proves transformative in Tanzania and similar contexts, yet structural/political changes are vital to challenging industrial agriculture and global markets. In general, the success of food sovereignty projects in addressing malnutrition in Tanzania illustrates the potential of food sovereignty as a transformative approach to addressing food insecurity and malnutrition. However, achieving food sovereignty requires challenging the dominance of industrial agriculture and global food markets.