Browsing by Author "Samwel, D. T."

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Socio-economic implications of brown streak disease on cassava production among smallholder farmers in Kisarawe district, coast region, Tanzania
(Sokoine University of Agriculture, 2018) Samwel, D. T.
Cassava Brown Streak Disease (CBSD) has been among major challenge to sustainable smallholder cassava production in Kisarawe District. A smallholder cassava farmer’s survey was conducted using personal interviews to determine the implication of CBSD on cassava production and income at smallholder farmer’s level in Kisarawe District. Data were collected using structured questionnaires in a cross-sectional survey involving 107 respondents in two selected wards and villages in Kisarawe District. Descriptive statistics were used to determine farmers’ opinions on the extent of infestation on farms. Cobb Douglas production model was used to determine the implication of CBSD and other variables on the cassava yield. Disease risk perception was measured using the likert scale on three point scale. In the study, experience and extension services, had negatively influenced cassava yield. Conversely, farm size, education, marital status, family size and sex positively influence the yield. Also marital status, extension services, farm size and sex had a positive influence on income. However, the study concluded that CBSD had significant negative implication on cassava yield as well as gross margins (GM). Thus, this study provides useful information about the implication of the CBSD on smallholder cassava production and on specific socioeconomic parameters that farmers, extensionists, researchers and policy makers can use in designing appropriate interventions towards mitigating the negative implication of CBSD on overall cassava productivity.