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Sokoine University of Agriculture  Institutional Repository (SUA IR). This repository was built and is maintained by the university library  (Sokoine National Agricultural Library-SNAL) , in order to collect, preserve and disseminate scholarly output generated by University research community (staff and students) members.

This repository hosts a variety of openly accessible materials including: scholarly articles and books, theses and dissertations, conference proceedings and technical reports. For assistance about depositing your research output in the repository click here. SUA IR Policy  click here or any queries contact us at snal@sua.ac.tz.

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Recent Submissions

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Dynamics of adjusted net national income per capita and its determinants: aAplication of ardl and vector error correction models to Sub-Saharan Africa
(Eastern and Southern Africa Journal of Agricultural Economics & Development, 2025-03) Kadigi,Barthlomeow R; Sanga,Gody J; Mgeni,Charles P; Kadigi,Michael L
Over the past few decades, the Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) region has experienced a myriad of economic challenges, including highly dynamic trade trends, fluctuating commodity prices, stagnating capital accumulation trends, varying levels of foreign investment, and rapid population growth. These, coupled with the region's unique socio-economic landscape, necessitate a comprehensive understanding of how different variables interact to shape income outcomes. This paper employs the Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) and Vector Correction Models (VECM) to analyse the dynamics of Adjusted Net National Income Per Capita (ANNIPC). The results show complex interdependencies of capital formation, trade, inflation, and demographics indicating that increased gross capital formation and manageable inflation positively affect ANNIPC. This underscores the need for policymakers in SSA to prioritise capital investment strategies, such as infrastructure development and enhanced financial access, to spur sustainable economic growth. Additionally, improving export capacities and trade balances for elevating income levels and paying attention to population dynamics is essential. Similarly, integrating human capital enhancement through education and skills training into economic policies remains one of the important focal areas. We also found a quick adjustment to long-run equilibrium among variables that underscores the need for proactive policymaking to mitigate short-term economic shocks. A comprehensive approach, considering these interconnected factors, will be critical for SSA's governments to create a stable economic environment, ultimately fostering resilience and prosperity in the region.
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Evaluation of the UAC tool carrier used in maize production system
(Sokoine University of Agriculture, 1980) Kwiligwa, Emmanuel Makenzi Bundala
The Uyole Agricultural Centre (UAC) toolbar was developed to provide an effective animal drawn cultivation and planting device for use in low- rainfall farming systems and capable of manufacture by local artisans. This work describes an essential element of the development process for this toolbar viz its evaluation in practical maize production system. The evaluation was made in terms of capacity, labour requirement, draught force, costs and weed control compared with conventional methods. A split-plot design in randomized block of two replications was laid out. Main treatments included four tillage systems (hand hoe plus hand planting; mouldboard plough plus hand planting; UAC tool carrier tine plus hand planting and UAC tool carrier tine plus planter) while sub treatments included two weeding methods (hand weeding and UAC tool carrier weeder). The UAC tool carrier tine plus hand planting, and UAC tool carrier plus planter tillage treatments gave the lowest mean grain yields of maize. There was a significant difference at 1% probability level between tillage means. There was no significant difference between weeding means. The UAC tool carrier planter gave a lower plant population than hand planting. The UAC tool carrier was not effective as a weed control tool on uncultivated plots. It resulted into more weed shoot counts and weed dry weights. There was a correlation between maize grain yields per hectare and weed dry weight per hectare. The variance ratio was highly significant at 1% probability level showing a sufficiently good fit of regression relationship. The proposed UAC tool carrier system (direct drilling; 1st weeding by hand hoe on maize rows; requirement (46?4 of the purely labour input system) and increased the area cultivable per farm family. But 1st weeding by hand hoe on maize rows which was intended to be a quick operation was limiting. The proposed system also gave not only the lowest total costs of maize production per hectare but was one of the systems that gave the highest value of a day’s manpower. The draught force of the UAC tool carrier tine was lower than that of the mouldboard and ridger even when sweeps are attached on the former. The increase in rake angle did not have a remarkable change on the draught. The sweeps on the UAC tool carrier tine brought about more soil disturbance than without them although they increased the draught force. The unexpectedly high force to overcome rolling resistance was probably due to the size and weight of the UAC tool carrier.
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Effects of tillage induced soil physical and hydrological properties on the soil water balance and the growth of sorghum in the semi arid areas of Tanzania.
(Sokoine University of Agriculture, 1997) Chenjerayi, Guzha Alphonce
Conservation of soil water is an important management objective for crop production objective is thus imperative. The integrated effects of tillage-induced soil physical and hydrologic properties on soil water balance on a sandy loam soil were evaluated. The field experiment consisted of five tillage treatments, namely tied ridging (TR), no till (NT), disc plough (DP), strip catchment tillage (SCT), and hand hoe (HH). Data measured in the field included soil moisture content, bulk density, surface roughness, infiltration, surface runoff and evaporation. Infiltration rates and depths were higher for the tilled soils than the untilled soils. The DP treatment had the highest cumulative infiltration. TR had low cumulative infiltration not significantly different from the NT treatment. SCT and HH treatments had almost similar values for cumulative infiltration but less than DP. The Kostiakov (1932) and Phillip (1957) infiltration models were fitted to the infiltration data and gave good fit. Depression storage determined using Mitchell and Jones (1976) depth-storage model was highest in the TR treatment. The higher the surface roughness the greater the depression storage volume. Regression analysis showed that random roughness decreased exponentially with increase in rainfall. Tillage increased total porosity and the DP plots in the semi arid tropics. Identification of the best tillage methods to achieve thishad the highest values. However total porosity decreased with cumulative rainfall in all treatments. Evaporation experiment results showed that a more open tillage-induced surface structure increased evaporation losses particularly during the first stages of evaporation. This resulted in higher cumulative losses for the DP and HH tilled soils than the other treatments. It therefore appeared that the acclaimed beneficial "soil mulch" effect was masked by the initial higher evaporation losses from the tilled soils under the atmospheric evaporative demands of the study area. Mean separation of the measured soil moisture showed significantly higher levels of soil moisture in the TR plots than the other treatments. Higher soil moisture contents were associated with treatments having higher depression storage. Field measured surface runoff after each rain storm also showed marked differences between the treatments. The tied ridged plots had the least runoff while the NT plots recorded very high runoff losses. Saturated conductivities estimated using van Genutchen model were highest in the DP soils and lowest in the NT soils. Analysis of the pF curves revealed that tillage reduced available water content and the NT had the highest total available water among all the treatments.
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Improving maize production practices in a semi-coral area in Pemba
(Sokoine University of Agriculture, 2014) Omar, Ali Mohammed
Maize (Zea mays L.) is an important food crop grown in the semi-coral area in Pemba. Despite its high yield potential, it is giving low yields because of lack of appropriate information on varieties, plant population and fertilizer recommendations. Keeping this in view, the present study was done to establish the best combination of variety, plant density and nitrogen fertilizer for maximizing maize yield in the semi-coral area. Three improved varieties (Staha, Situka and TMV-1) were compared with the local variety (JKU) at three plant densities (44 444,53 333 and 66 666 plants/ha) and four nitrogen levels (23, 46, 70 and 90 kg N/ha) during the 2013 cropping season. A field experiment was laid out using a randomized complete block design in split-split-plot arrangement with three replications. Varieties were kept to the main plots, plant densities to the sub-plots and nitrogen levels to the sub-subplots. Results indicated that Staha produced significantly (P < 0.05) higher grain yield (4.953 tons/ha) followed by the local variety (4.411 tons/ha). The local variety flowered and matured earliest. Plant density had no significant effect on flowering, maturity and seed rows/cob but recorded significantly tallest plants (1.848 m) at 66 666 plants/ha and greatest yield (4.291 tons/ha) at 53 333 plants/ha. Application of 90 kg N/ha led to significantly (P < 0.05) tallest plants but delayed flowering and maturity while 70 kg N/ha was better for the yield and yield components. Interaction of variety with plant density, variety with nitrogen fertilizer and plant density with nitrogen fertilizer were all significant for the grain yield. Interaction of variety with plant density and nitrogen led to significantly highest grain yield (6.415 t/ha) from Staha with 66 666 plants/ha and 70 kg N/ha and therefore recommended for the semi-coral area.
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Effectiveness of agricultural credit on paddy productivity in Kilombero district, Tanzania
(Sokoine University of Agriculture, 2016) Mageka, Rose
The study on which this dissertation is based was conducted to determine the effectiveness of agricultural credit on paddy productivity among smallholder farmers in Kilombero District, Morogoro Region. The study focused on the amount of credit provided to smallholder paddy farmers, improved agricultural inputs, and paddy productivity between credit receivers and non-credit receivers. It also assessed the impact of credit on paddy productivity. The data for this study were collected using a household questionnaire that was administered to a sample of 160 households, 80 of whom had received credit and 80 others who had not. MS Excel and Statistical Product and Services Solutions (SPSS) Version 20 were used to analyse the data. Multiple linear regression was used to establish the influence of credit and some other factors on paddy productivity. The average paddy yields for credit receiving farmers were higher (1641 kg/ha) compared to the yields of paddy from non-credit receivers (1288kg/ha). Credit receipt or otherwise influenced paddy yields negatively, but the influence was not significant (p > 0.05). Despite the non- statistically significant influence of access to credit on paddy yield, credit for paddy production is very important for smallholder farmers to alleviate capital constraints. This was said by focus group participants. Furthermore, the results indicated that labour had a positive influence on paddy productivity which was statistically significant (0 = 0.170, P < 0.05); and improved seeds significantly influenced paddy productivity (0 = 0.414, P < 0.05). Fertilizers also significantly influenced paddy productivity (0 = 0.206, P < 0.05). Based on the findings of this study, it is concluded that receiving credit and using it with the above significant factors appropriately increase paddy productivity in Kilombero District. On the basis of the conclusion, it is recommended that agriculture stakeholders should strive to ensure that credit support facilities and/or agencies support smallholder farmers effectively. Further credit conditions, particularly availability, accessibility, and timeliness should be observed to enhance fanners’ access to agricultural inputs timely.