Assessment of farmers' access to quality maize seed in improving rural livelihoods: a case study of southern highlands of Tanzania
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Date
2004
Authors
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Publisher
Sokoine University of Agriculture
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to identify lhe current livelihood strategics used by farmers in
improving their access to good quality maize seed and livelihoods in general
particularly a Her market liberalization of 1990s in Tanzania. Specifically the study aimed
al analysing: the role of maize in the study area and the Victors affccling fanners' access
lo improved maize seed, how fanners managed seed, fanners' knowledge, perception and
practices on maize secd/crop. The study was conducted in Mponcla, Ibembwa, Mangawe
and Ihimbo villages. The villages are among sixteen villages under the Southern
Highlands Maize Promotion Project. Focus group discussions, informal discussions with
individual fanners and questionnaire interviews were used to collect data. Major tool of
analysis was descriptive statistics including cross tabs, means, percentages and
frequencies. Logit regression model was used to asses the factors that affect (armers,
access to improved maize seed. Results of the study have shown that maize is an
imporlant crop in the SHZ used to meet food and cash needs. Both local and improved
maize seed arc important in lhe production of maize in the study area. However,
observation shows that local maize seed are more cultivated than improved. Farmers
perceive local maize the most reliable source of food while iniproved varieties are
perceived good (or marketing. Regression analysis results indicated that gender and the
distances traveled to acquire the improved maize seed significantly (p<0.05) fanners'
access to those seed. Among other factors high prices of improved seed and the associated
inputs make them less applied. This implies that although liberalization has increased
supply oT improved maize varieties it has not supplied the varieties, which satisfactorily
meet lanners' need. This observation suggests that more eflbrts are needed such as
increasing the budget share to increase the capacity of National Breeding Program so that
it meets successfully the needs of farmers. The study recommends that there is a need lo I
the breeding programs should come up with maize seed varieties that meet (bod and cash
needs. Similarly it was observed that farmers' local knowledge was the most reliable
source o「information for seed management. Fanners perceived local knowledge
inadequate I or seed management particularly management of improved varieties. It is
rcconuncndcd that more trainings of farmers are needed for improving fanners'
knowledge of seed management. There is a need also to improve farmers' seed and maize
sioragc slruclurcs by supplying them with modern equipment to reduce post harvest
losses.
Description
Dissertation
Keywords
Seed Industry, Seed management, Local seed, Certified seed