Assessment of farmers' access to quality maize seed in improving rural livelihoods: a case study of southern highlands of Tanzania
| dc.contributor.author | Peter, Nickson Elia | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2026-06-11T10:43:53Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2026-06-11T10:43:53Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2004 | |
| dc.description | Dissertation | |
| dc.description.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. | |
| dc.description.sponsorship | CPP/Southem Highland Maize Promotion Project, | |
| dc.identifier.uri | https://www.suaire.sua.ac.tz/handle/20.500.14820/7650 | |
| dc.language.iso | en | |
| dc.publisher | Sokoine University of Agriculture | |
| dc.subject | Seed Industry | |
| dc.subject | Seed management | |
| dc.subject | Local seed | |
| dc.subject | Certified seed | |
| dc.title | Assessment of farmers' access to quality maize seed in improving rural livelihoods: a case study of southern highlands of Tanzania | |
| dc.type | Book |