Adoption and impact of treadle pump on farm productivity: A case of Mbarali District, Mbeya Region
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Date
2006
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Sokoine University of Agriculture
Abstract
This study was undertaken with a view of assessing factors determining adoption of treadle
pump and how it impacts farm productivity in Mbarali district, Mbeya region. The specific
objectives were: to identify factors determining adoption of treadle pump; analysing
financial and economic performance; examining relationship between treadle pump
adoption and farm productivity; determining whether treadle pump complements adoption
of other improved technologies and finally to make suggestions on sustainable usage and
dissemination of the treadle pump. Nature of the study was descriptive and exploratory
involving both primary and secondary data. Prior to data collection, rapid rural survey was
conducted. Purposive and simple random sampling techniques were employed to get
adopters and non-adopter of treadle pump. The study employed Probit model, Cobb-
Douglass production function, Chi-square and gross margin as analytical tools for
addressing the specific objectives.
Analytical results showed that, household size and
presence of male members in a household have a positive influence on adoption of treadle
pump. Such an observation reflects labour intensity of the treadle pump where the
technology is more suited to man. On the other hand increased education, age and income
reduce the chances of adoption. At farm level, treadle pump contributes to farm
productivity and has positive gross margin. Results indicated that, adoption of treadle
pump has complemented adoption of insecticide used at farm level. From the survey,
treadle pump is associated with vegetable grown year round and agro-pastoral fanning
system. From the study findings it is recommend that, manufacturing of the treadle pump
be improved to avoid gender biasness associated with the present model, which is labour
intensive. Current distribution channel should be improved to insure that, product reach the
end users. The project should be replicated to other areas with similar conditions and neediii
of addressing poverty. Policy makers should recognize and orient resources towards the
technology as one with potentials of improving crop production and alleviating poverty
among the smallholder farmers in Tanzania.
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Thesis
Keywords
Tread pump, Mbarali District, Mbeya, Farm productivity