Urio, Pia Andrew2025-09-242025-09-242005https://www.suaire.sua.ac.tz/handle/123456789/7045Master's ThesesThis study investigated contribution of cowpeas to household food, nutrition and income in Mbarali and Njombe districts in the Southern Highlands of Tanzania. Data was collected using structured questionnaire in which random samples of 150 households, 30 traders and 30 street vendors from each district were interviewed. A checklist was used to key informants including the extension workers. The data was analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) programme. Descriptive statistics such as frequencies, percentages and means were used to make inferences about the studied households. Results showed that 99 and 51% of the respondents in Njombe and Mbarali districts cultivated cowpeas. Cowpeas were grown for food and cash in 72 and 67% of households in Njombe and Mbarali districts. Average of between 2.8-3.3 and 1.1-1.8 acres per household were under cowpea cultivation in Njombe and Mbarali districts, respectively. In Njombe district, where cowpea is more predominant than in Mbarali only 26 and 33% of the households produced sufficient cowpeas for own consumption, respectively. The study also showed that average sales of cowpeas per household per season were 255kg for Njombe and 147kg for Mbarali district. Surveyed traders sold more beans (104kg/day) compared to cowpeas (68kg/day). Street vendor customers preferred stiff porridge or rice with beans. Small businesses contributed about 52.3 and 78.5% of household income out of which 4 and 3% was income from cowpeas, respectively in Njombe and Mbarali districts. Over the four years, production, consumption and sales decreased, due to cropping system, higher prices of agricultural inputs, diseases and pests, lack of different recipes and lack of reliable markets for the produce. Given the potential cowpea has in reducing household malnutrition in resource-poor households this study recommends increased production of cowpeas and explore market opportunities because cowpeas have big market inside and outside the country.enCowpea productionHousehold foodHousehold socio-economic statusMbarali districtsNjombe districtsThesis