Assessment of factors influencing farmers’ nutrition knowledge and intake of traditional African vegetables in Tanzania

Traditional African Vegetables (TAVs) form a significant component of many families’ diets in Tanzania. Traditional African Vegetables contribute to reduction of malnutrition, stunting and poor health among consumers by providing vitamins and essential minerals in family diets. However, the consumption of vegetables is still below the per capita per day intake level recommended by World Health Organization and Food and Agriculture Organization, causing millions of deaths annually due to nutrientdeficiency related diseases. This study examined the factors that influence the nutrition knowledge, frequency intake and farming households’ attitudes towards consumption of traditional vegetables. The Standard Poison and the Generalized Poison models were used for analysis. Factor analysis was used to assess the attitudes towards TAVs consumption. Data were collected from randomly selected 63 households in Arumeru District of Tanzania in the months of July to November 2015. Generalized Poison model results showed that gender of the respondent, years of schooling, age of the respondent, household size and TAVs farm size influenced farmers’ nutrition knowledge. Frequency intake of TAVs is influenced by the farmers’ age, annual household income, household size, TAVs farm size and market price of TAVs. Factor analysis results indicated that medicinal properties of traditional vegetables positively influenced farmers’ intake of vegetables. The “health factor” accounted for 31.4% of the total variance in the principal components analysis. ‘Personal perception factor’ accounted for 13.79% whereas ‘personal taste factor’ accounted for 12.71% of the total variance. It was concluded that rural farming households consume traditional vegetables majorly because of their health attributes. Thus, there is need to improve medicinal and nutritional knowledge of these crops among households. These findings imply that consumption of TAVs can be enhanced by educating households on nutrition importance and medicinal attributes of TAVs. Besides, farmers need training on simple but user-friendly technologies that could prolong storage and preserve freshness as well as nutritional contents of traditional vegetables.Keywords: Traditional vegetables, nutrition knowledge, frequency intake, farmers’ attitude, Arumeru Distric

Factors influencing smallholder farmers’ inputs use in major bean production corridors in Kenya

This study analysed socio-economic determinants for inputs use in major bean corridors in Kenya. It comprised 417 respondents sampled from four major bean corridors. A structured questionnaire was used in data collection. Probit model was used to assess determinants of input use among the bean-farming households. From the results, 74% of respondents were male with a mean age of 48.6 years. The probability of using agricultural inputs increased with education level and income from crop sales. Fertilizer was mainly used in Bomet (73%) and Narok (74%) counties. Eighty-five percent planted recycled seeds. Education level and Income from crops positively influenced inputs use. It was concluded that education level, incomes from sale of crops, livestock and livestock products, and farm income influenced use of inputs. As a recommendation, Capacity building on merits of input use and promotion of public-private partnerships to strengthen input supply system would enhance increased input use by smallholder farmers.Keywords: Bean, inputs, determinants, Keny

Attitudes of Farmers, Traders and Urban Consumers Concerning Consumption of Traditional African Vegetables in Tanzania

Traditional African Vegetables (TAVs) form a significant source of food and nutritional security in rural areas of Sub-Saharan Africa. Consumption of TAVs in the region also plays a major role in providing dietary fiber and other important components in the prevention of chronic and lifestyle diseases. However, the consumption of vegetables per individual is still below the recommended level by WHO and FAO. This study determined the attitudes concerning consumption of TAVs in Tanzania. Descriptive statistics and principal components analysis were used to analyze data. Data was collected from randomly selected 63 farmers, purposively selected 65 traders and 262 consumers in Manyire, Embaseny and Bangata markets in Arumeru District, Tanzania. The results showed that of the eleven attitude statements presented to respondents, five scored over 90% and two over 80% on the positive end of the Likert Scale. Three of the remaining four statements scored over 80% and one over 50% on the negative end of the Likert Scale. These four statements carried negative attitudes and also received negative responses; essentially making them positive attitude statements. It was therefore concluded that farmers, traders and consumers have a positive attitude concerning consumption of TAVs. Factor analysis results showed that health, perception and taste factors were the prime movers of attitudes concerning TAVs consumption among farmers, traders and urban consumers. The health factor was the main prime mover for farmers and traders, and the second one for urban consumers. As consumption of TAVs moves away from the farm to urban markets, the importance of the taste factor shifts from the third position for farmers to the first position for urban consumers. Hence taste was the main driver of attitudes for TAVs consumption in urban areas. However, the importance of the perception factor diminishes from the second position for farmers to the fourth position for traders and consumers. It was therefore concluded that there is need to increase knowledge of health benefits for these crops to a larger population across the board. It is also important to train farmers, traders and consumers on innovative ways of mixing various TAVs varieties during preparation, and cooking techniques to enhance taste

Influence of multi-stakeholder linkages and practices on the adoption of technologies and innovations in lower Eastern Kenya

The study is an assessment of how the factors related to multi-stakeholder linkages and practices (MSLIAD) influence the adoption of Gadam sorghum technologies and practices by farmers in six sub-counties in lower eastern Kenya where past public-private-partnership development initiatives have been implemented. The factors studied included: (i) farmers’ attitude towards MSLIAD, (ii) prevailing policies, (iii) coordination of stakeholders in production and provision of services, (iv) competition among the stakeholders, (v) information sharing among the stakeholders, and (vi) collective action in access to markets. Stratified random sampling was used to select 165 household heads who were interviewed using a structured questionnaire. Data were analysed using both descriptive and inferential statistics. Significant (p <.05) negative influences were found to exist between the MSLIAD factors and the adoption of technologies and practices by the farmers. Strong linkages between research, policy and practice were found necessary to enhance technology adoption. Further, existing linkages should be clearly defined for proper coordination of information sharing and feedback across all communication levels

Influence of multi-stakeholder linkages and practices on the adoption of technologies and innovations in lower Eastern Kenya

The study is an assessment of how the factors related to multi-stakeholder linkages and practices (MSLIAD) influence the adoption of Gadam sorghum technologies and practices by farmers in six sub-counties in lower eastern Kenya where past public-private-partnership development initiatives have been implemented. The factors studied included: (i) farmers’ attitude towards MSLIAD, (ii) prevailing policies, (iii) coordination of stakeholders in production and provision of services, (iv) competition among the stakeholders, (v) information sharing among the stakeholders, and (vi) collective action in access to markets. Stratified random sampling was used to select 165 household heads who were interviewed using a structured questionnaire. Data were analysed using both descriptive and inferential statistics. Significant (p <.05) negative influences were found to exist between the MSLIAD factors and the adoption of technologies and practices by the farmers. Strong linkages between research, policy and practice were found necessary to enhance technology adoption. Further, existing linkages should be clearly defined for proper coordination of information sharing and feedback across all communication levels

Assessment of Technical Efficiency of Smallholder Coffee Farming Enterprises in Muranga, Kenya

The Kenyan coffee industry is a major contributor to Kenya’s economy. The industry is a top foreign exchange earner coming fourth after tourism, tea and horticulture. The sector directly and indirectly supports over 6 million people, making it one of the leading sources of livelihood in the country. Despite the immense contribution, the production of coffee in Kenya has declined significantly over the past decades – associated with inefficiencies – resulting in increased poverty in coffee-dependent communities. This paper explores the determinants of technical efficiency in Murang’a County; a leading coffee producing region in Kenya. The analysis of the data followed a two-step approach following Helfand and Levine (2004). In the first step, technical efficiency measures were calculated using the non-parametric data envelopment analysis (DEA) model. In the second step, the estimated technical efficiency scores were regressed on a set of explanatory variables which included farm size, household characteristics and various indicators for institutional arrangements and adoption of technology. Results showed that the average technical efficiency was low at 54%. The findings show that farm size, coffee variety, access to credit, farmers’ age and household size are critical determinants of technical efficiency in coffee farming. It is therefore concluded that adoption of improved varieties especially by youthful farmers and increased access to credit facilities which help farmers to purchase market inputs for coffee enterprise would increase TE and ultimately coffee productivity

Determinants of consumer knowledge, frequency of intake and attitudes on traditional African vegetables in Tanzania

Consumers in sub-Saharan Africa derive a major portion of their diets from vegetables which have been found to play a significant role in human nutrition, especially as important sources of vitamins, essential minerals, dietary fiber, and various phytochemicals. However, the consumption of vegetables is still below the recommended level by WHO and FAO. This study examined the factors that influence the nutrition knowledge, frequency intake and attitudes of consumers towards Traditional African Vegetables (TAVs) consumption. Generalized poison and factor analysis were used for analysis. Data were collected from purposively selected 262 consumers in Tengeru, Embaseny and Bangata markets in Arumeru District, Tanzania. Results showed that years of schooling, age and nature of occupation influenced consumer’s nutrition knowledge. Intake Frequency of TAVs was influenced by distance to the market, taboos, price of TAVs and consumers annual income. Factor analysis results indicated that taste, health, freshness and perception influenced consumption of TAVs. These findings imply that consumption of TAVs can be enhanced by educating consumers on the health benefits of TAVs. There is also need to train consumers on preparation and cooking techniques of preserving taste as well as promoting storage technologies which would preserve freshness and nutritional contents of TAVs

Determinants of consumer knowledge, frequency of intake and attitudes on traditional African vegetables in Tanzania

Consumers in sub-Saharan Africa derive a major portion of their diets from vegetables which have been found to play a significant role in human nutrition, especially as important sources of vitamins, essential minerals, dietary fiber, and various phytochemicals. However, the consumption of vegetables is still below the recommended level by WHO and FAO. This study examined the factors that influence the nutrition knowledge, frequency intake and attitudes of consumers towards Traditional African Vegetables (TAVs) consumption. Generalized poison and factor analysis were used for analysis. Data were collected from purposively selected 262 consumers in Tengeru, Embaseny and Bangata markets in Arumeru District, Tanzania. Results showed that years of schooling, age and nature of occupation influenced consumer’s nutrition knowledge. Intake Frequency of TAVs was influenced by distance to the market, taboos, price of TAVs and consumers annual income. Factor analysis results indicated that taste, health, freshness and perception influenced consumption of TAVs. These findings imply that consumption of TAVs can be enhanced by educating consumers on the health benefits of TAVs. There is also need to train consumers on preparation and cooking techniques of preserving taste as well as promoting storage technologies which would preserve freshness and nutritional contents of TAVs