Rain-Fed Farming System at a Crossroads in Semi-Arid Areas of Tanzania: What Roles do Climate Variability and Change Play?

Positive changes, like adopting drought resistant crop varieties, in the rain-fed farming system (RFFS) in response to climate variability and change enhance system’s ability to support people’s living as opposed to negative changes, like lack of pastures, which put the system at risk of failure in supporting the living. Using participatory rural appraisal (PRA) and household survey, this paper examined the roles of climate variability and change in triggering changes in RFFS. Specifically, the paper: (i) assessed dominant crop and livestock farming system; (ii) assessed the change element of crop and livestock production systems; and (iii) examined factors for the changes in RFFS. A random sample of 388 households was used. Qualitative data analysis was done through content analysis. Binary logistic regression was used to assess factors that explain changes on RFFS. The results showed that dominant crops were different in each village. Secondly, some changes in crop varieties and in livestock grazing arrangements were noted in response to climate variability and change. Unlike the hypothesis (P>0.05), the results demonstrated that warming (ß = -10.61, Wald = 36.26, P ? 0.001) showed highest significant impact on likelihood of adopting new crop varieties relative to other factors. Similarly, drought (ß = 2.16, Wald = 6.82, P ? 0.009) showed highest impact on the likelihood of changing a grazing place. Yet, the changes were constrained by factors like natural resources protective policies, failure of crop varieties to withstand warming and drought, and poor land use management. Therefore, the RFFS was at a crossroads with implications on system sustainability and livelihoods. The government and private interventions should support farmers and agro-pastoralists to manage risks related to the changes in RFFS in response to climate variability and change. Keywords: Climate change, agro-pastoralism, livelihoods, semi-arid, Tanzani

Factors influencing effective delivery of extension services on soil and water conservation practices in Western Amhara Region, Ethiopia

Tanzania Journal of Agricultural Sciences (2020) Vol. 19 No. 2, pp. 227-237The study was conducted in Western Amhara Region of Ethiopia to determine the linkage between personal, socio-economic and institutional characteristics and effectiveness of delivery of extension services on Soil and Water Conservation (SWC) practices among smallholder farmers. Data were collected using questionnaire survey and checklist from nine kebeles and 383 randomly selected farmers. The study found that effectiveness of extension service delivery on SWC practices in the study area largely depends on the farmers’ personal, socio-economic and institutional characteristics. Therefore, the study concludes that demand-driven extension service delivery is more effective when farmers’ personal, socio-economic and institutional characteristics are addressed and policies and legal frameworks are in place to guide the extension service delivery. The study draws a number of policy and research implications including the development of policies and strategies that the Amhara National Regional State should approve for addressing personal, socio-economic and institutional variables of farmers as a means for effective delivery of extension services on SWC practices in the study area and areas with similar conditions

Factors influencing effective delivery of extension services on soil and water conservation practices in Western Amhara Region, Ethiopia

Tanzania Journal of Agricultural Sciences (2020) Vol. 19 No. 2, pp. 227-237The study was conducted in Western Amhara Region of Ethiopia to determine the linkage between personal, socio-economic and institutional characteristics and effectiveness of delivery of extension services on Soil and Water Conservation (SWC) practices among smallholder farmers. Data were collected using questionnaire survey and checklist from nine kebeles and 383 randomly selected farmers. The study found that effectiveness of extension service delivery on SWC practices in the study area largely depends on the farmers’ personal, socio-economic and institutional characteristics. Therefore, the study concludes that demand-driven extension service delivery is more effective when farmers’ personal, socio-economic and institutional characteristics are addressed and policies and legal frameworks are in place to guide the extension service delivery. The study draws a number of policy and research implications including the development of policies and strategies that the Amhara National Regional State should approve for addressing personal, socio-economic and institutional variables of farmers as a means for effective delivery of extension services on SWC practices in the study area and areas with similar conditions

Differences in Schistosomiasis Knowledge among irrigation rice farming communities in different Irrigation Schemes in Tanzania

International Journal of Tropical Disease & Health, 2013; 3(1): 13-24Aim: To assess differences in schistosomiasis knowledge in farmers working in traditional, improved traditional and modern irrigation schemes in Tanzania. Study Design: A cross-sectional survey among farmers practicing irrigation rice farming, in 2 different regions and 6 different irrigation systems. Place and Duration of Study: The study was carried out between November and December 2011 in the Morogoro and Kilimanjaro Regions, Tanzania. Methodology: Equal number of irrigators in each scheme was employed. Irrigators were chosen randomly by the researcher from the list of all farmers actually engaged in rice irrigation farming provided by the village governments in the six schemes. Two hundred and fourty samples (240) were used, 120 from each region (40 farmers practicing irrigation rice farming in each scheme). Independent sample t-test was used for testing schistosomiasis knowledge differences among irrigators between schemes with the same design and construction of their infrastructures between the two regions. Results: More than 88% of irrigators surveyed in Kilimanjaro schemes had better knowledge regarding to all schistosmiasis items asked compared to those in Morogoro, particularly Chabi scheme-traditional. There were significant difference on irrigators knowledge on schistosomiasis symptoms (P<0.001), and predisposing factors (P<0.001) between Morogoro and Kilimanjaro Modern schemes. Knowledge on predisposing factors differed significantly (P<0.001) between irrigators in Morogoro and Kilimanjaro improved traditional schemes. Moreover significant difference were noted on irrigators knowledge on schistosomiasis symptoms (P<0.001), predisposing factors (P<0.004) and schistosomiasis control measures (P=0.003) between irrigators in Morogoro and Kilimanjaro traditional schemes. Conclusion: From the results it appears that the level of farmers’ knowledge of schistosomiasis is related to: proximity to health facilities of the community, trainings that have been provided to farmers and farmer’s literacy rate. However the government should be responsible to improve health facilities, construct roads and deliver schistosomiasis education to communities in irrigation areas even for schemes which have not been planned, designed and constructed by the government

Schistosomiasis: A comparative study of its socioeconomic consequences in different types of irrigation schemes in Tanzania.

Global Advanced Research Journal of Agricultural Science 2012, Vol. 1(8) pp. 240-249This study was carried out through a cross-sectional design in June through August, 2010 in modern, improved traditional and traditional irrigation schemes in Kilimanjaro and Morogororo Regions, Tanzania. A total of 240 irrigation rice farming respondents were selected purposively at head, middle and tail of each scheme. Interviews using structured questionnaires with closed and open-ended questions were used to collect data. T-test was used to determine variation in different variables for infected farmers between irrigation schemes, and for the same variables between infected and non-infected farmers within the same irrigation schemes. Infection was least at a traditional scheme, but high at a modern scheme both in Kilimanjaro Region. Consequently, infected farmers at Kilimanjaro modern scheme lost the highest number of working days on treatment and care of oneself/family members, 14-30 days per season compared to 4-13 days for infected farmers at a traditional scheme in Morogoro Region. We also found significant difference on income accrued from rice selling between infected farmers in modern (p > 0.001) and traditional schemes (p > 0.001). Moreover, there was a significant difference in net working hours per month between infected versus non-infected farmers in modern (p>0.001), improved traditional (p = 0.006) and traditional (p > 0.001) schemes. Since some of infected farmers in Morogoro schemes sold what could have been their food, assets and livestock the study concluded that schistosomiasis has not only caused illness to those infected, but it had impact on socio- economic development of those infected and their households at large

Schistosomiasis: A comparative study of its socioeconomic consequences in different types of irrigation schemes in Tanzania

Global Advanced Research of Agricultural Science, 2012; 1 (8): 240-249This study was carried out through a cross-sectional design in June through August, 2010 in modern, improved traditional and traditional irrigation schemes in Kilimanjaro and Morogororo Regions, Tanzania. A total of 240 irrigation rice farming respondents were selected purposively at head, middle and tail of each scheme. Interviews using structured questionnaires with closed and open-ended questions were used to collect data. T-test was used to determine variation in different variables for infected farmers between irrigation schemes, and for the same variables between infected and non-infected farmers within the same irrigation schemes. Infection was least at a traditional scheme, but high at a modern scheme both in Kilimanjaro Region. Consequently, infected farmers at Kilimanjaro modern scheme lost the highest number of working days on treatment and care of oneself/family members, 14-30 days per season compared to 4-13 days for infected farmers at a traditional scheme in Morogoro Region. We also found significant difference on income accrued from rice selling between infected farmers in modern (p > 0.001) and traditional schemes (p > 0.001). Moreover, there was a significant difference in net working hours per month between infected versus non-infected farmers in modern (p>0.001), improved traditional (p = 0.006) and traditional (p > 0.001) schemes. Since some of infected farmers in Morogoro schemes sold what could have been their food, assets and livestock the study concluded that schistosomiasis has not only caused illness to those infected, but it had impact on socio- economic development of those infected and their households at large

Differences in Schistosomiasis Knowledge among irrigation rice farming communities in different Irrigation Schemes in Tanzania

International Journal of Tropical Disease & Health, 2013; 3(1): 13-24Aim: To assess differences in schistosomiasis knowledge in farmers working in traditional, improved traditional and modern irrigation schemes in Tanzania. Study Design: A cross-sectional survey among farmers practicing irrigation rice farming, in 2 different regions and 6 different irrigation systems. Place and Duration of Study: The study was carried out between November and December 2011 in the Morogoro and Kilimanjaro Regions, Tanzania. Methodology: Equal number of irrigators in each scheme was employed. Irrigators were chosen randomly by the researcher from the list of all farmers actually engaged in rice irrigation farming provided by the village governments in the six schemes. Two hundred and fourty samples (240) were used, 120 from each region (40 farmers practicing irrigation rice farming in each scheme). Independent sample t-test was used for testing schistosomiasis knowledge differences among irrigators between schemes with the same design and construction of their infrastructures between the two regions. Results: More than 88% of irrigators surveyed in Kilimanjaro schemes had better knowledge regarding to all schistosmiasis items asked compared to those in Morogoro, particularly Chabi scheme-traditional. There were significant difference on irrigators knowledge on schistosomiasis symptoms (P<0.001), and predisposing factors (P<0.001) between Morogoro and Kilimanjaro Modern schemes. Knowledge on predisposing factors differed significantly (P<0.001) between irrigators in Morogoro and Kilimanjaro improved traditional schemes. Moreover significant difference were noted on irrigators knowledge on schistosomiasis symptoms (P<0.001), predisposing factors (P<0.004) and schistosomiasis control measures (P=0.003) between irrigators in Morogoro and Kilimanjaro traditional schemes. Conclusion: From the results it appears that the level of farmers’ knowledge of schistosomiasis is related to: proximity to health facilities of the community, trainings that have been provided to farmers and farmer’s literacy rate. However the government should be responsible to improve health facilities, construct roads and deliver schistosomiasis education to communities in irrigation areas even for schemes which have not been planned, designed and constructed by the government