Nutrition Improvement Projects in Tanzania: Appropriate Choice of Institutions Matters\ud

Nutrition Improvement Projects (NIPs) are sets of planned activities specifically undertaken as interventions to reduce malnutrition and its associated problems in the communities. The study focused on five NIPs of varying nature. The projects included the internationally known Iringa Nutrition Project, and the National Salt Iodation Project. Others include, a locally processed weaning food, and smallholder agricultural-based projects. The aligning of institutions for delivering primary health services attempted by some nutrition improvement projects in Tanzania seems to be in disharmony with the organizational capacities, and therefore causing high transaction costs. On the other hand, things look promising for the deliverance of non-public good services. The private sector - through the use of market mechanism, and more involvement of the civil society as a way of increasing the participation of beneficiaries, hold the key to success for that matter. Such arrangements are likely to be favoured by the continuing economic changes in the country.\u

The Impact of Foreign Direct Investment on Agricultural Productivity and Poverty Reduction in Tanzania

In this paper, the impact of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) on agricultural productivity and poverty reduction are examined. Factors that hinder FDI flow to agriculture in Tanzania are assessed. Specifically, the role of FDI in improving an agricultural firm’s efficiency in Tanzania and reforms required for more effective investment promotion in agriculture are examined. The study uses literature review to draw its conclusions and policy recommendations. It is observed that FDI has a positive impact on productivity especially to smallholder farmers who are linked in integrated producer schemes. The study recommends rethinking of the smallholder institutional setup for increasing productivity and FDI flow to the agricultural sector. An important implication of the results is that FDI to Tanzania and specifically to agriculture, has a much more far- reaching economic and social impact than in other sectors.FDI; Smallholders; Integrated Producer Schemes; Agricultural Productivity; Poverty Reduction; Tanzania

Environmental implications of phytoextraction for mercury and gold : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Earth Science

The overall objective of this study was to investigate how plants could be used to harvest gold (phytomining) and at the same time remove mercury (phytoremediation) from auriferous mercury-contaminated soils. This study was undertaken to find appropriate plants that could be used to harvest gold, residual in mine tailings or in uneconomic low-grade ore, and at the same time remove residual mercury, commonly used to extract the gold in artisanal mining areas. Different procedures involving analytical methodology, leaching of acid mine tailings and the growing of plants in both gold and mercury-bearing substrates were undertaken. The analytical methods involved in the analysis of gold in the laboratory using the modern instruments were Flame Atomic Absorption Spectrometry (FAAS) and Graphite Furnace Atomic Absorption Spectrometry (GFAAS). The determination of mercury involved using Flameless Atomic Absorption Spectrometry. To understand the induced solubility of metals in phytoextraction, Tui mine tailings were leached with several chemicals known to solubilise gold: ammonium thiocyanate, ammonium thiosulphate and urea. The pH of the tailings material was varied through amendment with lime to examine the effect of this geochemical parameter on metal solubility and thus the potential for both plant uptake and leaching. The Tui mine tailings were chosen because of their geochemistry; these are highly weathered sulphide-ore tailings that leach heavy metals into adjacent water systems. The induced-phytoextraction potential of root crops was also examined in this thesis. Five root crops were grown in an artificial substrate consisting of 3.8 mg/kg (ppm) of elemental gold dispersed in sand. The possibility of using these root crops for phytomining was determined by separately adding chelating agents ammonium thiocyanate and ammonium thiosulphate to the substrate. In most cases there was a higher gold concentration in the roots than in the shoots. The highest mean gold concentrations were found in carrot roots and in roots of two radish cultivars. It was concluded that there was some potential for the use of carrot to grow an economic crop of gold from mine tailings. Results obtained from experiments where plants were grown in Tui tailings indicated that both chicory and Brassica juncea could be used for the phytoextraction of gold and mercury in the same crop. Under acidic conditions thiocyanate induced the uptake of gold by Brassica juncea and the uptake of mercury by chicory; and thiosulphate induced the uptake of mercury by chicory, but it did not induce the uptake of gold by the same plant. Under alkaline conditions, treatment with ammonium thiosulphate induced the uptake of gold and mercury by Brassica juncea; and treatment with thiosulphate induced the uptake of mercury by chicory but it did not induce the uptake of gold. It was therefore concluded that, Brassica juncea could be used for phytoextraction of gold and mercury when ammonium thiosulphate is applied to the substrate. Results from the root-crop experiment indicate that, carrots could supersede most of the plants used due to the greater apparent metal-uptake potential. Finally, a model is proposed for field trials to examine the potential of phytoextraction for gold and mercury in Tanzania. The aim of this model is to examine how the positive results obtained from research conducted in the laboratory and greenhouse can be put into practice. The use of similar plants as well as traditional tropical species (e.g. wild cassava - a known accumulator of cyanide) is suggested along with suitable chemical amendments

Estimation of Technical Efficiency in Tanzanian Sugarcane Production: A Case Study of Mtibwa Sugar Estate Outgrowers Scheme

This study describes the technical efficiency of sugarcane production and the factors affecting this efficiency. The study was conducted in Turiani Division, Mvomero District, Morogoro Region, Tanzania. Specifically, the study determined and compared the level of technical efficiency of outgrower and non-outgrower farmers, and examined the relationship between levels of efficiency and various specific factors. A cross sectional single-visit survey that included randomly selected representative samples of 140 outgrower and non-outgrower farmers was conducted. To estimate technical efficiency analysis was done using a (FRONTIER Version 4.1) computer program for stochastic frontier production and cost function estimation developed by Coelli, (1996). Technical efficiency was estimated using the Cobb-Douglas production frontier assumed to have a truncated normal distribution. The results of the estimation showed that there were significant positive relationships between age, education, and experience with technical efficiency.Technical efficiency; Outgrowers; Sugarcane; Morogoro; Tanzania

Access and Use of E-Resources in Tanzanian Academic and Research Institutions: A Summary of Survey Report

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Performance of Semi-Formal Microfinance Institutions in Tanzania: A case study of selected SACCOs and BRAC Tanzania

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Education Financing through Volunteering Resource Networking in Tanzania: Supporting the Disadvantaged Students

Education has never been free in human history. There are various costs associated with its access and management.  In some countries, governments have waived or abolished school fees, yet families take care of indirect or other supportive school requirements. Although the government of Tanzania abolished fees from primary to Secondary education in 2016, parents have been paying school fees at advanced secondary education. As a result, students from disadvantaged communities have been facing a great challenge in attaining advanced secondary education.  Hence, in January 2018, Dr. Msuya Scholarship Award was founded to support disadvantaged students. This study used the mixed research approach to collect data.  A total sample of 91 participants was used including 64 beneficiaries, 11 heads of secondary schools, 15 parents and 1 scholarship coordinator from Dr. Msuya Foundation. The findings indicated that the scholarship successfully supported 111 students who were able to complete their advanced secondary education. Out of those, 93 passed and joined various higher learning institutions for further learning. The scholarship raised community awareness on undertaking collective responsibility in financing education. It promoted the spirit of unity and charity. The study recommends collaborative approaches to finance education through mobilized community resources