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

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

Capacity Building In Information And Communication Management (ICM) Towards Food Security

This paper addresses capacity strengthening needs in the area of ICM to support food security initiatives. It fully acknowledges that FS is a state of assuring physical availability and economic accessibility to enough food in terms of quantity (amount, distribution, calories), quality (safe, nutritious, balanced) and cultural acceptability for all people at all times for a healthy and active life. It starts by outlining how ICM can support strategies to ensure availability, access, acceptability, adequacy, and agency and it highlights key information needs in each case. A FS Information and Communication Web is developed basing on a generic conceptual framework of determinants of food security. The web delineates information needs that would support strategies to ensure adequacy of food, stability of supply, and access – physical and economical. The paper then articulates capacity strengthening needs in line with the three dimensions or levels of food security: national, community and household. Four case studies: (i) Uganda’s ICT policy and Food Security (ii) Human Resources needs at community level drawing experiences from Africa and Asia (iii) HR Capacity Development Needs in Africa by the IMF (iv) Audio visual and farmer skills in Mali – serve to demonstrate grassroots ICM applications that support food security initiatives, and in each case it points to theme specific capacity strengthening needs. The studies, as a result, demonstrate how enhanced ICM capacity can support food security through: developing suitable ICT policies, empowering communities with ICM knowledge, improving development planning, enhancing agricultural productivity, supporting marketing systems, improving natural resources management and conservation, and through effective execution of early warning systems – all having implications for food security. The paper concludes by presenting a summary of capacity strengthening needs. These range from sensitization of regional and national policy makers, down to technical skills required by data collectors, analysts and information generators, knowledge disseminators and also knowledge users. To achieve the above the paper proposes roles that may be played by governments, NGOs, education sector, research and development institutions, regional and international organizations, and CTA.Capacity Building, Food Security, ICM, Tanzania

Explaining Productivity Variation among Smallholder Maize Farmers in Tanzania

Using a stochastic frontier production model proposed by Battese and Coelli (1995), the paper estimates the levels of technical efficiency of 233 smallholder maize farmers in Tanzania and provides an empirical analysis of the determinants of inefficiency with the aim of finding way to increase smallholders’ maize production and productivity. Results shows that smallholder productivity is very low and highly variable, ranging form 0.01t/ha to 6.77t/ha, averaging 1.19t/ha. Technical efficiencies of smallholder maize farmers range from 0.011 to 0.910 with a mean of 0.606. Low levels of education, lack of extension services, limited capital, land fragmentation, and unavailability and high input prices are found to have a negative effect on technical efficiency. Smallholder farmers using hand-hoe and farmers with cash incomes outside their farm holdings (petty business) are found to more efficient. However, farmers who use agrochemicals are found to be less efficient. Policy implications drawn from the results include a review of agricultural policy with regard to renewed public support to revamp the agricultural extension system, and interventions towards improving market infrastructure in order to reduce the transaction element in the input and output marketing.Productivity variation; smallholder farmers; technical efficiency; maize; tanzania

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

Coconut Productivity and the Status of Improved Agricultural Technologies at Small-Scale Level in Tanzania: Country Experience after National Coconut Development Program

In the mid-seventies, there was a steady decline of coconut production in Tanzania hence the government established the National Coconut Development Programme (NCDP) from 1979-2004 aimed at promoting of coconut sub-sector industry in Tanzania. However, since then there is little information on coconut production and productivity in the country and less is known on the status of improved agricultural technologies. This paper therefore, investigates the current production and productivity of coconut at small-scale level and the status of improved agricultural technologies (IATs). Primary data were solicited by interviewing 150 farm households, focus group discussion which involved 68 members and key informants which involved 30 people. Results indicate that coconut production in terms of nuts/year in Tanzania decreased at a rate of 2.2% per annum while at other end of the spectrum yield in terms of nuts/ha decreased at a rate of 0.5% per annum. Furthermore, only 22% of the small-scale farmers applied improved technologies for coconut production while rest (78%) of the farmers practiced conventional methods. Decreasing of production and productivity in the study areas is associated with low use of improved technologies and poor extension services. Promotion of coconut research and development (R&D) activities, extension services and dissemination of improved technologies are recommended by this study. Keywords: Coconut Production, Productivity, Small-Scale Level, Improved Technologies, Tanzani

Assessment on Economic Support and Value of Hygiene of Butcher shops among Beef Consumers in Tanzania.

The study was conducted to reveal consumer support to hygiene of butcher shop using a linear restriction approach to beef retailers’ sales income; and direct evaluation through choice based experiment. The average retailer’s sales income as an aggregate consumer expense on beef was realized to be affected by hygienic appearance for building, serving-storage equipment and attendants (p=005). Consumer choice preference to hygiene was positive (p<0.001) and they were willing to pay more for hygiene than the beef intrinsic attributes (p=0.05). It was concluded therefore that consumer expenses and choices for beef is motivated by hygiene. Retailers should be encouraged to improve the hygienic standard of butcher shops as a consumer requests besides abiding to rules and regulations. Key words: conjoint analysis, consumer, hygiene, income, linear restriction, retailin

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

Social Economic Factors Affecting Consumption of Sweet Potato Products: An Empirical Approach

The objective of the study was to analyze factors affecting consumption of value added products of sweet potato. The study was conducted in Shinyanga rural and Mwanza urban. Using cross sectional design, the study employed individual interviews, focused group discussions; review of relevant practical documents and discussions in data collection from a total of 200 surveyed households. Data collected was summarized using Statistical Package of Social Science (SPSS) windows versions 18.0.Analyses of the factors hypothesized to influence the consumption of sweet potatoes was carried out using multiple regression analysis. The goodness of fit of the model which is high as measured using coefficients of determination (R2). The higher value of R2 suggests that variables included in the model explained about 73% of the variations in the dependent variable. The F –Value is significant, indicating that the explanatory variables were statistically significant in explaining variation in the dependent variable. Furthermore, Variation Inflation Factor confirms absence of serious collinearity problem. Similarly, Durbin Watson test confirms the absence of autocorrelation. Furthermore, the data revealed that the sizes of land owned and education level are highly statistically significant at (p < 0.01) and statistically significant (p < 0.05) respectively. Hence there is need for farmers to increase the land area for sweet potatoes production to medium scale. Regarding to sweet potato prices it was found to vary from one node to another. However, there are a number of challenges facing the development of the sweet potato industry in Tanzania. The chronic shortage of seed is the most important challenge that needs to be dealt with (33.1%). Others were lack of capital (26.8%) unpredicted weather and pests/insect attack were the most critical challenges facing the subsector. Keywords: Sweet potato, value added products, consumption, Michembe, Matobolw

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