The Impact of Agricultural Research on Poverty and Income Distribution: A Case Study of Selected On-farm Research Projects at Sokoine University of Agriculture, Morogoro, Tanzania

Tanzania Journal of Agricultural Sciences 2013, Vol. 12(1): 1-

The impact of agricultural research on poverty and income distribution: A case study of selected on-farm research projects at Sokoine University of Agriculture, Morogoro, Tanzania

Tanzania Journal of Agricultural Sciences (2013) Accepted August, 2010 Vol. 12 No. 1, 1-9Improved technologies induce productivity growth that generates pro-poor improvement processes. However, improving welfare and equity is a difficult task. This study investigated whether interventions in agriculture benefit farmers who are more capable to derive sufficient gains than others using data from on-farm research projects in Tanzania.Data were collected during baseline and impact assessment studies using questionnaires. The distributions of income were assessed using coefficients of variation, Gini coefficients and Theil’s Tstatistic. Results show that the projects contributed to increase farm income through enhanced productivity and sales of products and these gains were equitably shared. To encourage adoption and sustainability of these interventions it is important to sensitize Local Government Authorities and Agricultural Sector Lead Ministries on these technologies to allow incorporation of research findings in development plans. Involvement of extension staff in research and demonstrations through farmers’ shows should also be encouraged to increase adoption

The capacity of on-farm research in reducing poverty: Experiences from twenty seven projects in Tanzania

Tanzania J.Agric.Sc. (2007) Vol. 8 No.2, 103 -114 Accepted May, 2008Poverty can be categorized into income poverty and non-income poverty. At the smallscale Jarmers level income poverty results Jrom low productivity oj agricultural enterprises. hence low sales oj products. On the other hand. non income poverty encompasses a wide range oj live phenomena, including level oj education, poor survival strategies, poor nutritional status. lack oj clean and saJe drinking water, poor social wellbeing, vulnerability , etc. In 2000/01 about 62% oj households in Tanzania succumbed to income poverty. While the Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP) was silent on research as one oj the strategic approaches to reduce poverty in Tanzania, a study was conducted between 2001 and 2004 by Sokoine University oj Agriculture (SUA) in collaboration with the Agricultural Sector Lead Ministries (ASLMs) to evaluate the effectiveness oj onjarm research and development (R&D) approaches in bringing about poverty reduction amongst the smallholder Jarmers in the country. The study was based on 27 projects under Tanzania Agricultural Research Project Phase II (TARPII) managed by SUA (TARPII-SUA) conducted in the Eastern and Southern Highlands Zones oj country. By responding to a questionnaire. smallholder Jarmers evaluated technologies introduced through research. Results have shown that smallholder Jarmers' poverty could be signijkantly reduced by inb'oducing appropriate technologies. Thus. on average, participating Jarmers observed reductions in income poverty by the period oj this study. It is concluded that introduction oj technologies through onJarm research increases technology adoption and reduces income poverty

The impact of agricultural research on poverty and income distribution: A case study of selected on-farm research projects at Sokoine University of Agriculture, Morogoro, Tanzania

Tanzania Journal of Agricultural Sciences 2013, Vol. 12(1) : 1-9Improved technologies induce productivity growth that generates pro-poor improvement processes. However, improving welfare and equity is a difficult task. This study investigated whether interventions in agriculture benefit farmers who are more capable to derive sufficient gains than others using data from on-farm research projects in Tanzania.Data were collected during baseline and impact assessment studies using questionnaires. The distributions of income were assessed using coefficients of variation, Gini coefficients and Theil’s Tstatistic. Results show that the projects contributed to increase farm income through enhanced productivity and sales of products and these gains were equitably shared. To encourage adoption and sustainability of these interventions it is important to sensitize Local Government Authorities and Agricultural Sector Lead Ministries on these technologies to allow incorporation of research findings in development plans. Involvement of extension staff in research and demonstrations through farmers’ shows should also be encouraged to increase adoption

The impact of agricultural research on poverty and income distribution: A case study of selected on-farm research projects at Sokoine University of Agriculture, Morogoro, Tanzania

Tanzania Journal of Agricultural Sciences 2013, Vol. 12(1) : 1-9Improved technologies induce productivity growth that generates pro-poor improvement processes. However, improving welfare and equity is a difficult task. This study investigated whether interventions in agriculture benefit farmers who are more capable to derive sufficient gains than others using data from on-farm research projects in Tanzania.Data were collected during baseline and impact assessment studies using questionnaires. The distributions of income were assessed using coefficients of variation, Gini coefficients and Theil’s Tstatistic. Results show that the projects contributed to increase farm income through enhanced productivity and sales of products and these gains were equitably shared. To encourage adoption and sustainability of these interventions it is important to sensitize Local Government Authorities and Agricultural Sector Lead Ministries on these technologies to allow incorporation of research findings in development plans. Involvement of extension staff in research and demonstrations through farmers’ shows should also be encouraged to increase adoption

The Impact of Agricultural Research on Poverty and Income Distribution: A Case Study of Selected On-farm Research Projects at Sokoine University of Agriculture, Morogoro, Tanzania

Tanzania Journal of Agricultural Sciences 2013, Vol. 12(1): 1-