Sugarcane Production, Processing and Marketing in Tanzania

Sugarcane is one of the important food and commercial crops of Tanzania. Its production is concentrated mainly in three regions, Morogoro, Kagera and Kilimanjaro. Most of the sugar produced in the country is for home consumption and only a small proportion is exported to service foreign debts. This paper briefly reviews the agronomic, production and marketing aspects of sugarcane in Tanzania, with special emphasis on the factors associated with variation in production during the past ten years. During the 1983/84 season, the country produced slightly over 130, 000 tons of processed sugar, but 1988/89 production had dropped to just about 96, 000 tons. During the 1990's (1991/92-1993/94), production increased in response to the trade liberalization policy of the country. To increase and sustain the country's future sugar pruduction, improved soil management of sugarcane fields, irrigation technology and the use of improved clones need to be introduced. The current marketing and handling structure in the sugar industry requires reform in order to increase efficiency and reduce storage overheads paid by the consumers

Relationships between seasonal changes in diet of multimammate rat (Mastomys natalensis) and its breeding patterns in semi-arid areas in Tanzania

The diet and breeding patterns of Mastomys natalensis in semi-arid areas of Isimani division, Iringa region, Tanzania were investigated in maize fields and fallow land. The aim was to investigate the influence of diet on breeding patterns of M. natalensis. Removal trapping was used to capture rodents and analyse diet categories while Capture-mark-release trapping was used to investigate breeding patterns of female M. natalensis. Mastomys natalensis comprised 94%of the total capture, and the remaining 6% comprised of six other species. Statistical analysis of food preferences indicated that both vegetative materials and seeds were significantly higher in the overall diet of M. natalensis compared with other food materials. Significant differences in the proportions of vegetativematerials and seeds were found between seasons (dry, wet), but not between habitats (fallow, maize). There was a clear seasonal pattern in the proportion of reproductively active females with peaks in April and troughs in October. The proportion of vegetative materialswas highest during thewet season and correlated positively with reproductive activity, suggesting that vegetative materials contain certain compounds (e.g. 6-MBOA) that trigger reproductive activity in M. natalensis. The breeding activity of M. natalensis in semi-arid areas might, thus, be reduced by limiting access to fresh vegetative food (e.g. young sprouting grass)

Home ranges, sex ratio and recruitment of the multimammate rat (Mastomys natalensis) in semi-arid areas in Tanzania

Investigation of home ranges, sex ratio and recruitment of the multimammate rat (Mastomys natalensis) in semi-arid areas of Tanzania was conducted in maize and fallow fields using the capture-mark-release (CMR) technique. The aim of this study was to generate useful data for the management of M. natalensis. The relative home range size of M. natalensis was significantly higher during the wet [544 m2±25 standard error (SE)] than during the dry (447 m2 ±18 SE) season, in males (521 m2 ±23 SE) than in females (450 m2 ±17 SE) and in adults (576 m2 ±34 SE) than in juveniles (459 m2 ±16 SE). However, there were no significant differences between habitats. Sex ratio was not significantly different (p=0.44) between habitats. Recruitment was significantly higher (p=0.000) in maize fields (mean=0.43) than in fallow land (mean=0.32) and differed significantly over time (p=0.0001) with the highest recruitment recorded from April to July and the lowest from October to December. Management strategies should focus on managing rodents inhabiting maize fields using methods that affect their recruitment in order to reduce the population increase of M. natalensi

The effects of density and harvest time on growth and yield of forage corn (Zea mays L.)

A field experiment was undertaken to investigate the effects of planting density on growth and yield of forage corn (Zea mays L., cv. DK 24) using modern methods of plant growth analysis and yield component analysis. A complete randomized block design was used with four planting densities and five harvests. The four planting densities were 49383, 67204, 87796 and 111111 plants per hectare. Replicate plants were harvested at 21 days after emergence (DAE), 42 DAE, 63 DAE, 85 DAE and 115 DAE. At each harvest, data were recorded of several primary growth characteristics, including plant height, stem diameter leaf areas and dry weights of stems, leaves, leaf sheaths, tillers and reproductive structures. The recorded data, and indices and ratios derived from recorded data, were analyzed by the analysis of variance, cubic spline regressions and the two-dimensional partitioning technique of yield component analysis. Yield per hectare varied significantly among densities from the second harvest (42 DAE) until maturity. At the crop maturity stage (30.8% crop dry matter content), the yield per hectare increased with increasing number of plants per hectare. The mean yields were: 15.1, 15.9 and 17.1 MT per hectare from the lowest planting density to the highest planting density, respectively. Conversely, yield per plant decreased linearly with increasing number of plants per hectare from 306.4 to 154.1 g/plant. All the primary plant growth characteristics were highly affected by the planting density treatment, and these effects increased with plant age. Thus, the variability in yield per plant among planting densities was accounted for by the variability of those growth characteristics. The plant growth indices showed that crop growth rate, leaf area index and biomass density were major contributors to yield variability per hectare among planting densities. Yield component analysis showed sporadic contributions by yield components depending on age and the direction of the two-dimensional partitioning technique of yield component analysis. The relative growth rates of yield and yield components did not clearly show the effects of planting density but strongly showed the time course trends of the relative growth rates within stand densities. All of the techniques used in this study complemented each other in the analysis of corn growth and productivity.Land and Food Systems, Faculty ofGraduat

Physiological response of groundnut to plant population density

(African Crop Science Journal, 1997 5(3): 267-272

Climate Change Perceptions by Smallholder Coffee Farmers in the Northern and Southern Highlands of Tanzania

Smallholder farmers are among the most vulnerable groups to climate change. Efforts to enhance farmers’ adaptation to climate change are hindered by lack of information on how they are experiencing and responding to climate change. Therefore, this paper examines smallholder farmers’ perceptions of climate change, factors influencing their perceptions, and the impacts and adaptation strategies adopted over the past three to four decades. A list of farmers was obtained from the Agricultural Marketing Cooperative Society (AMCOS) and filtered on the basis of age and farming experience. In order to explore factors influencing household perceptions of climate change, a structured questionnaire was administered to the randomly selected household heads. Data on rainfall and temperature were acquired from Lyamungo and Burka Coffee estate (Northern Highlands zone) and Mbimba and Mbinga (Southern Highlands zone) offices of the Tanzania Meteorological Agency (TMA) with the exception of data from Burka Coffee estate, which were acquired from a private operator. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression models were used to analyze the data. Farmers’ perceptions were consistent with meteorological data both pointing to significant decline in rainfall and increase in temperature since 1979. Factors such as level of education, farming experience, and access to climate information influenced farmers’ perception on climate change aspects. Based on these results, it is recommended to enhance timely and accurate weather information delivery along with developing institutions responsible for education and extension services provision. The focus of education or training should be on attenuating the impacts of climate change through relevant adaptation measures in each coffee-growing region