Browsing by Author "Mpandiko, Angelina Alfred"

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    Effects of market liberalization on household food security: a case of Usoke division, Urambo district, Tabora region
    (Unversity of Dar es Salaam, 2004) Mpandiko, Angelina Alfred
    The study was about the situation of food security that households had as a result of Market Liberalisation. The study was conducted in Usoke Mlinani and Izimbili villages in Urambo district, Tabora region, involving a total of 40 respondents obtained from three main strata: peasants, workers and businesspersons. The interviewees were select from each strata randomly. Data were collected using interviews, questionnaires, documentary reviews and observations. Collected data were presented and analyzed using text and cross tabulation methods. Results show that 75.2 percent of the 16 peasants’ households’ involved in the study in Usoke Mlimani village had a household maize reserve ration of less than 3 bags while 87.6 percent in Izimbili village had a ration below 3 bags. Only six (18.75%) households of the 32 peasants were food secure. The study found that peasants were exploited through the price mechanism through by the law of demand and supply. Peasants, therefore, were forced to sell most of their harvest in order to get the marginal income to run their live. Furthermore, the study revealed that low- income peasants in food insecurity. Businesspersons have been empowered to fix prices. Peasants have been reduced to minor participants who never object to businesspersons’ prices. Thus, while the interests of businesspersons are highly taken care of, those of peasants are totally neglected. Therefore, ML allows businesspersons to exploit peasants at their own will provided that their super profit is maintained and achieved. It is concluded that ML .has brought a significant effect in household food security because it prompts peasants to sell most of their maize yields. It is recommended that peasants should be sensitized to unite in order to gain power in controlling the production price of maize.