Masters Dissertations

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Causes of decline in major crop production in Bukoba: Banana, coffee and tea
(University of Dar es Salaam, 1976) Kabwoto, Ernest
There is proof that the production of major crops namely banana, coffee and tea in Bukoba has declined. The available statistics show that yield per hectare for banana and coffee has been declining over time since 1910 to the present day. The decline for tea production is reflected in the failure of the Bukoba Tea Scheme to hit its target set by 1974 and lack of enthusiasm on the part of the peasants and their withdrawal from participating in the scheme. One cause of this decline originates from the inherent physical characteristics of the soils which besides being naturally infertile are very susceptible to leaching of essential plant mineral nutrients under Bukoba climatic conditions. This process has been observed to be due to very high rainfall in Bukoba and other climatic factors which make the soils continually lose their mineral nutrients. Under such conditions there is rising demand for manure/fertilizer inputs to restore and maintain soil fertility. This also calls for better husbandry methods on the part of the peasants which currently seem to be lacking. Besides, the costs of the inputs are so high that an ordinary peasant cannot afford them without assistance in the present conditions. These conditions are against the peasant. The market situation is such that producer price of the two cash crops (coffee and tea) has been kept low for long time and the future does not seem bright. This is partly due to domestic policies. While the earnings realised in the world marker are low, a large part of them do not reach the producer. Instead they are either spent on administrative costs or other things outside the coffee and tea industries. The marked effects are that potential productive peasants withdraw from participation in the production of the crops and shift to other sectors of the economy or become less productive within the industries themselves. The author suggests that this situation should be rectified if crops production is to be kept at the required level and quality. This is possible if the government is ready to reinvest proceeds in the three industries and create necessary incentives for farmers so that they can produce more and raise the quality of the crops. For example the government may subsidize the peasant through providing fertilisers and insecticides and may improve infrastructural facilities in the area in order to boost his production means.
Diffusion of an agricultural innovation - hybrid maize in Njombe district
(University of Dar es Salaam, 1978) Mgeni, Bernard Christopher
The problem of this study was the identification of the reasons of acceptance and rejection of the hybrid maize innovation in Njombe and also to test the universality of the diffusion’s model as applied to the area of study. The methodology applied included questionnaire interviews, informal discussions with the officials and peasants, the results being analysed both qualitatively and quantitatively with the Chi-square test and TAU (Kendall's correlation coefficient). A number of socio - economic is and political variables have been considered as to how they influence the innovativeness of farmers. The outcomes show that the diffusion’s model should not be adapted as a piece meal to different social environments and that economic reasons are the principal deterrents to early adoption i.e. innovativeness.
An economic assessment of small holder Tobacco village project in Tabora region
(University of Dar es Salaam, 1977) Kange, Sebastian Nziabo
Tanzania, as in many developing countries, depends on agriculture as a major source of overall income and foreign exchange. Her policies stress vigorously an increased production of food and cash crops for social and economic development. The major export crops in Tanzania for the ten years after independence have been coffee,sisal,and cotton. The need for increased export earnings plus the problem of price fluctuation of the major crops promoted the government to expand other crops that were minor, especially those combining domestics and export demand. Flue-cured tobacco was one of these crops. The world demand for this type continued to rise, especially in the mid -1960’s. The export opportunities for Tanzania tobacco became brighter especially since 1965 when a major producer, Rhodesia, lost its markets due to a unilateral declaration of Independence and subsequent economic sanctions against her. Until then, the Tanzania crop was mainly sold for local cigarette manufacturing. This new Increased export opportunity plus this already exsting domestic demand for cigarettes called for more production of flue cured tobacco, which averaged 1.6 million kg per annul by 1964 and scared to over 10 million by 1970. The development trend of Tanzania tobacco is discussed in chapter I. Further government emphasis on flue-cured tobacco was incorporated in the second five-year plan – 1969/1974. It was envisaged that tobacco output would increase at a growth rate of 25 percent per annual, bringing the annual output to 17.5 million kg flue-cured leaf by the of the plan period. In order to successfully implement this ambitious programmed the government planned to spend over 30 million from internal resources as credits to small holder growers. In addition, the government negotiated a soft loan with the World Bank to finance the tobacco industry. This loan was approved and affected through the International Development Association (IDA). The IDA and the Tanzania government agreed jointly to contribute and undertake the “Tobacco Project” in Western Tanzania, aimed at raising the productivity of small farmers in village communities and increasing export earnings of the country as a whole. It is this project for which the author attempts to make some assessment. The drive to study this project originated through discussion with various people indicating that the project target in the appraisal report is not being realized. The evaluation is not designed to criticize and/or discredit anyone but simply to provide a simultaneous assessment of all aspect (social, economic institutional and managerial) of the on-going project. The main purpose of the study is to point out the shortcoming and the constraints which hinder achieving the target envisaged. The study lays emphasis on the performance of the small holder farmers, especially on the constraints which limit their access to public service like credit, marketing and extension details are elaborated in chapter II. The study is directed mostly to small farmers situated in two tobacco complexes namely Igagala and uyowa in Urambo District in Western Tanzania. The farms were visited once in August/September 1976 to collect data gross margin analysis was the main techniques used to gauge the financial performance of the farmers. The empirical fare results are discussed in chapter V. Although gorse margin analysis is a simple tool, it is an important and widely -used technique in farm management. The analysis has established economic and technical indicators which were useful in throwing light on the performance and potential of the farms and the project as a whole. The major argument in this study is that application of recommended inputs plus proper husbandry practices could result in higher output and subsequently increased family incase. An important finding of the study is that family labor is the key element in these farms and at the peak season cannot be stretched to cover all activities of the farm. Thus, labor tends to be used for subsistence crops which have higher priority for the farmer rather than to meet tobacco targets. On the performance of the project as a whole, costs are higher than anticipated due to inflation. Some construction has been delayed due to lack of funds. It is hoped that when investment in social infrastructures is over the project will generates a profit. This expectation will only be true if the operating expenses are minimized. Also, the administrative bureaucracy should be relayed to re-juvenats the extension worker’ enthusiasts of doing their duties. This study highlights the achievements of the project and sometime emphasizes some of the bottleneck that hamper tobacco hectarage and output expansion. In this way it provides information which could be useful to the government and other interested bodies in undertaking and carrying out similar development projects, especially if they relate to smallholder tobacco production in Tanzania
The economic of commercial beef production in Tanzania: a case study of selected ranches
(University of Dar es Salaam, 1983) Mkwama, Peter Klavin W
This dissertation reports on a commercial livestock sector study in which several economic analysis tools were used to evaluate the economic performance of three alternative types of ranches in Tanzania based on actual d data for 1970-1974 for four ranches considered as representative of these types. Gross margin analysis by years was used to study the four ranches. Optimum plans were then developed for each of the three types by a direct cost-benefit analysis. Tanzania is one of the 25 least-developed countries in the world, all of which depend on agriculture for socio-economic development. In Tanzania, agriculture contributes 85 per cent of the total export earnings. The livestock sector, which is also important in supplying dietary requirements and offering employment opportunities, contributes 5 per cent of the export earnings. Under the current level of management and resource availability, the ranches as now operated tend to be under stocked. Year to year rainfall is highly variable and stocking many reflect carrying capacity in the poorer years. The plans indicate that optimum holdings are 1.1 to 2.3 times as large as actual 1971-1974 average inventories adjusted for land resources as used for the optimum plan. All ranches for which both fixed and variable costs were available were profitable based on a 1972-1974 average, with net returns largest for the two ranches that specialised either in fattening or breading. The direct cost-returns analyses showed highest net returns for the ranch that operated breeding programs only, but they were only slightly higher than for the ranch specialising in fattening only. The prototype ranch carrying out breeding and fattening programmes had a gross margin and net income which were lower than for the other types of ranches, suggesting an advantage in specialisation. However, each type showed substantial profits under the assumed conditions. If one looks at net income as a ratio to total costs, the ranch specialising in breeding shows a ratio of 2.4, the one which both breeds and fattens shows a ratio of 1.0, while the one that specialises in fattening only has a ratio of 0.7.
An economic study of sugarcane out grower farms in Kenya: a case study of the Mumias area
(University of Dar es Salaam, 1979) Amukoa, Peter M.
This investigation was designed to determine (a) farm level factors that influence variability in smallholder sugarcane production in Mumias area and problems that face these cane growers and (b) the nature and extent of diversification on these cane farms, with emphasis on food production, and possible improvements that would better meet farm goals. Data and information were collected from 60 randomly-sampled smallholder sugarcane outgrower farmers who are the major suppliers of contracted cane to the Mumias Sugar Company Ltd. The survey was conducted in 1977/78 and covers farmers who began production between 1871 and 1975. Weeding, done 2 to 7 times for each cane crop, is the most pressing problem in cane production. Research on how best to perform this task is recommended. Expenditures incurred by each farmer to feed salaried company cane harvesters had a statistically significant effect on sugarcane production on individual farms, reflecting a more complete harvest when served adequate food. As regards food production, a typical Mumias farmer does not now produce enough to feed his family, though he has sufficient land for this purpose, but supplements his farm production by purchases. Most money for such purchases comes from casual work he does for neighbours and only to a small extent from his home-grown cane. The extension services of the Ministry of Agriculture appear to be not too effective. Extension services of the company focus on cane production only and have nothing to do with the rest of the farm sector. Sugarcane production should be accompanied by a strong emphasis on farm diversification. Two systems of farming are proposed with and without a cow, using programming techniques. Each takes account of major goals of farmers in that it maximises the total future household net income stream after making sure household subsistence requirements are met, but prefers a regular household income flow over the year to a more erratic one. In each system, half of the cane is planted in the long rains and the other half in the short rains, a procedure not now recommended by the Sugar Company. This ensures that income flow from cane is at intervals of 6 and 12 months. Income from beans groundnuts and maize is received after 3, 5, and 6 months respectively. When a dairy cow is ineluded, income is on a daily basis. Apart from the nutritional advantage derived from milk, leys considered in the rotational pattern and manure contribute to soil fertility. Net cash income is about 10 percent lower with a cow than without one but the other advantages noted may make this a preferred system for many farmers. For sugarcane income to be re-invested on the farm and for more income generation, the Mumias Outgrowers Company Ltd, of which each cane grower is a member, should advance farm input credit for the production of non-cane enterprises, with the farmer's cane acting as a security for such credit. The government policy of self-sufficiency in sugar production is justifiable as domestic production would be cheaper than import buying based on world prices at the time of the study. However, as a potential sugar exporter based on present plans for expansion Kenya should examine the export cost structure and external market prices and the likelihood of import quotas by many importing countries either directly or under a World Sugar Agreement. It might suffice for Kenya to plan for self-sufficiency in relation to her expanding domestic market and attempt to keep domestic demand and supply in balance by adjusting retail sugar prices and returns to producers.
Financial feasibility of irrigated farming: a case study of tube-well irrigation in Mombasa district
(University of Dar es Salaam, 1978) Thiongo, Michael Njoroge
Whereas some studies have evaluated large-scale irrigation schemes in Kenya, little economic research has been done on the Minor Irrigation projects. Government to increase emphasis on development of Minor Irrigation Schemes necessitates studies on these particularly from the financial and economic standpoint. Tube-wells are part of the minor irrigation development programme in Coast Province which is characterized by a general shortage of big rivers and streams. This shortage of surface water in the Province in particular and generally in the republic had been realised even during the colonial days. Government effort has been carried out mainly by construction of tube-wells, which progressed steadily so that by the early I970s avers 80 tube-wells were being bored annually by the Kenya Government. The substantial costs involved in this tube-well development were justified by the fact that the projects were undertaken by the Government or the municipality for community water development. As such boring of tube-wells was restricted to the community centres only. Unfortunately most of these tube-wells especially those in Coast Province were abandoned when no personnel was available to maintain them. A survey of the area between Gazi and Mtwapa in Coast Province in 1969 to study the distribution of tube-wells, their yields, and water quality rated this as "a good area of groundwater resources". It was recommended in this report that same elected tube-wells which were yielding considerable quantities of good quality water should be rehabilitated and fitted with powered pumps for the purpose of irrigation and domestic water supply. This recommendation was not implemented because information was lacking concerning their financial viability as irrigation projects. This thesis is therefore concerned with evaluation and appraisal of tube-well irrigation projects in Mombasa District to establish their financial worth. Mombasa District was selected for the study on account of the concentration of tube wells. The focus of the thesis involved collection of primary data from a sample of 10 farms using each diesel and electric pumps. Irrigated farming is capital and labour intensive. High initial investment capital is required to start-off a tube well irrigation project. Because of the high costs involved in supplying irrigation water, only crops with high gross margins per hectare can be grown profitably. The study revealed that tube-well irrigation farming based on high-value horticultural crops can be a highly profitable venture if properly designed and planned. Knowledge of the important factors affecting returns is invaluable. A high degree of managerial ability, innovativeness and first-hand market intelligence and knowledge of irrigation techniques is indispensable for successful irrigation. In spite of the high investment and running costs involved in tube-wells irrigation projects, they are financially viable and yield high rates of return to investment and internal rates of return.
The impact of Ujamaa production on adoption of new farming practices: a case study of Morogoro district Ujamaa Villages
(University of Dar es Salaam, 1977) Tilumanywa, Adolf
Tanzania is an agrarian country which depends mainly on agriculture for its national development. To achieve rapid rural development the government and party decided after gaining independence to embark on a villagization policy which aims at bringing peasant farmers together in villages for co-operative production using modern methods. The social and economic environment in the villages is expected to make introduction and adoption of improved farming techniques easier. But while the villagization programme is now ten years old, conflicting views exist about its success in introducing new farming practices through communal production. Some people claim that government assistance channelled to villages in the form of agricultural inputs is a waste of resources since it is often not properly utilised. Meanwhile others claim that Ujamaa villages have been successful in introducing new innovations on communal farms and that cash inputs and mechanisation are in fact over- utilised. This study therefore investigated the extent to which farming practices on individual and communal farms differ and what factors account for this difference or the lack there off. A case study was made of five villages in Morogoro District by interviewing village leaders, extension workers and randomly sampled farmers. The study specifically examined maize and cotton production practices. The study found that farming practices on individual and communal plots differ, with ujamaa village groups tending to follow recommended farming practices. Maize production practices widely adopted by ujamaa groups include: use of improved seed, monoculture, planting during the long rains, row planting, thinking, and application of insecticide. However, they failed to plant maize early and to weed plots properly. Cotton production practices followed by ujamaa groups include correct spacing, thinning, and insecticide spraying. They planted and picked cotton late and failed to weed properly and to spray eight times. Individual farmers planted maize in the early short rains, used Ilonga maize seed, intercropped maize, thinned to three plants or not at all; did not use fertilizers and insecticide, and harvested maize before it has dried properly. Most individual cotton growers planted cotton early, followed correct spacing, thinned and weeded properly, picked cotton early and burnt cotton remains on time. They however failed to spray eight times. The difference in adoption of farming practices between individual and communal plots was found to be due to: free government assistance to ujamaa groups, labour availability (commitment), felt need of recommendations, group-decision making and village leadership, extension services, and force. Ujamaa groups adopted recommended practices because of free inputs and to please government officials in order to continue receiving government assistance even though they were not convinced that the practices were sound. Government assistance is detrimental, leading to loss of self-reliance. The standard blanket recommendations frequently are inappropriate and individual farmers refuse to adopt them because they conflict with traditional farming systems and the local ecological environment. Crucial operations such as planting and weeding are neglected on the communal plots because of low commitment by members to communal production, reflecting the small return realized from such undertakings. Members instead concentrate on their individual plots. Dishonest and corrupt leaders at times have demoralised members, leading to their abandoning the communal farm. Incentives for work should be increased on the communal farm and village economic plans and leadership needs to be improved. Force from local leaders has contributed to adoption of recommended cotton practices by individual farmers, and most cotton recommendations have visable benefits. Although the practices which are enforced are technically sound, persuasion is a better policy to get sustained acceptance. The extension services are geared towards communal plots only, thus neglecting individual farmers. Extension workers rarely visited individual plots except cotton plots grown in blocks. Village leaders and extension workers supervise various operations on the communal plots grown in blocks. Village leaders and extension workers supervise various operations on the communal plots an practices used on the communal plots are decided by the village agricultural sub-committee whose members must ensure that the recommendations are followed. Meanwhile individual farmers are free to follow any practices they please.
Resource allocation in large-scale mixed farms: a case study in Trans Nzola district, Kenya
(University of Dar es Salaam, 1980) Guantai, Stanley Mukindia
Large-scale mixed farms in Kenya are located mainly within three Districts. One of these in Rift Valley Province, in Northwest Kenya was chosen for this study. This was Trans Nzoia District, one of the most-important and highest potential agricultural areas in the country. Dairy and commercial maize are major enterprises. Information was obtained from 12 farms in the District, chosen chiefly because they were among the few keeping records that had been under the same management for at least five years. Size ranged from 243 to 608 ha, typical for the area. Information was obtained from records, questionnaires, and discussions with farmers and extension workers. The first step in the analysis was to identify economically viable enterprises by use of gross margins. Three enterprises stood out in terms of gross margins per ha, namely citrus, coffee, and early-planted seed maize, with each close to double the next highest. Linear programming was next used to identify an optimum combination of enterprises after taking account of constraints facing the farms based on a typical or average farm of 417 ha, of which 350 ha were avalable for commercial (non-subsistence) production. Four alternative situations or plans were tested. By reorganization, net returns could be more than doubled. Production and sale of hay and wheat greatly improved farm revenue, with wheat straw a saleable by product to nearby ranch and dairy farms.Capital and labour were not found to be important constraints, but more machinery in peak periods would have increased farm efficiency. Hand weeding was found to be less costly than herbicides for ordinary maize. High-yielding dairy cows fed on straw and enriched home-made feeds to supplement grazing were found most profitable.Commercial maize production was not profitable, and sunflowers could only be justified as a livestock feed. One purpose was to test whether linear programming is a feasible and useful tool for farm planninng. It was found to have many potentialities, and detailed suggestions are given with respect to how it could be used efficiently.
Some agricultural field experiments in Tanzania: a study in their statistical analysis and further prospects.
(University of Dar es Salaam, 1976) Fumbuka, S S
This study consists of three chapters. In the first chapter the study analyses an experimental which was conducted at the Faculty of agriculture, Morogoro to investigate the effect of fertilizes N, P and K on the dry matter yield of a grass legume pasture and also any change in the effect of fertilizers were effective with N being the most important factor in this respect and especially in its linear effect. There is also evidence of a strong interdependence among the factor N, P and K as indicated by the high significance of two factor interactions notably NXP. Indeed even three factor interaction shows significance. In the second chapter the study considered two experiments from the 1975/76 set of trials in selection of cotton varieties conducted at the Ukiriguru Agricultural Research Institutes Mwanza. Variety differences are significant but owing to the incomplete nature of the experiments analysed, it is not possible to appraise the effect of fertilizer, spraying or their interaction on the performance of varieties with respect to the different quality variable studied. No variety or group of varieties can be considered to be best with respect to all quality variable and to their selection of best varieties can only be a compromise process. In the third and final chapter it is pointed out that the traditional method at Ukiriguru of conducting the experiments under “unfertilized and unsprayed” and “fertilized and sprayed” condition, does not permit the estimation of the effect of fertilizer spraying or their interaction separately and hence it is impossible to determine the effect of their respective interactions with treatment (variety) effects. As a remedy it is suggested that the experiments should instead be conducted under all the four possible combinations of fertilizer and spraying and a method of analysing such experiments is briefly considered.

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