Coffee production and Marketing in changing Agricultural policy Environment: the case of Hai District in Kilimanjaro Region

This study was conducted to investigate the impact of agricultural policy changes on coffee marketing in Tanzania. Hai District was taken as a case study to represent other areas producing coffee. Data were collected from 290 respondents who were randomly selected from five agricultural villages. Descriptive analysis using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) was employed as a tool of analysis to determine agricultural policy factors that affect coffee marketing in Tanzania with the result that coffee marketing in Tanzania has been significantly affected by different agricultural policy changes particularly after the adoption of a free market economy together with hardship in acquiring farm inputs. The study revealed that the magnitude of rural poverty in Tanzania is increasing basically due low production caused by agricultural policy changes and poor marketing conditions. Most respondents during focus group discussions recommended that the government has to take a deliberate action on different agricultural policies so as to make them producer friendly. Sometimes producers are compelled to sell their products at the farm gate and receive very of improving the rural livelihood for the rural population. It was suggested that there is a need for the government to ensure that agricultural officers are well paid, well motivated as they are responsible for interpreting different agricultural policies and continuously directing farmers on better ways of increasing their outputs.