Population growth and agriculture change : the case of Morogoro rural district Tanzania
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Date
1999
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of Dar es Salaam
Abstract
This study sets out to examine the relationships between population growth and agricultural change in Morogoro rural district. There has been much debate on the relationship between population growth and agricultural change in the literature. On one hand, Mal-thusians and other classical economists consider agriculture to be unique among other forms of production because the supply of land is considered to be fixed and cannot be changed. On the other hand, contra-Malthus economists such as Boserup assert that food output will always keep pace with population growth through changes in the intensity of cultivation and improved tools. Population growth is the result of three processes which are; natural change (births and deaths), inter-region migration and international migration. Agricultural change, on the other, involves the change in systems (e.g. bush furrow to multicropping, types of crops, methods of production, production level, disposal of crops, and social-political organisation). The findings in Mgeta Division of Morogoro Rural district indicate that there is a high population growth which has been can used mainly by natural increase. The findings also indicate that there has been agricultural change mainly due to population growth. Other causes such as climatic market and soil conditions have played a role in agricultural change in conclusion, this study Boserup ( 1965 ) and other scholars such as Datoo ( 1967 ), Maro ( 1974 ) and Kivelia ( 1995 ) who regard population growth as a force for agricultural innovation as it generates more intensive forms of land-use and major transformation in the economy. However the study also reveals that agricultural change does not necessarily involve a change of tools (e.g. from hand-hoe to tractor) as it was asserted by Boserup. The study also does not support Malthus theory that supply of the land is considered to be fixed and could not be increased; our findings clearly show that the farmers in Mgeta division have increased agricultural production through intensification.
Description
Available in print form, EAF collection, Dr. Wilbert Chagula Library, class mark (THS EAF S562.T34.M3)
Keywords
Farm management, Rufiji basin, Pangani basin, Tanzania
Citation
Matovu, P.C.B ( 1999 ) Population growth and agriculture change : the case of Morogoro rural district Tanzania , Masters dissertation, University of Dar es Salaam, Dar es Salaam.