Welcome to SUAIRE
Sokoine University of Agriculture Institutional Repository (SUA IR). This repository was built and is maintained by the university library (Sokoine National Agricultural Library-SNAL) , in order to collect, preserve and disseminate scholarly output generated by University research community (staff and students) members.
This repository hosts a variety of openly accessible materials including: scholarly articles and books, theses and dissertations, conference proceedings and technical reports. For assistance about depositing your research output in the repository click here. SUA IR Policy click here or any queries contact us at snal@sua.ac.tz.

Communities in SUAIRE
Select a community to browse its collections.
- The Agroforesty Community is a collaborative network dedicated to advancing sustainable land-use practices that integrate trees, crops, and livestock. It serves as a platform for knowledge exchange, research dissemination, and practical innovations in Agroforestry. By fostering connections among researchers, practitioners, policymakers, and local communities, the Agroforestry Community promotes environmental conservation, enhanced agricultural productivity, and resilient livelihoods.
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Recent Submissions
Perceived effects of tree planting in Iringa and Njombe regions Tanzania
(International Forestry Review, 2025) Martin, R.; Mhando, D.G.; Nyanda, S. S.; Lusasi, J.
The study investigated the perceived effects of tree planting initiatives at a community level within Southern Highlands of Tanzania, addressing
a critical gap in the literature regarding local responses to economic benefits and the pursuit of sustainability goals. Employing a mixed-method
approach, the study integrated quantitative data with qualitative interviews from local stakeholders. Results indicated enhanced economic
benefits from sustainable tree products, which contributed to improved livelihoods and community resilience against climate impacts. The
implications suggest that small-scale afforestation can be a viable solution to environmental degradation while providing economic and social
benefits to local communities. The findings advocate for policy recommendations that support the integration of tree growing into agricultural
practices, promoting sustainability and resilience in small-holder territories.
A comparative analysis of RIPAT and other selected participatory rural development approaches used in Tanzania
(Mkuki na Nyota Publishers Ltd, 2023) Madaha, Rasel; Martin, Respikius; Mwakatoga, Joyce
Influenced by the African socialism philosophy of the late Julius Nyerere
and the participant research practices of Marja Liisa Swantz, Tanzania
is one of the pioneers of participatory action research in the world.
Within the mentioned milieu, participatory approaches have become
widespread. The approaches are geared at enabling rural communities
to address their challenges through participatory approaches. This book
chapter focuses on a comparative analysis of locally improved rural
development approaches that have been developed and improved in
the Tanzanian context. Using primary and secondary data from some
Tanzanian rural interventions by Uluguru Mountains Agricultural
Development Project (process approach) and World Vision Tanzania
(ADP approach), the chapter focuses on a comparative analysis of the
mentioned strategies and RIPAT (Rural Initiatives for Participatory
Agricultural Transformation) to shed some light on rural development efforts in the Tanzanian context. The process approach involves
participatory endogenous processes of development that start with
the recognition of the local capacities of the people. TI1e ADP (Area
Development Programmes) approach is a participatory approach
that seeks to induce communities with capabilities to undertake
appropriate actions to accomplish economic and social progress. More
recently, World Vision Tanzania (WVT) reframed the acronym ADP
by calling it Tanzania Empowerment ADP Model (TEAM). RIPAT is a
participatory extension approach that transfers a 'basket' of agricultural
technology options, including various crops and livestock, to groups of
25 to 30 smallholder farmers in a way that allows for joint, experiential,
and participatory
learning. In 2017 Research, Community and
Organisational Development Associates (RECODA) entered a two year
contract with WVT of co-owning the approach; the agreement ended in
2019. The engagement allowed World Vision Tanzania to use the RIPAT
approach in ADPs. All in all, some literature suggests that participatory
approaches fail to empower people in real life situation. In this regard
and drawing from the participatory theory and practice, the chapter
assesses the sustainability of the approaches.
The contribution of the RIPAT approach in the adoption of agricultural technologies in the uluguru mountains
(Mkuki na Nyota Publishers Ltd, 2023) Nyanda, Suzana S.; Martin, Respikius; Mwaseba, Dismas L.
Extension services play pivotal roles in linking farmers to knowledge,
information and technologies that are central to attaining agricultural
productivity. The limited number of extension agents coupled with the
use of inappropriate approaches in the delivery of extension services
has been regarded as one of the causes of low adoption of agricultural
technologies.
To overcome this, innovative and cost-effective
agricultural extension approaches have been developed and promoted.
One of such approaches is the Rural Initiatives for Participatory
Agricultural Transformation (RIPAT) which forms the focus of this
chapter. Specifically, the chapter presents: (i) the role of the RIPAT
approach in the adoption of agricultural technologies, (ii) technologies
promoted by the RIPAT-SUA project and their adoption by farmers,
and (iii) factors affecting the adoption of the promoted technologies.
The findings presented are drawn from an exploratory cross-sectional research done in six randomly selected villages surrounding the Uluguru
Mountains where the RIPAT-SUA project has been implemented.
A total of 238 households (120 RIPAT participating farmers and 118
non-group farmers) were randomly selected from the project villages
for the farmers' survey. Additionally, a total of 15 key informants were
involved in in-depth interviews. Desk review of project documents was
also conducted. Descriptive statistics and content analyses were used
for the quantitative and qualitative data analysis respectively. The study
found that a basket of options that gave farmers the opportunity to
choose the technologies they can implement was the key to adoption
of technologies. In this respect, 92.5% of the group members adopted
more than two technologies whereas 69% of non-group members
adopted at least two technologies from the basket of options. The
RIPAT approach has great potential to reach many farmers through its
scaling-up tactic involving the RIPAT start and RIPAT spreading groups
using lead farmers. This approach can facilitate the dissemination of
new agricultural technologies in situations with limited professional
extension workers. The study therefore recommends that the Ministry
of Agriculture should integrate the RIPAT approach in the public
agricultural extension framework.
Participatory future visions of collaborative agroecological farmer-pastoralist systems in Tanzania
(Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems, 2023-01-09) Johansson, Emma; Martin, Respikius; Mapunda, Kenneth M.
Agroecology is increasingly promoted as a way to create just
and sustainable farm- and food systems. Although there are
multiple initiatives to scale up agroecology, current socio-
political structures often hinder its potential to transform food
systems. This study uses participatory approaches to create
paintings that envision agroecological futures in the context of
increased farmer-pastoralist collaborations in Tanzania, how
they would function, and what political action is needed to
support such futures. The visions are based on focus group
discussions with agroecological farmers and pastoralists, and
a multi-stakeholder workshop with farmer and pastoralist repre
sentatives, innovative food system actors, and researchers. We
find that the envisioned transformation of the food system
would lead to positive effects on farmers’ and pastoralists’
income, autonomy, long-term planning, and producers’ and
consumers’ health. We conclude that new policies and financial
support systems are needed to enable the expansion of agroe
cological farming and food systems, by increasing the availabil
ity of organic markets, supporting domestic botanicals
production, and by creating more inclusive and just food value
chains.
The role of farmer research networks’ (frn) principles in influencing farmers’ adoption of improved groundnut cultivars in Singida rural District of semi-arid central Tanzania
(ournal of Agricultural Extension and Rural Development, 2023-05-05) Chilewa, Humphrey Shadrack; Martin, Respikius; Ntumva, Mabebe
Farmer Research Networks (FRN) is a participatory approach aimed at supporting the agroecological
intensification of smallholder farming. FRN was envisaged in Latin America and Africa, however, little
has been documented on how the application of FRN principles influences adoption of agricultural
technologies. Guided by networking, innovation systems and Roger’s theories of diffusion of
innovations, this research assessed how the application of three principles, that is, 1) farmer
participation, 2) usefulness of on-farm research, and 3) collaboration amongst players in networks
influenced the adoption of improved groundnuts. Cross sectional mixed research methods were used.
Findings show that farmers participated in forming FRN groups, the production of Quality Declared
Seeds and the provision of farmer-to-farmer extension services. On-farm research was instrumental for
observational and experimental research whereby farmers were able to see, learn, and adopt the
innovation. Players collaborate through joint research, learning, and sharing of knowledge and
resources; farmers’ field days; and project meetings. It is concluded that farmers participated in
conducting on-farm research and collaborated with different players in the network, indicating that FRN
principles were applied to influence the adoption of improved groundnuts. The study recommends
farmer participation in preliminary meetings and strengthening the linkage between farmers and more
actors.