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.
Recent Submissions
Potentials and limitations of a food group-based algorithm to assess dietary nutrient intake of women in rural areas in Tanzania
(International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition, 2024-03) Eleraky, Laila; Stuetz, Wolfgang; Rybak, Constance; Frank, Jan; Biesalski, Hans Konrad; Mbwana, Hadijah; Kinabo, Joyce; Lambert, Christine
The aim of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of nutrient intake assessment with the food group-based algorithm “Calculator of Inadequate Micronutrient Intake” (CIMI) in comparison to the established nutrition software NutriSurvey. Using Food Frequency questionnaires and 24-h dietary recalls of 1010 women from two rural districts in Tanzania, 23 relevant typical Tanzanian food groups were identified and subsequently the dietary protocols assessed via CIMI algorithm were compared by bivariate correlations and Bland-Altman analysis with the results of the NutriSurvey software (reference) and were set in relation to blood biomarkers of 666 participants. CIMI and
NutriSurvey calculations regarding macro- and micronutrient intakes were similar. The Bland-Altman
analyses and correlation coefficients of energy (0.931), protein (0.898), iron (0.775) and zinc (0.838)
confirm the agreement of both calculations. The food group based CIMI algorithm is a practical
tool to identify the inadequacy of macro- and micronutrient intake at population level.
Productive and reproductive roles of women and associated factors on the nutritional status of children in Kilindi district, Tanzania
(Journal of Food and Nutrition Sciences, 2024) Hillary, Mtagulwa Mzee; Mbwana, Hadijah Ally
Background: The prevalence of stunting can be caused or lessened by the nature of women's productive and reproductive roles.
The objective of this study was to examine the risk factors of child stunting based on the productive and reproductive roles of
women among crop farmers and agro-pastoralists in Kilindi District. Methods: A cross-sectional survey of 209 crop farmers and
136 agro-pastoralist women with children aged 6–23 months was conducted. A structured questionnaire was used to gather
information on household demographics; time allocated for reproductive roles, women's involvement in maize farming and sale
of maize produce. Anthropometric measurements were taken to determine the nutritional status of children. The data was
analyzed using IBM SPSS version 20. Risk factors of stunting were determined using multivariate logistic regressions.
Chi-square was used to determine the relationship between women's involvement in maize farming and the sale of maize in
households and stunting. Results: The results from crop farmers revealed that being a male had an increased possibility of
stunting by 2.601 times compared to being female (OR = 2.601, 95% CI; 1.302, 5.196). Children aged 13-18 months (OR =
2.820, 95% CI; 1.295, 6.143) and 19-23 months (OR= 4.999, 95% CI; 1.829, 13.664) increased the likelihood of stunting by
2.820 and 4.999 times respectively compared to children aged 6-12 months. Mothers with no formal education augmented the
chance of being stunted by 2.212 times compared to mothers with primary education (OR = 2.212, 95% CI; 1.019, 4.799). There
is a decreasing probability of children being stunted as time spent on cooking between 21 and 30 hours per week among
agro-pastoralist women. Crop farmer women who collected firewood between 11 and 15 hours per week had a 0.205 times lower
risk of increasing stunting. Children's age, gender, and mother's level of education all increased the likelihood of stunting among
crop farmers. Cooking time (21-30 hours per week) among agro-pastoralists and collection of firewood (11-15 hours per week)
among crop farmers had a lower risk of increasing the likelihood of stunting. Nutritional interventions should address maternal
education, proper child care, and feeding practices.
Factors in smallholder farmers’ vulnerability to climate change impacts in the Uluguru Mountains, Morogoro, Tanzania
(Springer International Publishing Switzerland, 2025) Mattee Amon Z.; Mussa K.R.; Mwaseba Dismas L.; Mahonge C.P.; Nsenga J.V.
This study assessed factors in smallholder farmers’ vulnerability to climate change impacts in the Uluguru Mountains in the Morogoro Region, Tanzania. To this end, the study first determined the smallholder farmers’ awareness and perception of climate change and identified adaptation options preferred by the farmers. A combination of methods, including focus group discussions, key informants interviews, participant observations, and household surveys, were used
for data collection. The results indicate that smallholder farmers had a poor understanding of climate change issues, but their knowledge was enhanced by a project that was implemented collaboratively by Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA) and Professionals for Fair Development (GRET), a French non-governmental organization (NGO). The adaptation strategies preferred by smallholder farmers included terracing, planting fruit trees, the rehabilitation of micro-irrigation canals, and fish farming. However, a noticeable disparity in
preference between men and women was observed. The results further revealed that smallholder farmers were vulnerable to climate change and variation due to
their limited knowledge of climate change risks, low level of literacy, limited access to climate information, and absence of farmer-based organizations to facilitate better access to credit and market services. The study concludes that crucial factors for smallholder farmers’ vulnerability to climate change in the Uluguru
Mountains are access to information and resources, road and market infrastructure, and smallholder farmers’ organization.
Privacy, medical confidentiality, and health in Tanzania
(Elgar, 2023) Temba, Ferdinand Marcel
This chapter analysed the protection of patient confidential information and
privacy in the health sector. It considers the legal framework based on inter-
national influences by international instruments and other sources of law in
Tanzania from legislative to received laws. From the outset, the chapter finds
that the law of confidentiality and privacy in the health sector is underdevel-
oped. While Tanzania complies with the international legal position on privacy
and confidentiality, the customisation of the rules through local legislation
has been taking place slowly. There is no general law on protection of patient
confidential information only that the health practitioners are guided by a few
specific laws such as the HIV and AIDS (Prevention and Control) Act, 2008,
and Human DNA Regulation Act 2009. The Codes for Conduct and Ethics for
specific health professionals such as medical professionals and dentists, nurses
and midwives, radiology and imaging professionals, pharmacists, and optom-
etry provide limited guidelines for the standards of medical confidentiality
and privacy as well as the exceptions to medical confidentiality and privacy.
Despite these setbacks, the health system is organised and prepared to deal with
emerging health challenges although crudely, while maintaining the privacy
and confidentiality of patients. For instance, the development of science and
technology has led to the enactment of laws to address issues likely to cause
difficulties in the day-to-day activities of health professionals and thus laws
such as the Human DNA Regulation Act 2009 were enacted to address such
changes. The few existing laws, albeit, in summary, set standards of privacy
and confidentiality and provide for the grounds for disclosure of confidential
information which range from statutory exceptions to disclosure due to public
interest. COVID-19 which hit the world in late 2019 made Tanzania to adopt and customize World Health Organisation COVID-19 standards and set guide-
lines for the prevention and vaccination of COVID-19.
Enhancing access to health information in Tanzania: legal frameworks, university libraries’ pivotal role, and evidence-based policy reforms
(The sub Saharan Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities (SJSSH), 2025-11-07) Temba, Ferdinand Marcel
Access to health information is a cornerstone of democratic governance, transparency, accountability, and optimal public health outcomes. Anchored in Article 18 of Tanzania’s 1977 Constitution and the Access to Information Act of 2016, this right intersects with global [e.g., International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) Article 19] and regional [e.g., African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR) Article 9] instruments. Employing doctrinal legal
research, this article analyzes these frameworks while positioning university libraries as critical intermediaries for acquiring, organizing, and disseminating health information to academic and societal users. Key findings reveal substantive barriers; broad exemptions, excessive discretionary powers, and fragile enforcement; compounded by procedural gaps in digital regulation and oversight. University libraries empower users through information literacy, digital repositories, and
community outreach, yet face resource constraints and infrastructural challenges. The study concludes that aligning legal entitlements with practical access requires systemic reforms to advance health equity and sustainable development. Policy recommendations include narrowing exemptions with public-interest overrides, establishing an independent Information Commission, introducing tiered sanctions and expedited urgent requests, and fostering library-government partnerships for capacity-building and digital integration.