Browsing by Author "Gwassa, Nyamweru Faustine"

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Spices production and household income in Morogoro Rural District
(Sokoine University of Agriculture, 2007) Gwassa, Nyamweru Faustine
This study was conducted in Morogoro Rural districts in Tawa and Kibogwa wards, which were purposively selected to examine contribution of spice production to the farmers’ income. Forty respondents were purposively selected in three villages purposively selected in each ward based on involvement in spices production. Results showed that the main types of spices cultivated were Black pepper, Cloves, Cinnamon, Cardamom, Ginger and Vannila, which were cultivated as either intercrop or monocrop. Other crops included; bananas, fruits and cassava. Though not significant at 95% confidence interval (P = 0.056) spices contributed 39% of mean household cash income per season, which was slightly higher than that for other crops. The corresponding values for bananas, cassava and fruits were 28%, 22% and 11%, respectively. Incomes from spices were important for several economical and social demands such as house construction, purchasing assets, payment of school fees and buying food during time of food shortages. In Kibogwa ward, the major constraints to spice production were lack of extension services, lack of capital and unstable prices reported by 33%, 13% and 8% of the interviewed households, respectively. The corresponding values were 27%, 22% and 18% of interviewed households in Tawa ward. Improved road networks to facilitate extension services delivery and transport to market centres, informal and formal credit facilities are recommended for improved and profitable spice production.