Browsing by Author "Kahamba, J. S."

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Access and use of information communication technologies by agricultural extension agents in Tanzania
(Huria Journal, 2017-07) Martin, R.; Kahamba, J. S.
Many studies have focused on the use of ICT by farmers; however, little attention has been on the use ICT by agricultural extension agents who are the bridge between source of agricultural knowledge and technologies on one hand and the smallholders on the other. Based on a cross sectional study of agricultural extension agents enrolled at Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA), in this paper we present, as a point of departure, the extent of access and usage of ICT by agricultural extension agents in Tanzania. Also, factors that influence the use of ICT by Agricultural Extension Agents are assessed. Finally, a conclusion is made and recommendations offered based on the findings.
Analysis of gender stereotypes in Tanzania’s television commercial advertisements
(University of Dar es Salaam Library Journal, 2017) Kahamba, J. S.; Sife, A. S.
This study analysed gender stereotypes in Tanzania’s television commercial advertisements. In all, 71 advertisements were recorded from nine television channels—TBC1, ITV, Azam One, Azam Two, Sinema Zetu, Channel 10, Clouds TV, Star TV and East Africa TV. The units of analysis were television commercials that contained at least one adult female or male character. The recorded advertisements were then subjected to content analysis. Quantitative data was analysed with the help of SPSS. The study findings indicate that there was an equal distribution of male and female characters in television adverts and that the majority of central figures were aged between 18 and 35 years. A central figure in this study was an adult person playing a major role by virtue of either speaking or having an exposure on a screen. Women in television commercials were younger than their male counterparts, were portrayed mostly in home settings and as non-professionals, with their primary occupation being homemakers. Women were also primarily associated with the promotion of household products and they frequently appeared wearing non-formal attire. The findings also indicate that men dominated the ad voiceovers and that they often provided scientific arguments in television commercials. The findings of the study imply that, despite many efforts made to address gender inequalities in the country, Tanzania’s televisions continue to perpetuate such inequalities through stereotypical portrayal of men and women. Thus more efforts are necessary to make the media broadcast gender-sensitive and gender-responsive content.
Awareness and practice of gender responsive pedagogy in higher learning institutions: the case of Sokoine University of Agriculture, Tanzania
(Journal of Education, Humanities and Sciences, 2017) Kahamba, J. S.; Massawe, F. A.; Kira, E. S.
Tanzania is among Sub-Saharan African countries where teachers are conditioned by male-dominated values in their communities. This has been one of the factors perpetuating gender inequality in various levels of education. With the understanding that gender sensitive teaching aims at equally supporting the learning of male and female students, this disparity calls for the promotion and adoption of gender responsiveness teaching practices in higher learning institutions (HLIs) to correct gender bias in the learning process. The argument here is that the teaching and learning environment in higher learning institutions is not only gender-imbalanced but also it is not well known on whether instructors are aware of gender sensitive teaching techniques, and to what extent do they mainstream gender sensitive teaching practices in their daily teaching practises. Thus, this study had two objectives: (a) to assess the level of awareness in gender responsive pedagogy among university instructors; and (b) to determine the extent to which instructors practice gender responsive pedagogy methods in teaching. The study adopted a cross-section survey research design where the data were collected using a questionnaire from a random sample of 83 academic staff. The study adopted descriptive analysis using SPSS Computer Software to analyse the collected data. The findings show that members of academic staff have a partial awareness of gender sensitive teaching practices. Overall, the findings revealed the degree of gender sensitive pedagogical teaching practices to be very low. The paper recommends that universities should continue with awareness campaign and training workshops to academic staff through gender policy implementation committees
Empowering rural women through Microfinance in Pucheng County, China
(Uongozi Journal of Management Dynamics, 2014) Kahamba, J. S.; Sife, A. S.
A study was conducted to understand whether and in what ways microfinance services had empowered rural women in China using the Pucheng County Women's Sustainable Development Association (PCWSDA) as a case study. The study focused in the role of microfinance in women's decision making power, their ability to contribute to household income, ownership and control of resources and assets, and their sense of worth and recognition. The study employed qualitative methods including interviews, focus group discussions and observations. A total of 21 women borrowers, five loan officers and a PCWSDA leader comprised the study sample. The findings revealed that microfinance services had empowered rural women in the study area by improving their household incomes, and enhancing their abilities to own and control resources and assets. This in turn had improved their decision making power in the households and given them self-confidence, self-worth and recognition. Lessons learnt from this study include the importance of providing microfinance along with other services such as trainings and expert support in order to build borrowers' capacities to run their income generating activities. Another key lesson is the need to involve male partners and considering other gender characteristics in providing loans to poor women.
Exploring alternatives for livestock production in Lushoto, Tanzania: Playing the Transformation Game
(2018-09) Pfeifer, C.; Morris, J.; Soka, G.; Moses, E. A.; Mkiramweni, N. P.; Omari, A.; Msoka, E.; Kahamba, J. S.; Sengelela, M. L.; Mdoembazi, H.; Massawe, B. H. J.; Mahimbo, O.
This report presents the design for and preliminary results from the second ResLeSS workshop in Tanzania. The workshop is focused around the development of socio-economic indicators that are shared between stakeholders, and a “Transformation Game” that engages stakeholders in scenario development and assessment focused on the CLEANED environmental impact simulation tool. This approach enabled participants to engage with the knowledge about higher-yielding dairy production and an opportunity to plan for the future. An explicit focus on equity, through the design of the workshops and Game, and the treatment of economic indicators that encompass wider perceptions of value than finance alone, helped ensure that dialogue was able to emerge rooted in an appreciation of the different perspectives held by stakeholders. The Game opened a space for discussion that has yielded important insights for future development planning and was valued by the workshop participants. Participant feedback makes clear that the workshop developed new knowledge and achieved the objective of creating an opportunity for joint learning - participants welcomed the opportunity to plan for the future and to be challenged on what is feasible in the future. The workshop revealed a shared desire among stakeholders for livestock livelihoods to provide an improved standard of living and wellbeing, and a shared appreciation that improved feed and animal management coupled with shifting to higher-producing breeds can double milk production. There were different opinions on how much to change – “he who dares wins” pitted against a more cautious approach recognising that many in Lushoto would not cope with the increased costs of keeping pure exotic breeds. The transformation game provided rhetorical space to explore the two perspectives, although participants missed having a simple cost calculator. The results indicate a clear sense that participants are focused on meeting socio-economic goals (expressed for the most part in terms of increased income from livestock) and that, in the highland part of Lushoto, a strategy of moving to cross breeds and exotic breeds with good management presents an opportunity to reduce environmental impacts in Lushoto. Pressure on land and water is reduced and although greenhouse gas emissions increase, the emission intensity reduces. The move to zero-grazing will benefit soil fertility in Lushoto, as more manure can be applied to fields. However, three trade-offs arise: i) There are financial costs of keeping the high-producing breeds to take into account, as they are more vulnerable to disease and have high feed and maintenance requirements – and as production increases, the milk price in Lushoto may fall. Not everyone in the district will have the financial resources to invest in high-producing breeds. ii) The feedbasket for high-producing breeds relies mainly on planted fodder and purchased concentrates. In an area where land is restricted, the additional planted fodder will compete with existing crops, potentially affecting food security. Although there is a sense that planted fodder for milk would provide higher returns than ill-suited maize, producers will need to consider what is the best use of their land. iii) The reliance on purchased concentrates effectively exports the environmental impact, allowing for the reduced pressure in Lushoto. Although this benefits Lushoto, national planning should take this into consideration. Overall, the workshop was a positive learning experience for all, providing an important opportunity to come together, but it is only the start of an ongoing conversation.
Household gender relations and adherence to antiretroviral therapy in Njombe District, Tanzania
(College of Social Sciences and Humanities, Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA), 2020-05-05) Massawe, F. A.; Kahamba, J. S.; Jeckoniah, J. N.; Nombo, C. I.
The government of Tanzania initiated the rollout of free antiretroviral therapy (ART) to reduce mortality and morbidity rates and improve the quality of life for people living with Human immunodeficiency virus and acquired immune deficiency syndrome (PLWHA). The initiative will be successful once the services are widely accessed and register a high level of ART adherence by PLWHA. There are however, limited empirical studies on how gender-related factors affect access to and follow-through treatment for HIV and AIDS hence the need to fill this knowledge gap. The study adopted a cross-sectional design to collect data using a structured questionnaire in Njombe Region, Tanzania. The findings reveal that heterosexual intercourse with a spouse was the leading cause of HIV transmission for women (64.9%), and casual sex outside of marriage was the major cause for men (54.3%). It was revealed that 45.5% of respondents reported women to be responsible for income generation at the household. The study found that 81.4% of women, compared to 42.9% of males walked to the clinic while only 14% of women paid for transport to get to the clinic, compared to 40% of men. It was found that 30% of women and 17% men had no access to a special diet required by the PLWHA. Findings indicate that 96.6% of females and 85.6% of males patients took their medication as prescribed and attended scheduled clinics (97.1% of men and 93.8% of women) as planned. Heavy household workload was reported to constraint women in taking medication on time. Maintaining a good diet was a problem reported by most of the respondents, especially women. The study concludes that as treatment programs are rolled out and scaled up, household gender relations still affects adherence in different ways, therefore considering gender aspect will improve access and adherence to ART for PLWHA.
How gender affects adherence to antiretroviral therapy in Tanzania
(MEASURE Evaluation, 2017) Kahamba, J. S.; Massawe, F. A.; Nombo, C. N.; Jeckoniah, J. N.
Background: AIDS was first diagnosed in 1983. We know that HIV and AIDS have been in Tanzania for more than three decades. Although efforts to find a cure for AIDS have not yet been fruitful, the Government of Tanzania initiated the rollout of free antiretroviral therapy (ART) in 2004. This intervention has dramatically reduced rates of mortality and morbidity and improved the quality of life for people living with HIV (PLHIV). However, the availability of ART does not guarantee that all PLHIV have equal access to it. Gender can increase a person’s vulnerability to HIV and influence his or her ability to access information about preventive measures, care, support, and treatment. The purpose of this study was to investigate how gender-related factors affect access to and follow-through of this important treatment for HIV and AIDS. Methods: We conducted our study in Njombe District of Njombe Region, Tanzania, from October to November 2015. The region has the highest HIV prevalence rate in the country. We used a cross-sectional design to collect data using a structured questionnaire administered at one public permanent care-and-treatment clinic (CTC) and one mobile CTC. The study population consisted of male and female PLHIV who were more than 18 years of age, were registered in an ART program in Njombe District for at least three months, and had consented to participate in the study. A combination of convenience and snowball sampling techniques was used to capture respondents with the desired characteristics. A total of 132 respondents (97 females and 35 males) completed the questionnaire. Five key informant interviews (KIIs) were conducted with health workers, nongovernmental organization (NGO) staff, and caretakers at the family level. Two focus group discussions (FGDs) were also conducted; one consisted of eight females, the other had seven males. In addition, secondary data from Njombe District health facilities were collected. Results: Our study found that heterosexual intercourse with a spouse was the leading cause of HIV transmission for more than two-thirds of the women (64.9%), and casual sex outside of marriage was the major cause for more than half of men (54.3%). The main reasons respondents gave for getting tested for HIV were compulsory HIV screening during prenatal visits, HIV awareness campaigns (especially for men), and unhealthy symptoms such as weight loss and frequent diseases. Most PLHIV (86% of men and 80% of women) started on ART within the same year they were diagnosed. Partners did not usually get tested for HIV together; men were typically more reluctant, and they denied the problem, usually asserting their wives were the source of the virus. Women were less likely than men to consult their spouse/partners before getting tested and less likely to get support from their partners after they were tested. Women (especially married women) were more likely to face social problems, including stigma, when disclosing their HIV status to their partners. Some women feared family quarrels and harsh consequences, such as being physically abused and/or divorced. Communication barriers during the early stages of deciding to get tested, and the poor responses women received from their partners when the women consulted them, affected women’s next phase of living with HIV and had a negative impact on ART access and adherence to services. Respondents had a working knowledge of how to adhere to ART and practice safe sex, but they rarely followed safe-sex practices. While nearly all the women (96.9%) took all their medicine, they were less likely than the men to follow the clinic schedule precisely. Women in the FGD said that heavy household workloads made it more difficult for them to take their medications on time. Conclusion: Gender inequity adversely affects adherence to ART in different ways for women and men living with HIV. This study has improved understanding of gender differences in ART access and adherence. We hope this will contribute to the development of more effective gender-based interventions that can potentially enhance ART access and follow-through.
Phasing out plan for the accompanying measures sugar protocol (2011 – 13) projects
(Bureau of Agricultural Consultancy and Advisory Service, Sokoine University of Agriculture,, 2018) Massawe, B. H. J.; Kahamba, J. S.
Sugarcane production is an important subsector in Tanzania’s agricultural sector. It contributes approximately 35% of the gross output of the food-manufacturing sector and some 7 to 10% of total manufacturing value added. Being among the largest agro-processing industries in the country, the sugar subsector is a major employer with direct labour force of approximately 18,000 people, indirect labour force of 57,000 people with 75, 000 households and dependents. The Tanzanian sugar cane production can be categorized into two subsectors: outgrowers subsector and estate subsector. The outgrowers are associated with estates because they don’t own sugar processing mills, thus sell their crops to the mills owned by estate subsector. There are four major players in the estate subsector owning five processing plants. These are Kilombero Sugar Company (owning two mills) in Morogoro, Mtibwa Sugar Estates (MSE) also in Morogoro, TPC Ltd in Kilimanjaro, and Kagera Sugar Ltd in Kagera Large-scale plantations have been the predominant model for sugarcane production in Tanzania and elsewhere in Sub-Saharan Africa. However, due to limited land for horizontal expansion of sugarcane estate farming, the sugar companies in Tanzania specifically Kilombero Sugar Company Limited (KSCL) and Mtibwa Sugar Estate in Morogoro region have strongly encouraged outgrowers production. Outgrowers schemes in Tanzania account for approximately 27% of all cane production and 48% respective mills’ throughput. However, their efficiency is hampered by several factors. Outgrowers production in Tanzania is constrained by several factors the main ones being poor management of outgrowers’ associations, poor infrastructure and haulage facilities, poor cane husbandry practices, lack of access to finance to invest in sugarcane production, high harvesting and production costs, and fire outbreaks in outgrowers’ fields before harvesting, and dependence on rain-fed agriculture. Despite the challenges faced, outgrower production is seen as an appropriate model to increase sugarcane production hence fill the existing supply gap of sugar in the country. Tanzania was affected by the reform of the European Sugar Market. The government developed a National Strategy on how to adjust to new EU Sugar market regime. The EU Commission in response outlined a strategy for the period 2006-2013 on how to support National plans for adjusting to the new price regime and drafted a Multi-annual Indicative programme for the period 2007-2010 thereby improving Tanzania’s competitiveness with other sugar-producing countries. The current programme known as Accompanying Measures Protocol (AMSP) 2011-2013 builds on the achievements of the previous Multi-Annual Indicative Programme (MIP) 2007-2010. It has been designed in line with the MIP 2011-2013 and it takes stock of the new Sugar Industry Development Plan and Strategy (SIDPS) 2011/12-2015/16.