Browsing by Author "Mahoo, H.F."

Now showing 1 - 6 of 6

Drawing on collective arrangements and social networks: a coping strategy for the poor households in the great Ruaha catchment, Tanzania
(SUA, 2007) Kadigi, Reuben M. J.; Mdoe, N.S.Y.; Mahoo, H.F.; Ashimogo, G.C.; Tumbo, S.
Access to water and land resources underpins the socio-economic fabric of many societies in the Southern Africa region, which is characterized broadly as underdeveloped with widespread food insecurity, exacerbated by persistent droughts, erratic rainfalls and increasing human populations. The availability of land and water resources is increasingly diminishing and becoming a stumbling block to the development of the agrarian societies in the region. The poor households have in turn adopted new livelihood coping mechanisms but little research has been done to assess the effectiveness of these ‘instruments’. Consequently, the concepts of sustainable water resources management and agricultural development have remained elusive and poorly understood by policy makers as well as by water resources planners and managers. Recognizing this, a study was conducted between 2002 and 2005 under the RIPARWIN (Raising Irrigation Productivity and Releasing Water for Intersectoral Needs) project to assess the spatial dynamics of livelihood capital, vulnerability and coping strategies for the poor agrarian households in the Upper Great Ruaha River Catchment (GRRC) in Tanzania. The results of analysis showed an array of livelihood platforms and institutional contexts that act to shape the existing livelihood typologies in the GRRC. In addition, the results showed a gradual increase in household vulnerability from upstream to downstream, particularly in terms of access to physical and natural assets. Vulnerability was found to be directly associated with the number of dependants. The female–headed households were relatively more likely to be vulnerable than the male-headed households (c.f. probabilities of 27% and 21% respectively). The value of collective arrangements and drawing on social networks crosscut all social strata and ranked as the most common livelihood strategy. This suggests that the scope for reducing vulnerability among the poor households in the GRRC critically depends on the existing institutional arrangements and mechanisms. Of paramount importance is perhaps the need to facilitate the establishment and empowerment of Water Use Associations and Apex bodies. This appears to be promising enough to build ‘strong’ institutional platforms through which water and land resources would be managed sustainably.
Evaluation of water productivity for maize under drip irrigation
(2010) Silungwe, F.R.; Mahoo, H.F.; Kashaigili, J.J.
A drip system operating under deficit irrigation was used to evaluate water productivity (WP) of TMV-1 maize variety in Morogoro, Tanzania. A block was divided into four sub-blocks; and each randomly assigned with deficit treatment (T1, T2, T3 and T4 as 60%, 40%, 20% and 0% irrigation water deficits, respectively). Three replications were used producing randomized block design. Each sub block biomass, grain yield and harvest index were determined. Biomass development and grain yield were significantly (0.1
Influence of irrigation water quality on soil salinization in semi-arid areas: A case study of Makutopora, Dodoma-Tanzania
(International Journal of Scientific & Engineering Research, 2013) Batakanwa, F.J.; Mahoo, H.F.; Kahimba, F.C.
This research was carried out in Dodoma, at Makutopora Agricultural Research Institute. The main objective was to determine the influence of irrigation water on soil salinization in semi-arid areas. A total of 80 representative soil samples were randomly collected from study area. Two water samples were also collected from the study area. The samples were treated and analyzed for physical and chemical related indices. The results are grouped into general quality parameters, which included salinity and salt inducing cations and anions. The findings indicated that the mean pH was 7.53 while the mean EC value was 944.5 µS/cm. The mean cations in the water were 3.97, 4.32, 2.57, and 11.39 meq/l for Ca2+, Mg2+, K+, and Na+, respectively. The Sodium Adsorption Ratio (SAR) was 5.60. The mean carbonates concentration detected in the irrigation water was 9.05 meq/l, while the mean chloride and sulfide were 17.20 and 3.6 meq/l, respectively. Soil samples were grouped into three major groups namely non-irrigated, half irrigated, and full irrigated soils. For the nonirrigated, half irrigated, and full irrigated soils: the mean pH in the soil was 6.59, 6.89 and 7.04, respectively; the mean ECe were 94.35, 338.5, and 344.72, mS/cm, respectively; SAR was 0.76, 2.64, and 4.82, respectively; exchangeable cations and anions as shown in Table 4, 6 and 8. The results reveal that water may have the potential to be hazardous to the soil as well as to the crop grown because most parameters were above safe limits. The linear regression model showed high correlation of soil salinity with exchangeable bases with R2 =0.776 and significant at p≤0.04 for non-irrigated soil, R2=0.627 at p≤0.001 for half irrigated soil, and R2=0.597 at p≤0.003 for full irrigated soil. For all soil samples the linear regression model shows strong relationships that exist between the soil salinity and exchangeable bases present in the soil. It is recommended that adequate drainage with emphasis on surface drainage should be provided and salt and sodium build up should be monitored regularly.
Paths of influence among components of yield in sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L) Moench, cv Tegemeo) grown in the semi arid area of Dodoma Region, Tanzania
(1998) Reuben, S.O.W.; Rwehumblza, F.B.R.; Mahoo, H.F.; Hatibu, N.; Makungu, P.; Ashimogo, G.C.
Sorghum is a food security crop in tropical marginal areas. Improvement strategies for yield under such conditions are important. Genetic improvement for yield is done thr0ll:gh improvement of its components. Due to yield component compensation, this improvement strategy is made less rewarding. It is therefore important to know compe1J.satory mechanisms existing for better improvement strategies. Studies on the nature of component compensations in sorghum are limited and virtually lacking under Tanzanian conditions. A field experiment was conducted to investigate the nature of interrelationships among components of yield in sorghum at the experimental plots of Hombolo Research Station in the semi-arid zone of Dodoma Region, Tanzania. Six treatment combinations, of rain water harvesting techniques and fertilizer were laid out in a randomized comple,te block design (ReED) with four replications during the growing season of 1996/97. Number of grains was an important component which was significantly correlated (r=O. 982***) with grain yield and had a high positive direct effect (0.979) on yield. Average grain weight was not import~nt in influencing yield of sorghum. Plant biomass had a negative direct effect (-1.2997) on average grain weight but was not important in influencing number of grains. Plant height and percent light intercepted directly influenced number of grains and average grain weight negatively. The negative influence (- 0.8712) of plant height on number of grains was compensated to a low relationship (r= -0.337) mainly by its positive indirect influence (0.3780) through light interception. Improvement strategies should aim at shorter plants with more grains, of lesser canopy development and biomass in these semi arid areas.
Review of rainwater harvesting techniques and evidence for their use in semi-arid Tanzania
(1999) Gowing, J.W.; Mahoo, H.F.; Mzirai, O.B.; Hatibu, N.
Raillwater h.{pvesting (RWH) ,shuuld"be 'regarded as a continuum of techniques thill' link in-situ soil-wate!: conservation at on~'exi;-'ellle to co'nventiona!irrigation {it the ·other. bHitu KWH, comprises i~ group of techniques for preventing runoff and promoting infiltration: Mic/'()-catc~mellt RWH comprises'a group'oftechniques/or collecting overlandfZow;(sheetor rill) from a catchment area and delivering it to a cropped.area in order to supplement the inadequate direc·t':air!faZ{ The transfer nomllllly occurs ·over a reJativelyshOit distance entirely withirt the land-holding of an individual farmer and the system is therefore sometimes known as 'an "illtemai cauhment" .. Macro-catchment RWH comprises a group' of techniques in which natural runoff is collected Fum a relatively large area .and. tr(1nsferred over.a longer distance. Examples of each pf these categories of RWH exist' ill p'a,t's 0/ Ta,';iania, but their potential is }eirgely neglected, by research and extension"seivices alzd they are illlder-exploited. The pUipose of this paper was to 'assess the extent to which thediflerent rainwater harvesting systeniS, are used in Tanzania. The findings show that there is a widespread practice of rainwater harvesting in Tanzania. Rainwater hmvestillg with storage of wate!' for livestock has received govemment SUppOit in the past . . However, rruzny storage reselvoir~ have been destroyed by siltation. On the other hand rainwater hmvesting for crop production has llOt received an adequate SUppOit from research and extension services. Therefore, although farmers are practiciizg rainwaterhmvesting, they are faced with sh01tage of appropriate technolo giesand know
The Role of Response Farming Rainfall Forecasts in improving the performance of Agronomic Adaptation Strategies
(2016) Mahoo, H.F.; Tumbo, S. D.; Rwehumbiza, F. B.; Admassu, H.
Farming by resource-poor and inadequately informed farmers with fixed best-bet strategies under seasonal variability and changing climate in the semi-arid Central Rift Valley of Ethiopia has often proven to be of very low flexibility. While, struggling to survive in the face of high risks, farmers in semi arid-arid areas need flexible seasonal adaptation strategies. The “Response Farming” (RF) methodology, a system that derives forecast of seasonal rainfall from very early rain occurrences, and makes choices of crops and practices to conform to the forecasts was evaluated. The potential of RF in improving traditional adaptation measures employed to current rainfall variability and to observed and projected climate change was investigated. RF turned out superior to both research and farmers’ production strategies. Our evaluation of climate variability and change interventions (RF) show that adaptation strategies, based on RF modeling using long-term weather records, to be useful keys for improving traditional adaptation strategies and to make farming ecologically sustainable and economically feasible as climate change unfolds.