Browsing by Author "Makindara, J."

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Assessment of existing policy and legal framework for banana value chain development in Uganda
(2016) Ariho, A.; Makindara, J.; Tumwesigye, G.; Sikira, A.
Although there is a high dependence on bananas for food and income, the banana subsector remains largely underdeveloped in Uganda. This study aims to assess the enabling environment in the banana subsector by ascertaining and examining the existing policy and legal frameworks for the development of the banana value chain in Uganda. A combination of survey, focus group discussions, key informant interviews and desk review data collection techniques were employed for the study. Analysis of the extant policy framework reveals that despite the absence of a specific policy for the banana subsector, there is a legal institutional framework in operation although only on a limited scale as the responsible institutions are weak. Adequate financing and human capital capacity development are required in order to empower the existing institutions towards promotion of the banana value chain. The paper concludes that a policy specifically geared towards the banana subsector is a prerequisite for a comprehensive strategic plan in the development of the Ugandan banana value chain.
Assessment of innovative market access options for banana value chain in Uganda
(2015-10) Alex, A.; Makindara, J.; Tumwesigye, G.; Sikira, A.
Smallholder banana farmers depend almost entirely on fresh banana for their livelihoods in Uganda. Similarly, other banana value chain (BVC) actors specialize in the trade of the fresh fruit for income and employment. Therefore, improving the efficiency of market access options in Uganda’s banana subsector is one way that banana value chain actors can benefit through the sale of their banana products. In order to achieve this, the actors need to be innovative; departing from dependence on the same product and traditional markets/approaches that limit available benefits. This paper is aimed at identifying innovative market access options among the banana value chain actors in Uganda as a basis for projecting the potential. Cross-sectional research design incorporating 240 value chain actors was employed for the study. The major innovative market access options assessed during the study were collective marketing, contract farming, mobile phone platforms, value addition options and supermarkets. The study discovered that innovative market access options such as farmer associations/collective marketing groups, use of mobile phone tools and value addition among banana actors were vital in improving market access but were underutilized. As such, there is need to develop a specific banana value chain development strategic framework in order to tap up innovations among the value chain actors and promote their diffusion across key banana growing districts in Uganda
Comparing stakeholder views for mutual acceptable food value chain upgrading strategies in Tanzania
(Academic Journals, 2015) Mwinuka, L.; Schneider, I.; Maeda, C.; Mutabazi, K. D.; Makindara, J.; Graef, S.; Swai, E.; Mbwana, H.; Swamila, M.
The number of rural poor has been reported to rise in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) while per capita food consumption in the region is on the decline and food insecurity has been much embedded. Thus, knowing upgrading strategies (UPS) to be used in making a living and would have great chance of benefiting majority hence provide solutions to poverty, food insecurity and malnutrition. This paper assesses and compares the views of local stakeholders and agricultural experts in terms of prioritizing food securing UPS along food value chains (FVC). Data and information have been collected in a highly participatory process so as to develop an approach and experience in Tanzania regions to support poor people in rural areas to upgrade their position in viable FVC. Local stakeholders’ definition of food security rely on food availability component, hence this paper centers on two major FVC components such as natural resources and crop production for maize and millet subsectors in Morogoro and Dodoma regions of Tanzania, respectively. Given natural resources, agricultural experts favor soil improving upgrading strategies in Morogoro and water management in Dodoma, whereby, local stakeholders in both regions prefer farm inputs related UPS for improving soil fertility (seed varieties improvement and fertilizer use). There is no significant mismatch of views for production component apart from differences on ranks. Stakeholders in both regions prefer use of improved crop varieties, pests and diseases control and new livestock management including having village land use planning. It is recommended that satisfactory participation of local stakeholders should be considered during testing stage of FVC upgrading strategies, including packing these innovations to suit local conditions and finally empower all potential actors for successful dissemination and outreach.
Farmers’ preferences for tropically adapted improved chicken breeds in selected agro-ecological zones in Tanzania
(AJOL, 2024) Wolfgang, G.; Makindara, J.; Mbaga, S.
This study was carried out in twelve villages that were implementing the African Chicken Genetic Gain (ACGG) project in Mbeya and Mwanza regions. Multistage random sampling method was employed from Agro-Ecological Zone (AEZ) level to a village level in which respondents were systematically selected from a distribution list of chicks. Data were collected using structured questionnaires and 132 respondents were interviewed. The objective of this study was to identify smallholder farmers’ preference traits of improved chicken breeds compared to local ones. The results showed that, the majority of smallholder farmers i.e. 104 (78.8%) in the study areas preferred improved chicken breeds due to the traits of fast growth rate, large body size at maturity, higher egg production, easily adaptive to the local environment, bigger sized eggs and being sold easily. Moreover, the chi- square test shows that, improved chicken traits of egg production, large egg size and being sold at good prices were statistically significant at (p<0.05) between regions. However, 28 smallholder farmers i.e. 21.2%, preferred local chicken due to the traits of ability to survive, scavenging ability, good meat taste, mothering ability, good hatching ability and egg taste. In this case, the chi-square test shows that, local chicken trait of ability to survive had significant difference (p<0.05) between regions. It is therefore concluded that improved chicken breeds were preferred by the majority of farmers due to their traits such as fast growth rate and high egg production. It is thus recommended that chicken breeders should introduce chicken which have traits preferred by smallholder farmers.
Opportunities for upgrading the banana value chain in Uganda
(2005-06) Alex, A.; Makindara, J.; Tumwesigye, G.; Sikira, A.
As one of the major staple foods in Uganda, the banana industry is important for providing . fi)od and income to producers and other value chain actors. However, the sector is vastly underdeveloped, hence limiting its contribution to the economic wellbeing of actors. This paper assesses opportunities for upgrading the banana value chain as a basis for identifYing the potential entry points for developing the banana sub-sector in Uganda. A cross-sectional research design was adopted where interviews with 240 value chain actors and focus group discussion were conducted. Additional information was collected from a desk review of relevant literature. The value chain analysis approach vi'as adopted for data analysis as a basis for identifying Opportunities for improvement and upgrading options. Results' Allowed that banana farmers apply inputs at the farm level and they are involved in value addition post harvest, but on a very low scale. On average 27% of the bananas produced by smallholder jiirmers were set aside.* value addition. The most common forms of value addition adopted by furriers and traders included ripening and roasting the bananas, brewing local alcohol (tont() and waragi), making crafts and juice. The study observed an increasing number of firms that are involved in modernized value addition techniques. However there was a poor link between value chain actors, especial/v banana producers. input suppliers and providers of financial services. The study identified numerous opportunities for product. process', functional, channel and inter-sectoral upgrading in the banana value chain as well as value chain governance as important entry points towards boosting the general performance of the banana value chain.
Sustainability standards and coffee exports from Tanzania
(DIIS · DANISH INSTITUTE FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDIES, 2008) Lazaro, E. A.; Makindara, J.; Kilima, T. M.
One of the key trends characterizing agro-food trade in the last two decades has been the increas-ing complexity of public and private standards that are applied to imports into developed coun-tries. This paper aims to identify critical areas to facilitate compliance with sustainability standards in coffee, which is the major traditional export crop for Tanzania. Coffee experienced a dramatic downward trend in world market prices that led to a decreased contribution to foreign exchange earnings in producing countries in the early 2000s. Although prices have improved over the past few years, economies that are dependent on traditional agricultural exports such as coffee need strategies to ensure stability in export earnings. One of the possible venues for increased agri-cultural export value is through exports to niche markets, such as coffee that is certified against one or more sustainability certifications (e.g. Fair Trade, Utz Certified, Organic, and Rainforest Alliance). For this reason, a survey was conducted with key actors (producers, processors, and exporters) in the Tanzanian coffee sector to assess compliance to the Utz standard – the fastest growing sus-tainability standard in the coffee sector. This paper reviews the key trends in relation to sustain-ability standards in coffee, a profile of (and the main challenges faced by) producers that comply with the Utz standard in Tanzania, and the perceptions of those producers who have not yet attempted certification. It provides a first, qualitative, reading of the survey findings, which will be followed up by a more rigorous quantitative assessment of costs and benefits. The findings provided here show that so far only large-scale coffee producers have managed to meet the costs of compliance with the Utz standard in Tanzania; they also show that the rate of growth of Utz-certified coffee sales from Tanzania is quite low, even when compared with neighbouring Uganda and Kenya. High costs of certification and the perceived inadequateness of price premiums on certified coffee were identified as the most limiting factors against compliance. Strategic awareness creation and support services on coffee standards are required among all actors in the coffee sector in Tanzania to meet current consumer demands on social and environ-mental concerns. Therefore, the coffee sector regulatory system should provide an institutional guide on coffee standards. It should also stimulate discussion among smallholder organizations, such as farmer groups and primary cooperative societies, on whether Utz certification should be attempted. Continued research on sustainability standards is also needed to inform actors in the sector on critical emerging issues that affect demand, supply, and prices of coffee.