Browsing by Author "Mkenda, Vera Florida John"

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A farm level impact assessment study of the Tanzania bean research project technologies: the case of Morogoro and Kilosa districts.
(Sokoine University of Agriculture, 1997) Mkenda, Vera Florida John
The purpose of this study was to assess the farm level impact of the technologies introduced by the Tanzania Bean CRSP ( Collaborative Research Support Programme) Project to small holder farmers in Morogoro and Kilosa Districts in Tanzania. Data for the study were collected, through interviews of 277 farmers in seven villages of the two districts in relation to the production and consumption ofbean in the 1994/95 and 1995/96 cropping seasons. The study has mainly traced the adoption process and impacts of SUA 90 bean variety (a variety which was released by the project in 1990). The study also presents quick reviews of the other technologies developed by the project which include; NITROSUA (a substitute to chemical fertilizer) and EP4-4 bean variety. The study uses a variety of analytical tools inassessing the data and information collected. The tools include: descriptive statistics,econometric models, and qualitative assessments. The study results reveal that in the sample area beans are mainly produced by small holder farmers who cultivate an average ferm size of 3.2 ha of which 0.5 ha is devoted to beans production. Out of the total sample of farmers, who have had exposure/access to SUA 90- variety, 60% of these have adopted the variety (out of which 43% are women). EP4-4 variety and NI TROSUA were found to be less known by farmers. About 48% of the adopters produce beans as a prindpal crop and about 74% of all the farmers who received SUA 90 seed, mentioned that they are ready tocultivate the variety. Results also show that the adoption of SUA 90 bean variety is influenced by factors related to the perception of farmers on palatability, yield performance and cooking time. Other variables which affect the adoption of SUA 90 related to age of the farmer, his income from selling crop and total farm size owned. Extension contacts, perception on seed colour, seed size, broth quality and keeping quality exhibited no significant association with the SUA 90 variety adoption decision. On the other hand, the amount of local varieties consumed and farmer's perception on palatability and cooking time are associated with the consumption level of SUA 90 bean variety. Other factors include; area planted with SUA 90, amount of SUA 90 yield, yield of local varieties, area planted with SUA 90, amount of SUA 90 seed sold and former's perception on broth quality. The quantitative results also show that the household size, total farm size, extension contact, total bean plot size, area planted with SUA 90, area under local varieties, age of the farmer, adaptability of the variety to bad weather and average income, explain the observed variation in SUA 90 yield. The study concludes that SUA 90 bean variety has been accepted by farmers and it exhibits impacts on smallholder farmers3 income and welfare. The variety is preferred for its consumption qualities as shown by a large number (70%) of farmers who consumed it and commended its palatability. Overall however farmers were disappointed with the limited/small supply of seed for their use and they wanted to see some improvement. The study's recommendations are lhal; (I) the CRSP project should design an institutionally based mechanism to ensure adequate and timely supply of SUA 90 seed; (ii) more effort should be channeled towards the multiplication of seed lo satisfy the demands of the rural farmers, (iii) to continue to incorporate farmers' evaluations in the project's breeding programmes in order to come up with technologies with acceptable qualities to farmers: (iv) to institute a system of continuous monitoring and collection of data for impacts of the released lechnologies. The project should also promote and advertise the technologies developed. An additional recommendation of the study is that a deeper impact assessment study of the project should be conducted after three of five seasons (from 1994/95) to obtain a clearer understanding of the adoption process and impacts of the introduced project technologies