Browsing by Author "Mpogole, Hosea"

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Optimising behaviour of round potato farmers in southern highlands of Tanzania
(REPOA, 2011) Mpogole, Hosea; Kadigi, Reuben M. J.; Mlambiti, Melchior E.
Production and consumption of round potatoes have been increasing in Tanzania. This is evidenced by the increase of the urban street chips vendors; local smallholder crisps processors; and large scale processors such as CRISPO Company at Iringa. The increase in consumption of round potato is due mainly to increased economic activities, population increase, urbanisation, increase in number of fast food restaurants, and tourism which change eating habits and consumer preferences towards easy to cook, pre-prepared and processed foods such as potato chips and crisps. It is also known that there are various round potato varieties with different characteristics such as size, shape, taste, yield, and processing qualities. Thus, different varieties may have different markets and hence profitability. According to economic theory, a farmer is expected to grow varieties that promise to yield the maximum profit. However, studies done in other countries indicate that smallholder farmers were guided by factors other than profit maximisation. Therefore, this study analysed the optimisation behaviour of smallholder round potato farmers in Southern Highlands of Tanzania basing on four questions. How do farmers allot land to various crops? What guides farmers’ selection for the round potato varieties they grow? Are there variations in profitability among round potato varieties? And are round potato farmers maximisers of profit? Results show that there were variations in profitability among varieties. Also, farmers’ decisions regarding variety selections, time of sale and acreage decisions were not guided by profit maximisation. Selling price of the previous season and profitability did have any effect on variety selections. The study concludes that smallholder round potato farmers were not optimisers of profit. Understanding farmers’ optimisation behaviour and variety preferences is important in informing relevant policies as input to the current government effort of commercialising smallholder production, poverty reduction, and future variety development and diffusion.
Round potato (Solanum tuberosum) profitability and implications for variety selections in the Southern Highlands of Tanzania.
(Academic Journals, 2012) Mpogole, Hosea; Kadigi, Reuben M. J.
According to the standard economic theory that treats a person as a maximising agent of short run profit, it would be expected that farmers would select round potato varieties with the highest profit potential. However, previous studies treated round potato as one variety and other adoption studies often assumed that profitability was not important in the adoption of improved varieties. Therefore, this study analysed the profitability of round potato and the implications for variety selections by using a sample of 510 farmers drawn from three districts of the Southern Highlands of Tanzania. The main question was whether smallholder round potato farmers considered profit potentials or are there other factors in variety selections? The results showed that Kagiri was the most profitable variety and there were significant differences in profitability among varieties. However, not many farmers produced Kagiri because they used their own criteria in order to make profit. Such criteria included the availability of seed tubers, preferences of the local consumers and processors, common practices, yield, and suitability for home consumption. It was recommended that the role of plant breeders should go beyond the crop characteristics, such as, yield potential, response to inputs, and tolerance to diseases, so as to include both farmers and consumers’ preferences.
Round potato production in southern highlands of Tanzania : market preferences, farmers’ variety selection, and profitability
(Sokoine University of Agriculture, 2013) Mpogole, Hosea
This study investigated the market orientation of round potato fanners in the southern highlands ofTanzania. A market oriented farmer, assumed to be a maximiser ofshort run profit, is expected to select varieties with higher profit potential and in accordance with market preferences and would allot more acreage to a more profitable crop than those needed for home consumption. Thus, this study sought to achieve the following objectives: to determine the market preferences for round potato varieties; to determine factors guiding farmers’ selections for varieties they produce; to analyse the profitability by varieties; and to analyse the market orientation of the round potato farmers. A sample of 510 farmers was obtained in Njombe, Mbeya Rural and Nkasi Districts. Preferences for round potato varieties was analysed by using a mini market survey of 155 respondents. The collected data was analysed by using both quantitative and qualitative approaches. Gross margin (GM) analysis, logistic regression and ANOVA models, and commercialisation index (CI) were adopted for data analysis. The overall results showed that red-skinned round potatoes were preferred to white/purple-skinned ones whereby consumers associated colour with dry matter content. Farmers’ criteria for variety selection included seed tuber availability, market demand, price, and common practices. Econometric results indicated that gender (p<0.01), education level (p<0.05), prices of previous season (p<0.01), location (p<0.01) and extension services (p<0.01) influenced farmers’ selection of varieties. Farmers who consulted the extension officers were 2.6 times more likely to choose varieties in accordance with the market preferences than others. The ANOVA model indicated that there was significant difference in profitability among varieties. Kagiri was the highest profitable variety with mean GM ofTZS 794 889 per acre followed by Tigoni (TZS 618 167), Kikondo (TZS 484 900), and Arka (TZS 377 743). The proportion of land allotted for the crop ranged from 20% of total land under cultivation at Nkasi to 67% in Mbeya Rural. Furthermore, CI of 88% showed that round potato production was highly market oriented. Based on key findings, the study recommended that plant breeders should include consumer preferences as part of their breeding programme.
Round potato production in southern highlands of Tanzania : market preferences, farmers’ variety selection, and profitability
(Sokoine University of Agriculture, 2013) Mpogole, Hosea
This study investigated the market orientation of round potato farmers in the southern highlands of Tanzania. A market oriented farmer, assumed to be a maximiser of short run profit, is expected to select varieties with higher profit potential and in accordance with market preferences and would allot more acreage to a more profitable crop than those needed for home consumption. Thus, this study sought to achieve the following objectives: to determine the market preferences for round potato varieties; to determine factors guiding farmers‟ selections for varieties they produce; to analyse the profitability by varieties; and to analyse the market orientation of the round potato farmers. A sample of 510 farmers was obtained in Njombe, Mbeya Rural and Nkasi Districts. Preferences for round potato varieties was analysed by using a mini market survey of 155 respondents. The collected data was analysed by using both quantitative and qualitative approaches. Gross margin (GM) analysis, logistic regression and ANOVA models, and commercialisation index (CI) were adopted for data analysis. The overall results showed that red-skinned round potatoes were preferred to white/purple-skinned ones whereby consumers associated colour with dry matter content. Farmers‟ criteria for variety selection included seed tuber availability, market demand, price, and common practices. Econometric results indicated that gender (p<0.01), education level (p<0.05), prices of previous season (p<0.01), location (p<0.01) and extension services (p<0.01) influenced farmers‟ selection of varieties. Farmers who consulted the extension officers were 2.6 times more likely to choose varieties in accordance with the market preferences than others. The ANOVA model indicated that there was significant difference in profitability among varieties. Kagiri was the highest profitable variety with mean GM of TZS 794 889 per acre followed by Tigoni (TZS 618 167), Kikondo (TZS 484 900), and Arka (TZS 377743). The proportion of land allotted for the crop ranged from 20% of total land under cultivation at Nkasi to 67% in Mbeya Rural. Furthermore, CI of 88% showed that round potato production was highly market oriented. Based on key findings, the study recommended that plant breeders should include consumer preferences as part of their breeding programme.
Round potato production in Southern Highlands of Tanzania: are smallholder farmers becoming commercial?
(REPOA, 2013) Mpogole, Hosea; Mlambiti, M. E; Kadigi, R.M.J
The subsistence production is chosen by farmers because it is subjectively the best option. However, subsistence farming on small and fragmented plots risks not reaching even farmers’ own food requirements, let alone producing a surplus. Therefore, it would have been expected that farmers would be commercialising production of profitable food crops. One of the more profitable food crops than many others as studies show is round potato (Solanum tuberosum). Nonetheless, the extent to which farmers have commercialised round potato production was not known. This study was then undertaken to fill this knowledge gap by analysing the proportion of land allotted to round potato production and the extent to which the crop was oriented towards the market by using the commercialisation index. A sample of 510 farmers was visited from three districts of the southern highlands of Tanzania. Results showed that round potato production was highly commercialised. This was evidence by the proportion of land that was allotted for round potato cultivation and the commercialisation index. About 20 to 67% of the total land under cultivation was allotted to round potato production and about 88% of the produce was sold. However, both the cultivated land and output per capita were small.