Browsing by Author "Mutabazi, K.D"

Now showing 1 - 4 of 4

Assessment of upgrading strategies to improve regional food systems in Tanzania: Food processing, waste management and bioenergy, and income generation
(SAGE, 2015) Graef, F; Schneider, I; Fasse, A; Germer, J.U; Gevorgyan, E; Haule, F; Hoffmann, H; Kahimba, F.C; Kashaga, L; Kashaga, L; Lambert, C; Lana, M; Mahoo, H.F; Makoko, B; Mbaga, S.H; Mmbughu, A; Mmbughu, S; Mrosso, L; Mutabazi, K.D; Mwinuka, L; Ngazi, H; Nkonya, E; Said, S; Schaffert, A; Schäfer, M.P; Schindler, J; Sieber, S; Swamila, M; Welp, H.M; William, L; Yustas, Y.M
Food security is one of the main goals of rural poor people. To enhance food security in this context, participatory action research can help to ensure sustained success while considering entire food value chains (FVC). This paper assesses the feasibility and potential success of upgrading strategies (UPS) as well as their assessment criteria as developed by German and Tanzanian agricultural scientists. The results form part of a larger participatory research project conducted in two climatically representative regions of Tanzania: semi-arid Dodoma and subhumid Morogoro. This paper presents the findings with respect to food processing, waste management and bioenergy, along with income generation and market participation. Assessments on other components of the FVC, including natural resource management, crop production and consumption, are reported by Graef et al (2015). The assessments for food processing revealed preferences for preservation techniques, oil extraction processes and food storage devices for the semi-arid region. In contrast, in the subhumid region, the experts favoured food storage devices and preservation techniques. Assessments of waste management and bioenergy UPS for both regions indicated the importance of animal feed from crop residues, crop residues as mulch and compost from food waste, although with somewhat different priorities. Assessments on income generation and markets in both regions revealed preferences for savings and credit cooperatives and communication techniques, but also indicated that warehouse receipt systems and guarantee systems had a high impact. Assessments differed between the two different climatic regions, and to some extent also between the nationality of experts and their gender. The authors therefore attach importance to integrating different South–North and female–male awareness in assessments among scientists. Moreover, local and/or regional stakeholders and experts should be involved in developing site-adapted UPS for enhancing FVCs.
Multi-Disciplinary North-South Collaboration in Participatory Action Research on Food Value Chains: a German-Tanzanian Case Study on Perceptions, Experiences and Challenges
(Springer, 2018) Graef, F; Mutabazi, K.D; Sieber, S; Asch, F; Makoko, B; Bonatti, M; Brüntrup, M; Gornott, C; Herrmann, L; Herrmann, R; Kaburire, L; Kahimba, F.C; Kimaro, A; Kuntosch, A; König, H.J
Upgrading local food value chains is a promising approach to invigorating African food systems. This endeavour warrants multi-disciplinary North-South collaboration and partnerships through participatory action research (PAR) to help leverage appropriate upgrading strategies (UPSs) with a focus on local stakeholders. The more disciplines, cultures,and partner institutions that are involved, the more a project will present challenges in terms of communication and coordinating activities. Our aim was to determine the costs and investigate whether PAR with a multi-disciplinary approach was feasible in rural Tanzania with over 600 local stakeholders and more than 100 scientists. This article presents a self-evaluation of the collaboration and communication of project scientists during their research activities. Despite the overall high satisfaction, the more complex and complicated PAR activities required more cooperation, instructions and communication among the project scientists than had been anticipated in this multi-disciplinary, multi-cultural, and multi–institutional context, resulting in greater tension and dissatisfaction. The findings indicate that this type of large multidisciplinary PAR is challenging in terms of flexibility in the planning of research activities, the administration of finances, and cross-cultural communication. Potential avenues to overcome these obstacles include a) more communication on PAR activities across cultures to develop a shared vocabulary; b) developing other modes of shared responsibility for a more horizontal collaboration; and c) more face-to-face cross-cultural activities to overcome cultural, disciplinary and geographical distance.
Nitrogen and Phosphorus Fertilizer Micro-doses on Maize and Its Effect on P-foriability: An evidence from Sub-humid Farming Systems, Tanzania
(ournal of Economics, Management and Trade, 2018) Saidia, P.S; Graef, F; Rweyemamu, C.L; Kahimba, F.C; Semoka, J.M.R; Kimaro, A.A; Mwinuka, L; Mutabazi, K.D; Sieber, S
Despite a high productive potential for many best bet agricultural technologies, there is a low rate of adoption from farmers. Recommendations of improved technologies such as fertilizer use based on agronomic data without economic analysis contributes to this low adoption rate. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the profitability of selected fertilizer types and rates in maize production in a sub-humid farming system. A field experiment was conducted to investigate costs and revenue of fertilizer types and rates applied on maize farms using a split-plot layout under randomized complete block design. The phosphate fertilizers trialed were local Minjingu Mazao (MM), diammonium phosphate (DAP) and triple super phosphate (TSP), urea was used to supply nitrogen. Fertilizer rates were micro-doses at 12.5%, 25%, 50% and 75% compared to control and recommended rates. Local MM at 75% micro-dosing produced the highest net benefit 3.0 – 3.5 million Tanzanian Shillings per hectare (TZS/ha) followed by 2.7 – 2.9 million TZS/ha from TSP at recommended rates and DAP at a 75% micro-dose rate under subsistence farming. Micro-dosing fertilizer at 25% and 50% produced the highest benefit-cost ratio under both commercial and subsistence farming conditions. Micro-dosing at a rate of 12.5% was more profitable than the control rate and farm profitability increased towards 25% and 50%, thereafter decreasing as application approached the recommended rate. Adoption of micro-dosing fertilizer at 12.5% could be an entry point to fertilizer use and to later be advanced to 25% and 50% micro-dosing rates which are more profitable under smallholder farming systems in sub-humid tropics.
ScalA-FS: expert-based ex-ante assessments of local requirements and success potential of upgrading strategies for improving food security in rural Tanzania
(Springer, 2018) Uckert; Graef, G.F; Faße, A; Herrmann, L; Hoffmann, H; Kahimba, F.C; Kissoly, L; König, H.J; Lambert, C; Mahoo, H; Makoko, B; Mrosso, L; Mutabazi, K.D; L. Mwinuka, L; Schäfer, M.P; Schindler, J; Sieber, S; Swai, E; Yustas, Y.M
Enhancing food security is the main goal of subsistence farmers, who are vulnerable to food insecurity in sub-Saharan Africa. Participatory research across food value chains (FVC) can help stabilize and enhance food security by developing upgrading strategies (UPS). However, prior to successful widespread adoption and geographical upscaling, such practices need in-depth understanding of their suitability in target areas and their particular local requirements. Ex-ante assessments of selected UPS were carried out by German and Tanzanian agricultural scientists using the BScalA-FS^ tool. The participating experts included those responsible for implementation. The tool aims to systematically evaluate, at the community level, UPS that have been successfully implemented elsewhere, evaluate their potential for dissemination, and identify entry points for adjustments during implementation. Assessment indicators were developed through a participatory process. UPS relate to a) natural resource management and crop production; b) food processing and bioenergy; c) income generation and market participation; and d) food consumption. Here we present the ScalA-FS assessment results on UPS suitability as well as on its implementation requirements. We focused on the local context needed to enable a productive collaboration between smallholder farmers and implementing research and/or development organizations. Implementation requirements for the selected UPS were assessed as generally low to medium, and projected suitability in most cases was high. Local knowledge and education (human capital) along with visible success after a short time were important criteria of success of UPS. Here, careful consideration of the challenges before and after implementation of UPS is suggested. ScalA-FS should be applied early in the implementation process of UPS in order to support adaptations and successful upscaling at other locations.