Browsing by Author "Nyamba, Siwel Yohakim"

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Assessment of factors influencing the use of mobile phones in communicating agricultural information: a case of Kilolo district
(Sokoine Universitry of Agriculture, 2011) Nyamba, Siwel Yohakim
This study sought to investigate factors that influence the use of mobile phones in the communication of agricultural information in Kilolo district. The study examined the use of mobile phones as a means for achieving agricultural development. The study population comprised all farmers regardless their mobile phone ownership. The study adapted a cross sectional study design and a multistage simple random sampling technique, where, 384 respondents were selected. Data were mainly collected using an interview schedule. The results revealed that majority of respondents used mobile phones and had positive attitude on the contribution of mobile phone in their farming business. The study had three hypotheses to be tested: mobile phones ownership have no statistical significant influence in communicating agricultural information; different types of agricultural information have no statistical significant influence on mobile phones use in communicating agricultural information and; respondents’ socio-economic factors have no statistical significant influence on mobile phones use in communicating agricultural information. The study results indicated that mobile phones offered an attractive solution to farmers’ informational needs. Factors specified to have an influence on mobile phone use in the communication of agricultural information included: mobile phone ownership, type of agricultural information, farming system practiced, network coverage, respondents’ demographic characteristics, and time of mobile phone ownership. As such, all the three hypotheses were rejected. The study concluded that the use of mobile phone to communicate agriculture information depend on mobile phone ownership, type of agricultural information to be communicated and individuals’ socio-economic factors.iii The study therefore recommended that many farmers be encouraged and supported so that they become access to and use mobile phones in their farming business.
Socio economic characteristics enhancing farmers’ use of mobile phones to access Agricultural information in Tanzania
(2020) Nyamba, Siwel Yohakim
This paper sought to address the effect of farmers’ socio-economic characteristics on their use of mobile phones to access agricultural information. Largely, literature acknowledges that information is becoming an important ingredient in agriculture. Similarly, literature reports farmers in Tanzania lacking access to agricultural information something which greatly constrains efforts to improve agricultural development. One good thing is that, mobile phone technology which is ubiquitously being subscribed to in Tanzania is believed to have the potential to address information irregularities in various business setups including in agriculture. The question a researcher asking why farmers in Tanzania not fetching the potential mobile phones offers for agricultural development. Through face-to-face approach, 240 individual respondents were interviewed. A regression analysis ruled out variables that significantly influenced farmers’ use of mobile phones to access agricultural information, including their; age, marital status, literacy levels, farming systems, farm size, income levels, sources of agricultural information, awareness, type phone owned whether featured or simple phone, frequent of contact with other sources, skills in using mobile phones to access agricultural information, supports from others, scale of production and distance from market. The study concludes that; the named variables above have an influence on the use of mobile phone to access agricultural information. Therefore, we recommend that, whatever efforts meant to address the need for mobile phone application in agricult
Youth engagement in agricultural activities: status and prospects For Tanzania agricultural sector development
(2021) Nyamba, Siwel Yohakim; Sanga, Damian Z.M.
This paper presents findings of the study about youth engagement in agricultural activities in Tanzania: It highlights the status and prospects for the Tanzania’s Agricultural Sector Development. The study was conducted in Makambako Town Council, Njombe region in Tanzania. The overall objective of the study was to assess the contribution of youth engagement in agricultural activities onto their livelihoods and the states’ agricultural sector development. Specifically, the study sought to: identify socio economic characteristics influencing youth involvement in agricultural activities in the study area, identify the potential agricultural activities and other income generating activities affecting youth livelihood in the study area, examine the contribution of the identified activities in addressing their needs, determine the level of their involvement in agricultural activities and identify factors influencing their engagement in agricultural activities. The study employed a cross- sectional research design to a sample size of 120 respondents. A structured questionnaire was the main tool while information from Key Informants and Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) compliment the quantitatively generated information. Quantitative data analysis was aided by computer software known the Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) to yield some statistics like frequencies and percentages which were later interpreted to conclude the assumptions. Content analysis technique used to analyse qualitative data. The findings revealed that youth perceived agriculture as their first-rate occupation and that majority said they see a lot of prospects as they engage with agriculture, both on and off the farm. The study recommends that intervention strategies for improving youth engagement in agricultural activities should revolve around sufficiently attracting innovative public investment in supportive rural public goods and services to farmers, including making agriculture a national priority promote it as a decent and productive employment.