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Sokoine University of Agriculture  Institutional Repository (SUA IR). This repository was built and is maintained by the university library  (Sokoine National Agricultural Library-SNAL) , in order to collect, preserve and disseminate scholarly output generated by University research community (staff and students) members.

This repository hosts a variety of openly accessible materials including: scholarly articles and books, theses and dissertations, conference proceedings and technical reports. For assistance about depositing your research output in the repository click here. SUA IR Policy  click here or any queries contact us at snal@sua.ac.tz.

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Now showing 1 - 5 of 14

Recent Submissions

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An epidermiological study on neonatal septicemia at Morogoro regional referral hospital, Tanzania
(Sokoine University of Agriculture, 2014) NDAWEKA, NURU BE DA
Neonatal septicaemia remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality in neonates worldwide and majority of the cases are in developing countries. This cross sectional study was conducted between December 2013 and March 2014 with the aim of determining the epidemiology of neonatal septicaemia among the neonates admitted at Morogoro Regional Referral Hospital. The study was subdivided into two sub sections which are retrospective and prospective. In retrospective section records of neonates hospitalized between month 2011 and month 2012 were used. In prospective study a questionnaire was administered to 303 mothers/caregivers on risk factors for neonatal septicaemia. Subsequently, blood samples from 303 neonates clinically suspected to have septicemia and pus swabs from 17 neonates with pus discharging umbilicus were collected for bacterial culture and sensitivity testing to commonly used antibiotics using standard methods. Retrospective results showed that the prevalence of neonatal septicaemia is 53.7% while prospective study showed a prevalence of 13.5%. The significant risk factors for neonatal septicaemia were age, weight, sex, umbilical cord discharge and poorly cared cord. Whereas, maternal factors associated with neonatal septicaemia were fever, excessive vaginal examination and caesarean section. Mortality rate due neonatal septicaemia was significantly high (12.7% retrospective and 7.9% prospective). Commonly isolated bacteria were Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella spp. and Pseudomonus auriginosa which showed multi-drug resistance. This study shows that the magnitude of neonatal septicaemia is high and therefore deliberate measures aimed at minimizing the problem need to be taken
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Contribution of vocational education in poverty reduction in Mufindi district, Tanzania
(Sokoine University of Agriculture, 2007) NZALI,AGNES STEPHEN
The study was conducted in Mufindi district, Iringa region, Tanzania to determine the contribution of vocational education in poverty reduction among Vocational Education and Training (VET) graduates. The study adopted a cross sectional design by using a questionnaire with both open and closed ended questions from a sample size of 120 respondents (60 women and 60 men) who have completed vocational training in the past three to ten years. Data analysis was done using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) in which Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was done to determine socio-economic status of the respondents’ households. Key findings indicate that the majority (29.2%) of the respondents were engaged in tailoring activities followed by motor vehicle mechanics (20%). The mean income of VET graduates was Tshs. 102 775 per month with the minimum income of Tshs.18 000 and the maximum income of Tshs. 700 000 per month. Their mean income implies that the majority of the respondents earn income above the minimum government salary, which is Tshs. 80 000 per month. Results from the study also reveal that female VET graduates in Mufindi district earn less income compared to male graduates. The mean income of male graduates was found to be Tshs. 119 216.67 while that of female was Tshs. 86 333.33. This is to say men earn 30.1% more than women. The difference was also found to be statistically significant at p < 0.05. However, there was no significant association between income and type of skill, duration of training and form of training (p > 0.05). Study findings also revealed that 20.8% of the respondents’ households were poorest while 19.2% of them were better off. Major problems faced by respondents were inadequate capitaliii and high taxes charged for their enterprises. It was concluded that vocational education contributes a lot in poverty reduction among VET graduates in Mufindi district. Since capital was found to be the main constraint to VET graduates the study recommends that district councils and vocational training centres should help to link them with micro-financing institutions, which can provide them with credit facilities. If possible revolving loan funds should be established for the graduates and link with savings components. This will enable them acquire working capital easily and hence expand their enterprises.
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Yield response of different local and hybrid paddy varieties to different ponding depths
(Sokoine University of Agriculture, 2011) NYIRENDA,EMMANUEL MABVUTO
The combined increase in demand for food and scarcity of water worldwide highlights the need for prudent use of water resources. Agriculture, particularly, paddy production, faces two major challenges: (i) to save water; (ii) to increase productivity. One way to deal with this situation is using water saving regimes at field scale. This study therefore was aimed at evaluating some of the water-saving cultural practices in paddy production under Tanzanian conditions. Four different ponding levels (5 cm, 3 cm, 0 cm and the control based on ETc replenishment) represented the main plots while the paddy rice varieties were randomly assigned as sub-plots in each of the main plots. The experiment was designed as 4 x 4 factorial arrangement of treatments in a split- plot design replicated three times (three blocks). Yield, water productivity and seepage and percolation were assessed for each sub-treatment. Results showed no significant difference (p< 0.05) in yield of the varieties as a result of ponding depths and no significant interaction between ponding depth and variety. However, the variety effect on yield was significant. On the other hand, there was significant interaction between ponding depth and variety in terms of water productivity. About 10% of the water applied to whole plot treatments with ponding depths 3 cm and 5 cm was consumptively used. The whole plot treatments based on ETc replenishment resulted in the highest water productivity for all the varieties. Variety TXD88 yielded highest at all ponding levels while the 0 cm ponding level had the least seepage and percolation losses amounting to 78% of water applied. This shows that traditional cultural practices requiring inundation over a long period and using large amounts of water can beii dispensed with at minimal loss in yield but at significantly higher levels of water productivity.
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Dietary habits and their influence on diabetic complications among type 2 diabetics in Morogoro municipality
(Sokoine University of Agriculture, 2013) NDAU,EDINA LEONARD
This study was designed to investigate the dietary habits and their influence on diabetic complications among type 2 diabetics. Purposive and random sampling were used to obtain a sample of 84 diabetic subjects who were already on treatment. Data were analyzed using Predictive Analysis Software (PASW) program version 16.0. Results showed that, 66.7% (n = 56) of the respondents had poor dietary habits, whereby most of the subjects consumed foods with high glycemic index almost daily. Most commonly foods consumed included refined maize “ugali”, white breads, chapatti, buns, water­ melon, soda, white rice, pineapples and honey. Poor dietary habits among type 2 diabetics were the main reason for complications related to diabetes. The most common diabetic complications reported by the respondents were hypertension, kidney problems, eye problems, foot problems, stroke, nerve problems, vaginal fungus, sexual problems and hypotension. Biomedical measures that were strongly correlated with diabetic complications were body mass index, waist and hip circumferences, body fat mass, blood pressure, and fasting blood glucose. Lifestyle behaviors that were strongly correlated with the diabetic complications were lack of physical exercises and alcohol consumption. Based on this study, the best dietary and lifestyle behaviors that were best predictors for diabetic complications, were age, sex, and waist-hip-ratio and vegetables consumption. It was concluded from this study that, poor dietary management practices associated with inappropriate food selection and lack of physical exercises among the respondents were the major factors that influenced diabetic related complications. Therefore, it was recommended based on the findings of this study that, diabetic patients should be educated on the importance of physical exercises and their role in clearing out glucose and insulin resistance. Also, they should be taught on selection of low glycemic index foods (meal patterns) which are available in their localities in order to improve the quality of life and increasing their survival.
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Uranium uptake by selected food groups and the associated health effects to the residents of Bahi district in Tanzania
(Sokoine University of Agriculture, 2014) MZIRAY,ZAINAB JURAJI
Assessment of Uranium levels in selected food groups and products with the associated health effects to the residents of Bahi District was carried out. The objective was to come up with information on whether these food groups contain significant amounts of Uranium and if the community has been affected by uranium related diseases. This was done to bring the awareness to the vulnerable communities and Tanzanian Government in general on the environmental and health hazards posed by the presence of Uranium deposits in the study area. Selected food groups and products used to assess uranium levels were maize, finger millet, rice. cassava leaves, salt, soda ash, fish, flamingo meat and water. These food groups were collected from three different villages of Bahi district. The levels of uranium in the named food groups and products (in pg kg-1) were determined by using ICP- OES instrument. Maize and rice had uranium concentration below detectable limit (<10), millet was found to range 11.88 - 25.13; cassava leaves ranged 12.37 - 13.83. Fish had uranium content of 17.98 in the skin where as muscles had uranium level below detactable limit. Flamingo bird had uranium level of 31.78 in the liver , where as other tested parts had below detectable limit. Soda ash was found to have uranium content of 1910, whereas salt had uranium content below detectable limit. The results for water from different sources in three villages have shown that, in Hindi village, Playa lake water had uranium concentration of 1233, while drinking water from one well had uranium content of 95.4, water from a well used for irrigation had uranium content below detectable limit. In Mpamantwa village, the water from one well had uranium content of 16.7 whereas other sources had uranium level below detectable limit. In Bahi village, the water from one well had uraniumiii level below detectable limit while river water had uranium concentration of 67.6 and another well had uranium content of 16.6. Secondary data from hospitals have shown that Bahi communities have not been affected by uranium exposure through foods consumed. However, further research need to be conducted on domestic animals since they use lllindi Playa lake water for drinking which was found to have high uranium concentration.