The role of participatory approaches in smallholder farmers rice production in Morogoro region: the case of the national special programme on food production [NSPFP] in Mang’ula division, kIlombero district
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Date
1999
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Publisher
Sokoine University of Agriculture
Abstract
The use of participatory approaches in rural development programmes is now becoming globally and locally advocated. In Tanzania, these approaches are believed to present an opportunity to smallholder fanners to participate in all stages of the agricultural programmes for sustainable agricultural production. Using NSPFP as a case study, the role of participatory approaches in smallholder rice production in Morogoro Region was studied. The overall objective of the study was to examine the extent to which NSPFP participatory approaches have contributed towards increased adoption of rice technologies and yields amongst smallholder rice farmers in Mang'ula Division,
Kilombero District. The study focused on three specific objectives: 1)To identify the improved rice technologies and practices that smallholder rice farmers (PFG and non-PFG members) have adopted as a result of the use of
NSPFP participatory approaches. 2)To assess the effect of adoption on increased rice yields among smallholder rice farmers due to NSPFP participatory approaches. 3)To assess the attitudes of key actors with respect to contacts to address smallholder rice farmers production constraints. The population for the study was all smallholder farmers in Mang'ula Division and the sampling frame was purposively determined to be smallholder rice
farmers in the three villages (Mang'ula1 A, Ichonde and Kisawasawa) in Mang'ula Division where NSPFP activities are concentrated. The cross-sectional research design and stratified random sampling technique was used
to establish the strata of respondents interviewed. All PFG members formed one stratum while non-PFG members formed the o±er. The purposive sub-sample of 75 PFG members determined ±e other sub-sample of 75 non-PFG members, thus making a sample size of 150 respondents interviewed. All the extension staff and some key informants were also interviewed to get information pertinent to the study objectives. Structured interview schedules were used to collect data from the PFG and non- PFG members, whereas semi-structured interview schedules were used to collect data from extension staff and key informants. The results of the study show that the relationship between the increase in adoption of rice technologies and yields was not statistically significant for PFG and non- PFG members. A significant difference was observed in terms of programme contact to respondents. NSPFP contacted more respondents than other agricultural extension programmes due to use of PFGs as the organizational structures that facilitated the use of the selected participatory approaches (i.e.PFGMs, DFs, FFDs, GDFs and Workshops or Seminars). The results revealed that while the DFs were used as demonstration centres of the selected rice innovations, the trained GDFs were used as consultants of PFG and non- PFG members on the selected and demonstrated rice innovations on need basis to complement efforts of VEOs at the grassroots level. From the results of the study, FFDs were used as the places for the key actors toverily the potential of using rice innovations and become aware of their working relationship. The statistical analysis showed ±at, there was a highly significant difference between PFG and non-PFG members on the purposes of interacting together to learn and select the improved rice technologies, discuss on availability of
agricultural inputs and verify the potential of using rice innovations. The study recommends formation of more PFGs as the organizational structures that would facilitate the use of participatory approaches, establishment of linkages with agricultural support services and interaction among the key actors in agricultural production.
Description
Dissertation
Keywords
Rice production, Rice technologies, NSPFP, Mang'ula, Kilombero