Determinants of productivity and post-harvest losses among smallholder maize farmers in Kilosa District, Morogoro region
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Date
2016
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Publisher
Sokoine University of Adriculture
Abstract
The Government of The United Republic of Tanzania has been taking different initiatives to increase maize yield sand reduce post-harvest losses. Nevertheless, there has been persistent low maize productivity that is amountingto1.2T/Ha in contrast to the ideal maize productivity of about 6-7.5T/Ha. The low maize produced is lost during different maize post-harvest to operations and the losses are estimated to range between 5% and 40%. Due to these problems, maize demand is higher than supply. The present study which was conducted in Kilosa District aimed at assessing determinants of productivity and post- harvest losses among smallholder maize farmers. The specific objectives were to determine the technical efficiency of maize producers; to determine factors affecting technical efficiency; to identify the determinants of post-harvest losses and to examine there relationship between technical efficiency and post-harvest losses. The study employed cross sectional design from 166 respondents obtained through simple random sampling. To estimate the technical efficiency, in put oriented. Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) was employed and Tobit regression model was used to determine factors affecting technical efficiency. Furthermore, semi log multiple regression function was used to identify the determinants of post-harvest losses in maize and simple correlation coefficient was used to examine relationship between technical efficiency and postĀharvest losses in maize. The results show that on average maize productivity is about 523.85kg/acre and maize losses is about 19.55%per household. The findings furthers how that, on average,technical efficiency was estimated at 83.63%. Experience, numbers of years in school, land size for maize and extension services were found to be positively and significantly (P<0.01) associated to technical efficiency. Gender was found to be positively and significantly (P<0.1) associated with technical efficiency. Off-farm in come was negatively and significantly (P<0.01) related to technical efficiency. This study further found that years of education and experience were negatively and significantly (P<0.01) associated with post harvest losses in maize. The house hold size was negatively and significantly (P<0.05) associated with post harvest losses. Gender and maize yield per acre were positively and significantly (P<0.01) associated with post harvest losses. Proportion of farm allocated to maize crop was positive significant (P<0.05) associated to post-harvest losses. Moreover,the results show that, there is a moderate positive correlation between technical efficiency and post-harvest losses (P<0.01). The study suggests that, the government, farmer sand private organizations should invest in in capacitating on knowledge and skills for the usage of different inputs; focusin women empowerment and capacity building on access to financial services.
Description
Dissertation
Keywords
Maize productivity, Postharvest, Maize yield