Determinants of smallholder rice farmers’ market outlet selection in Mbarali and Mvomero Districts, Tanzania
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Date
2023
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Tanzania Journal of Agricultural Sciences
Abstract
Understanding smallholder farmers’ market outlets have the potential to improve the
productivity and incomes of smallholder farmers engaged in rice farming. Tanzania rice farmers
select market outlets from a diverse spectrum. There is a scarcity of empirical information on the
drivers of farmers’ decision-making associated with market outlets in the context of Agricultural
Marketing Co-operative Societies’ marketing initiatives. This paper explores the smallholder rice
farmers’ drivers for the selection of market outlets. A cross-sectional research design was used.
A sample of 382 smallholder rice farmers was selected from three co-operative societies selected
from two districts in Morogoro and Mbeya Regions. Multivariate Probit regression was applied to
examine the determinants of market outlet selection decisions. It was found that the market outlets
were wholesale, retail, millers, middlemen and private buyer. The majority (65.7%) of farmers sold
to more than one outlet. The quantity of paddy sold, access to market information, smartphone
ownership, access to credit, the amount of rice sold and frequency of extension visits were the
important determinants of the selection of market outlets (p<0.05). It is concluded that the majority
of farmers have access to multiple market outlets which contributes to livelihood improvement.
To promote livelihood through agricultural transformation in Tanzania, policymakers should
prioritize increasing smallholder rice farmers' access to market outlets through initiatives such
as building rural infrastructures, improving market information systems, and promoting public-
private partnerships.
Description
Research article
Keywords
Market outlets, smallholder farmers, decisions, co-operative societies