Economic assessment of urban and peri-urban vegetable production in Mbeya municipality, Tanzania
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Date
2011
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SOKOINE UNIVERSITY OF AGRICULTURE.
Abstract
A study on economic assessment of urban and peri-urban vegetable production was conducted in Mbeya Region. Urban Agriculture (UA) is defined as the growing of plants and the raising of animals for food and other uses within (intra) and fringing (peri) urban built up areas. The general objective of this study was to investigate the economics of growing vegetable in urban and peri-urban areas. Specifically, the study aimed at determining the quantity and monetary value of four selected vegetables produced in (MM); identifying the vegetables grown, assessing the area used; analyzing the gross margins (GM) of the selected four major vegetables and examining the contribution of vegetable production to household incomes in (MM). The data were collected using a structured questionnaire. Purposive and simple random samplings were used to select 160 respondents engaged in urban and periĀ urban vegetable production. Data were analyzed using SPSS computer programme. Chi-square test showed statistical significant differences at (p< 0.035) in GM between urban and peri-urban vegetable growers and revenue analysis showed a statistical significant difference at (p<0.053) between urban and peri-urban vegetable growers. Plot sizes analysis showed statistical significant differences between urban and peri-urban vegetable growers at (p < 0.008) for Amaranthns, at (p < 0.001) for Chinese cabbage, at (p< 0.031) for Brassica carinata and at (p < 0.008) for Swiss chard. The contribution of vegetable analysis showed high statistical significant differences between urban and peri-urban vegetable growers at (p< 0.01) for Amaranths and Chinese cabbage. Statistical significant differences also showed at (p< 0.001) for Brassica carinata and at (p< 0.015) for Swiss chard. This study recommended that extension agents should provide education on vegetables with high (GM) per square meter and provision of credits to urban and peri-urban vegetable growers by the Government. Longitudinal studies were suggested to be carried out to ascertain the most profitable species of vegetables countrywide.
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Keywords
urban, peri-urban, vegetable, vegetable production, Mbeya municipality