Substantial factors influencing the performance of rice farmers in Mbeya Region, Tanzania

Abstract

Crops production subsector depends on various factors including natural factors as well as non-natural factors. Meanwhile, in vast areas of Tanzania including the Mbeya Region, rice farmers struggle to make their living through rice farming regardless of various challenges with which the subsector is crumbled. This study aimed at assessing the factors influencing the performance of rice farming in the Mbeya Region of Tanzania. Multi-stage sampling technique was applied to obtain representative samples. Data was collected from a field survey of 240 small-scale farmers by the use of questionnaires from January to March 2018. Descriptive statistics method was used to analyze the data and the Ordinary Least Square regression model was used to estimate parameters. The results indicate excess rainfall and droughts events significantly influenced rice production negatively by reducing 3 and 5% for each occurrence, respectively. Marital status and gender significantly influenced positively rice production in the study area. Other influential production factors including market price lag, pest and diseases, and farm size were statistically significant in rice production. The study recommends possible interventions such as increased accessibility to extension services, agricultural financial services, improved seeds, fertilizers, and pesticides to mention a few by government and other responsible institutions which hamper the growth of the rice industry to increase food security to the farming populace.

Agricultural Irrigation Water Requirement and Its Response to Climatic Factors Based on Remote Sensing and Single Crop Coefficient Method

“…Based on GAM, the Edf value fitted by a single-variable including precipitation, and daily minimum temperature was greater than 1, indicating that there was a nonlinear relationship between these two climatic factors and irrigation water requirement of Rice. A more complex association between Rice and these two climatic factors has also been demonstrated in previous studies (Kulyakwave et al, 2020). The Edf value of a single variable including wind speed, photoperiod, maximum temperature, and vapor pressure deficit was 1, indicating that there was a linear relationship between these four climatic factors and the irrigation water requirement of Rice (Table 3).…”

Rice farmers’ adoption of climate-smart agricultural technologies and its effects on yield and income: empirical insights from Ghana

“…As a result, they produce more food on the farm than women do. The result is supported by Musaba and Mukwalikuli (2019) and David et al (2022) who reported that sex had a significant influence on rice output. The results further revealed that the coefficient of household size is also significant at 10%, which indicates that a strong and positive relationship exists between yield and household.…”

“…This demonstrates a direct correlation between growing farm size and rising productivity. The results obtained by Chau and Ahamed (2022), David et al (2022), Musaba and Mukwalikuli (2019) and Kulyakwave et al (2019) indicate that land area is a primary determinant of rice yield. Farmers who have secondary occupations are 516% more likely to increase yield than those who do not engage in secondary occupations.…”