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Extension Agents’ Effectiveness and Good Agricultural Practices Adoption: A Case Study Amongst Cashew Nut Growers in the Masasi District Council, Tanzania.

Tamba, Winfrid Erneus
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1500551083794493

Abstract Details

2017, Master of Science, Ohio State University, Agricultural and Extension Education.
Tanzania is a union between mainland of Tanganyika and the Zanzibar islands. It is an East African country on the Indian Ocean. The country’s economy depends heavily on agriculture, which accounts for more than one-quarter of Gross Domestic Product (GDP). The sector is characterized by subsistence farming occupied by smallholder famers who on average cultivate less than a hectare. Being the largest sector of the economy in Tanzania, agriculture contributes greatly to food security by providing food for both rural and urban communities. It also employs more than 75 percent of the labor force, thus it is a main source of income for most of the people particularly the rural communities. Most of the farmers engage in both crop growing and livestock keeping activities. Livestock kept include cattle, sheep, goats, and chicken while food crops grown include maize, wheat, cassava, bananas, fruits and vegetables. Cash crops include cashew nuts, coffee, sisal, tea, cotton, pyrethrum, tobacco, and cloves. Cashew is among the cash crop that brings foreign currency in Tanzania. It is the main source of income for farmers in Masasi district. The Masasi District Council is endowed with favorable conditions for the production of cashew; nevertheless production potential has never been achieved. The slow pace of dissemination of information for good agricultural practices to the farmers leads to low cashew nuts production. Low cashew productivity is attributed to ineffectiveness of extension agents to delivery agricultural information to the cashew nuts growers. This case study aimed at assessing extension agents’ effectiveness and good agricultural practices adoption amongst cashew nut growers in Masasi district council. The specific objectives of the study were to: • Determine cashew nut growers’ awareness of agricultural extension services. • Identify challenges of cashew nuts growers • Determine cashew nut growers’ perceptions on the effectiveness of extension agents in dissemination of information for good agricultural practices of cashew nuts. • Determine the use of good agricultural practices amongst cashew nuts growers. • Explore the relationship between demographic characteristics and perceptions of effectiveness. • Describe the relationship between demographic characteristics and use of good agricultural practices of cashew. The study used mixed method research design where quantitative and qualitative methods of data collection were used. Quantitative data were collected by the researcher and trained enumerators. A sample of 120 respondents was randomly selected from 10 randomly selected wards. The survey was conducted at residential areas of the respondents. Qualitative data were collected through focus group discussions (FGD). Three FGDs were conducted each with 8 participants. The average cashew farm size was 1.5 acres and ranged between 1 – 10 acres. The majority of the respondents were aware of the extension services needed, however Agricultural Extension Agents (AEAs) frequency of contact with farmers was found to be minimal. Major challenges encountered by respondents include pests and diseases, climate change, untimely delivery of subsidized inputs such as sulphur, high prices of unsubsidized inputs, and lack of credits to farmers. About half of the respondents showed positive perceptions on AEAs effectiveness on dissemination of Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs). On the use of GAPs, results indicated that more than two thirds used recommended GAPs. Further, results indicated that there was no significant relationship between demographic characteristics and respondents’ perceptions on effectiveness of AEAs; and there was no significant relationship between demographic characteristics and use of GAPs.
Mary Rodriguez, Dr (Advisor)
Scott Scheer, Dr (Committee Member)
113 p.
Agricultural Education
Agricultural Extension Agents effectiveness, Adoption of Good Agricultural practices

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Citations

  • Tamba, W. E. (2017). Extension Agents’ Effectiveness and Good Agricultural Practices Adoption: A Case Study Amongst Cashew Nut Growers in the Masasi District Council, Tanzania. [Master's thesis, Ohio State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1500551083794493

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Tamba, Winfrid. Extension Agents’ Effectiveness and Good Agricultural Practices Adoption: A Case Study Amongst Cashew Nut Growers in the Masasi District Council, Tanzania. . 2017. Ohio State University, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1500551083794493.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Tamba, Winfrid. "Extension Agents’ Effectiveness and Good Agricultural Practices Adoption: A Case Study Amongst Cashew Nut Growers in the Masasi District Council, Tanzania. ." Master's thesis, Ohio State University, 2017. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1500551083794493

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

osu1500551083794493
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This open access ETD is published by The Ohio State University and OhioLINK.