Using 2009/2010 cropping season survey data from 181 randomly selected smallholder tobacco farmers, this study provides baseline information on tobacco farming in Mara region. Both descriptive and inferential statisti...Using 2009/2010 cropping season survey data from 181 randomly selected smallholder tobacco farmers, this study provides baseline information on tobacco farming in Mara region. Both descriptive and inferential statistics were employed in data analysis. Result indicates that farmers adopted tobacco farming from tobacco farmers in Kenya. Drought and inadequate supply of inputs were identified as the major production constraints. Others were incidence of pests and diseases, shortage of fire woods, poor extension services and hailstones. Low selling price and contradicting grading systems were the major tobacco marketing constraints. The study also revealed that access to extension services was similar across study districts with over 65.7% of the respondents accessing technical expertise mainly from Alliance One Tanzania employees. Given the positive and negative impacts of tobacco farming, majority of the respondents （95.6%） still were willing to proceed with tobacco farming as their main source of income. However, watermelon, maize and sunflower were ranked as first priority alternative cash crops to tobacco in Serengeti, Tarime and Rorya districts, respectively. This study concludes that tobacco farming still is the main household income source; hence, more investment is required to ensure sustainable economic develooment of rural communities in Mara reeion.展开更多
文摘Using 2009/2010 cropping season survey data from 181 randomly selected smallholder tobacco farmers, this study provides baseline information on tobacco farming in Mara region. Both descriptive and inferential statistics were employed in data analysis. Result indicates that farmers adopted tobacco farming from tobacco farmers in Kenya. Drought and inadequate supply of inputs were identified as the major production constraints. Others were incidence of pests and diseases, shortage of fire woods, poor extension services and hailstones. Low selling price and contradicting grading systems were the major tobacco marketing constraints. The study also revealed that access to extension services was similar across study districts with over 65.7% of the respondents accessing technical expertise mainly from Alliance One Tanzania employees. Given the positive and negative impacts of tobacco farming, majority of the respondents （95.6%） still were willing to proceed with tobacco farming as their main source of income. However, watermelon, maize and sunflower were ranked as first priority alternative cash crops to tobacco in Serengeti, Tarime and Rorya districts, respectively. This study concludes that tobacco farming still is the main household income source; hence, more investment is required to ensure sustainable economic develooment of rural communities in Mara reeion.
