ST.

AUGUSTINE UNIVERSITY OF TANZANIA

FACULTY OF BUSINESS AND ECONOMICS

DEPARTMENT OF LANGUAGE AND LINGUISTICS

COURSE NAME : DEVELOPMENT ECONOMICS

COURSE CODE : EC 225

SUBMITTED TO : Dr. SAFARI

SUBMITTED BY : MASSERY, GOODLUCK BENJAMIN

REG NO : BAEC/2022/0555

TYPE OF WORK : INDIVIDUAL ASSINGMENNT

DATE OF SUBMISSION : 29/04/2024

ENHANCING INCOME AMONG PEASANT FARMERS IN
TANZANIA: STRATEGIES AND REAL-WORLD INSIGHTS
Introduction: Peasant farmers in Tanzania play a vital role in the country's agricultural sector,
yet many struggle to generate sufficient income due to various challenges such as limited access
to resources, poor infrastructure, and conservative attitudes towards change. This essay explores
strategies to assist these farmers in increasing their income, considering their conservative
characteristics, and provides real-world examples of successful interventions.

Understanding Peasant Farmers and Their Characteristics: Peasant farmers in Tanzania

typically exhibit conservative attitudes towards change, rooted in traditional practices, cultural
beliefs, and socioeconomic factors. These farmers often rely on age-old farming techniques
passed down through generations, resist adopting modern agricultural practices, and exhibit
skepticism towards external interventions (Mlozi et al., 2018). Moreover, their conservative
nature is influenced by factors such as limited education, lack of exposure to alternative methods,
and fear of risking their livelihoods on unfamiliar approaches.

Strategies to Help Peasant Farmers Increase Income:

Respecting Traditional Knowledge and Practices: Rather than imposing top-down

interventions, it is essential to respect the traditional knowledge and practices of peasant farmers.
Integrating modern techniques with indigenous knowledge can enhance their acceptance of new
approaches (Ginting & Djama, 2015). Example: The Sustainable Land Management Project in
Ethiopia incorporated traditional farming practices such as soil and water conservation
techniques into its interventions. By working with local communities and integrating indigenous
knowledge with modern agricultural methods, the project achieved improved land productivity
and sustainable livelihoods (Kassie et al., 2009).

Participatory Approaches: Engaging peasant farmers in decision-making processes and project

design fosters a sense of ownership and increases their willingness to adopt new practices.
Participatory extension programs and farmer field schools have proven effective in promoting
knowledge exchange and technology adoption (Kafle et al., 2019). Example: The Farmer Field
School approach, implemented by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in various
countries, including Tanzania, engages farmers in group-based learning activities. Through
participatory demonstrations and discussions, farmers acquire new skills and knowledge, leading
to increased adoption of improved farming practices and higher yields (FAO, 2012).

Tailored Capacity Building: Providing targeted training and capacity-building programs that
address the specific needs and challenges of peasant farmers can facilitate their transition to more
profitable farming methods. These programs should focus on practical skills, such as improved
crop management techniques and post-harvest handling practices (Magombeyi et al., 2020).
Example: The Sasakawa Global 2000 project in sub-Saharan Africa provides smallholder farmers
with training and extension services tailored to their specific needs. By focusing on practical
skills such as seed selection, planting techniques, and pest management, the project has helped
farmers achieve significant increases in crop yields and incomes (Sakurai et al., 2012).

Access to Markets and Value Addition: Facilitating access to markets and promoting value
addition activities can significantly increase income opportunities for peasant farmers.
Establishing farmer cooperatives, linking farmers directly to markets through mobile platforms,
and supporting agro-processing initiatives enable farmers to capture a greater share of the value
chain (Shiferaw et al., 2014). Example: The Grameen Bank's Village Phone initiative in
Bangladesh facilitated market access for rural farmers by providing them with mobile phones.
Farmers could use these phones to access market information, negotiate prices, and coordinate
with buyers, resulting in higher incomes and reduced exploitation by middlemen (GSMA, 2016).

Climate-Resilient Agriculture: Given the vulnerability of peasant farmers to climate change,

promoting climate-resilient agricultural practices is essential. Agroforestry, conservation
agriculture, and weather-indexed insurance schemes help mitigate the impact of climate
variability and ensure sustainable livelihoods (Frelat et al., 2016). Example: The Climate-Smart
Villages initiative, implemented by the CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change,
Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS), promotes climate-resilient farming practices in
vulnerable regions. In East Africa, for instance, the introduction of drought-tolerant crop
varieties and water harvesting techniques has helped farmers cope with climate variability and
maintain their livelihoods (CCAFS, 2017).
More Real-World Examples:

The Kilimo Kwanza Initiative in Tanzania: Launched in 2009, the Kilimo Kwanza
(Agriculture First) initiative aimed to transform Tanzania's agricultural sector by promoting
modern farming practices and commercialization. However, its top-down approach and failure to
consider the needs of smallholder farmers led to limited success. Subsequent revisions of the
initiative focused on participatory approaches and tailored interventions, resulting in improved
outcomes (Makokha et al., 2015).

The Smallholder Dairy Project in Kenya: Implemented by the International Livestock

Research Institute (ILRI), the Smallholder Dairy Project aimed to improve the livelihoods of
smallholder dairy farmers in Kenya. Through participatory research and extension activities, the
project facilitated knowledge exchange, improved access to markets, and enhanced productivity,
leading to significant income gains for participating farmers (Okello et al., 2019).

Conclusion: In conclusion, assisting peasant farmers in Tanzania to increase their income

requires a nuanced approach that considers their conservative nature and addresses their specific
needs and challenges. By respecting traditional knowledge, engaging farmers in participatory
processes, providing tailored capacity-building initiatives, facilitating access to markets,
promoting climate-resilient agriculture, and drawing insights from successful real-world
examples, policymakers and development practitioners can foster sustainable livelihoods and
poverty reduction among peasant farmers in Tanzania.
 REFERENCES:

CCAFS. (2017). Climate-Smart Villages. Retrieved from

https://www.ccafs.cgiar.org/our-work/climate-smart-villages

FAO. (2012). Farmer Field Schools: Key Practices for Diverse Territories in Africa. Retrieved
from http://www.fao.org/3/a-i2384e.pdf

Frelat, R., Lopez-Ridaura, S., Giller, K. E., Herrero, M., Douxchamps, S., Djurfeldt, A. A., ... &
Hammond, J. (2016). Drivers of household food availability in sub-Saharan Africa
based on big data from small farms. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences,
113(2), 458-463.

Ginting, M. N., & Djama, M. (2015). Factors Influencing the Performance of Rural Financial
Cooperatives: A Study of Rural Saving and Credit Cooperatives (SACCOS) in
Tanzania. International Journal of Business and Management, 10(5), 246-256.

GSMA. (2016). The Village Phone Program: A comprehensive overview. Retrieved from
https://www.gsma.com/mobilefordevelopment/resources/village-phone-program-
comprehensive-overview

Kafle, K., Belhaj, M., & Takeshima, H. (2019). The effects of agricultural extension on farm
productivity, poverty, and vulnerability: Evidence from Uganda. World Development,
118, 28-41.

Kassie, M., Zikhali, P., & Manjur, K. (2009). Adoption of sustainable agriculture practices:
Evidence from a semi-arid region of Ethiopia. Natural Resources Forum, 33(3), 189-
198.

Magombeyi, M. S., Taing, M. W., & Ahmed, S. (2020). The impact of access to agricultural
extension services and agricultural credit on farm productivity: A study of smallholder
farmers in KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa. Land Use Policy, 99, 105075.

Makokha, S., Wafula, M., & Sakwa, M. (2015). Factors Affecting Choice of Market Channel by
Smallholder Farmers of Rice in Busia County, Kenya. International Journal of Research
in Business and Social Science, 4(3), 1-8.
Mlozi, M. R. S., Urassa, J. K., Kajungulo, B., & Aune, J. B. (2018). Traditional Smallholder
Farming in Tanzania: Current Situation, Challenges and Prospects. International Journal
of Agriculture and Environmental Research, 4(2), 1528-1546.

Okello, J., Lagerkvist, C. J., & Govindasamy, R. (2019). Determinants of smallholder farmers'
access to agricultural finance: The case of Uganda. Land Use Policy, 85, 249-259.

Sakurai, T., Yamano, T., Sasaki, N., & Takeshima, H. (2012). Scaling up what works: The
Sasakawa-Global 2000 approach in sub-Saharan Africa. Food Policy, 37(3), 283-292.

Shiferaw, B. A., Obare, G. A., Muricho, G., & Silim, S. (2014). Rural institutions and producer
organizations in imperfect markets: Experiences from producer marketing groups in
semi-arid eastern Kenya. Annals of Public and Cooperative Economics, 85(2), 257-276.