Role of Tomato Production in Household Income Poverty Reduction in Mvomero District, Tanzania

Hija Walad Mwatawala, Rowland Mponji, Minza Sesela

Abstract


This study intended to determine the role of tomato production to household income poverty reduction in Mvomero District, Tanzania. Moreover, it examines the socioeconomic characteristics of the farmers, determines the status of tomato production, determines the contribution of tomato production and other income sources to the total annual household income and determines the contribution of tomato production to household expenditures. A total of 220 tomato farmers were involved in this study. A study employed a cross-sectional research design. Household survey, observations, Focus Group Discussion and documentary review employed to collect data. The collected data analyzed using computer software Statistical Package for Social Science version 20. Descriptive statistics such as frequencies, percentages, mean and standard deviations employed for data analysis. The study findings revealed that the average yield from tomato production was 9182.9 Kg per acre. Also, findings showed that the mean income from tomato production per year was TZS 1,198,136.4, livestock production (TZS 141,208.3), petty business (TZS 164,285.7) and other crops (TZS 396,192.7). Additionally, findings revealed that earnings from tomato production contribute 63% of the total annual household income. The contributions from other sources of income were livestock production (7%), petty trade (9%) and other crops (21%). Furthermore, findings revealed that earnings from tomato production help farmers in accessing food (66.4%) access to clothes (63.6%), access to healthcare (54.1%) access to children's education (54.5%) and access to housing (73.2%). The study concludes that tomato production contributes substantially to the total annual household income and household income poverty reduction. Therefore, the study recommends that government and other stakeholders should ensure the availability of inputs, assist in marketing and storage facilities and the establishment of agro-processing industries, consequently this will enable farmers to realize maximum output and hence income poverty reduction at the household level.

Keywords: Household, income poverty, Non-farm activities, Smallholder farmers, Tomato


Keywords


Household, income poverty, Non-farm activities, Smallholder farmers, Tomato

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References


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DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.52155/ijpsat.v14.1.792

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