Materials and Methods

2.2.1 Description of study areas

The study was conducted in three selected districts: Babati, Arumeru and Hai of northern Tanzania during 2012. The study sites represent the major maize producing agro-ecologies of the Manyara, Arusha and Kilimanajaro regions of northern Tanzania (Figure 2.1). The sites were selected based on the relative importance of maize in the livelihoods of smallholder farmers, and the prevalence of major maize diseases such as MSV and other constraints. The sites also host diverse farmers with various ethnic backgrounds, socio-economic circumstances and farming systems, making them suitable for conducting a regionally representative PRA study.

Figure 2.1: Map of northern Tanzania showing the study areas

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The soils of the study area are variable with volcanic ash soils at the high altitude volcanic plateaus and clay soils on the slopes. Most of the soils are fertile and farmers grow a range of food crops including coffee, banana, sweet potato, sesame, sunflower, beans, tea, vegetables, flowers, wheat, barley, sugarcane, maize, pigeon pea and sisal.

The study areas receive bimodal rains, which vary in intensity with altitudes. For example, in the Babati District, rainfall varies from 500 in the lowlands to 1200 mm year^-1 in the highlands. Daily mean temperatures range from 22 to 25⁰C. In the study areas, the short rainy season is from November to December, while the long season is from February to May. The short rains are adequate to give good crop harvests, especially on the slopes of mountains. The lowlands of northern Tanzania receive unreliable and poorly distributed rainfall and at times they are not suitable for crop production (Tanzania Metrological Agency, 2008).

2.2.2 Sampling

A multistage sampling procedure was used to identify the study sites. Three different administrative districts were selected (Table 2.1). Two wards were chosen per district to give a total of six wards, namely: Magugu and Ayasanda in the Babati District; King’ori and Leguruki in the Arumeru District and Masama Kusini and Masama Magharibi in the Hai District. From each ward, two villages were selected, providing a total of 12 villages for the study (Table 2.1). These villages include: Magugu, Masware, Ayasanda, Bonga, King’ori, Malula, Leguruki, Maruango, Kwasadala, Mungushi, Kware and Mbocho (Table 2.1). The study sites and corresponding altitude, geographical coordinate and population are summarized in Table 2.1. For semi-structured interviews, 15 female and male farmers were sampled per village, providing a total of 180 respondents (Table 2.2). For group discussions 320 famers (109 female and 211 male) participated, after sampling representative farmers across the twelve villages (Table 2.2).

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Table 2.1 Districts, wards and villages selected for the study with corresponding altitude, geographical coordinates and population in northern Tanzania.

District Ward Village Altitude (m) Coordinates Population

Babati

Magugu Magugu 1177 04⁰00’040’’S and 035⁰ 46’120’’E

32774 Masware 1041 04⁰ 08’603’’S and 035⁰95’974’’E

Ayasanda Ayasanda 1400 04⁰ 22’060’’S and 035⁰43’817’’E

12429 Bonga 1433 04⁰ 62’060’’S and 035⁰43’807’’E

Arumeru

King’ori King’ori 1130 3⁰ 14’552’’S and 036⁰77’ 810’’E

23280 Malula 940 03⁰ 35’662’’S and 037⁰01’136’’E

Leguruki Leguruki 1328 03⁰15’422’’S and 036⁰57’275’’E

17637 Maruango 1343 03⁰14’667’’S and 036⁰57’108’’E

Hai

Masama Kusini Kwasadala 1018 03⁰21’458’’S and 037⁰19’846’’E

13572 Mungushi 1005 03⁰17’908’’S and 037⁰ 07’570’’E

Masama Magharibi Kware 1025 03⁰ 22’786’'S and 036⁰ 39’352’E

13084 Mbosho 1208 03⁰ 11’622’’S and 036⁰ 58’417’’E

Source: The United Republic of Tanzania (URT) National Bureau of Statistics (2013)

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Table 2.2 Farmers interviewed and participated during focus group discussions in three districts and corresponding wards and villages in northern Tanzania.

District Ward Village Female Male Total

Survey respondents

Babati

Magugu Magugu 5 10 15

Masware 9 6 15

Ayasanda Ayasanda 4 11 15

Bonga 7 8 15

Arumeru King'ori King'ori 4 11 15

Malula 7 8 15

Leguruki Leguruki 5 10 15

Maruango 7 8 15

Hai Masama Kusini Kwasadala 4 11 15

Mungushi 7 8 15

Masama Magharibi Kware 5 10 15

Mbosho 3 12 15

Total 67 113 180

Group discussions

Babati Magugu Magugu 11 15 26

Masware 9 16 25

Ayasanda Ayasanda 4 23 27

Bonga 7 20 27

Arumeru King'ori King'ori 9 18 27

Malula 12 15 27

Leguruki Leguruki 9 18 27

Maruango 10 17 27

Hai Masama Kusini Kwasadala 12 15 27

Mungushi 9 18 27

Masama Magharibi Kware 10 17 27

Mbosho 7 19 26

Total 109 211 320

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2.2.3 Data collection and analysis

Data sources

Both primary and secondary data were collected. However, the primary data formed the core data used in this study. Primary data was collected through interview questionnaires of male and female farmers, key informants and focus group discussions. The questionnaires were developed and refined to suit collection of relevant information from target farmers. Four enumerators were selected from a government socio-economic and farming systems research unit, and trained on data collection from farmers. Data collected included farm size, mean yields of maize harvested by farmers, incidence and severity of maize diseases and insect pests, household characteristics and other important limitations or factors affecting maize production in their locality.

To understand about potential constraints to maize production and farmers’ preferred maize traits, various PRA tools were used including focused group discussions (FGD), transect walks, matrix scoring and pair-wise ranking. Farmers listed the maize varieties they grew and constraints to maize production, and ranked these constraints according to their relative importance. The facilitators used pictures and cards that had drawings representing various maize traits to assist farmers during discussions and in drawing conclusions. They also used checklists to stimulate and guide discussions among farmer groups. Gender balance was taken into account, especially during focus group discussions. Transect walks were used to collect information about the physical and biological characteristics of the study area; a group of six energetic men and women farmers were involved.

During discussions, farmers were encouraged to express their opinions, using their own languages.

The Agricultural and Livestock Development Officers (DALDOs), village extension workers and local leaders played a major role in conducting this study. The information collected from farmers was then enhanced by the contributions of the key informants who were assumed to have knowledge about the people and problems affecting maize productivity. The key informants included maize researchers, experienced farmers in the villages, local leaders and agricultural agents.

A matrix scoring was done and participating farmers placed their criteria. Each criterion was scored using scores of 1 to 8 to rank their importance traits: where 1 = worse, 2 = very poor, 3 = poor, 4 = average, 5 = satisfactory, 6 = good, 7 = and 8 = excellent.

Data analysis

Data collected were subjected to analysis using the SPSS computer package (SPSS, 2009).

Relationships were explored through frequencies, descriptive statistics and analysis of variance (ANOVA) for data collected in each village followed by mean comparisons between villages.

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