Youth participation in horticulture and poverty reduction in rural areas: A case study of horticultural production in Mvomero district, Tanzania
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Date
2015
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Mzumbe university
Abstract
The primary objective of the study was to assess the contribution of youth owned horticultural farms in poverty reduction in rural areas using a case of horticultural production in Mvomero District. The specific objectives were to: identify types of horticultural farms owned by youth, performance of youth in horticultural production, find out socio-economic outcomes of youth participation in horticultural production, and identify factors influencing youth horticultural activities and to find out ways of improving the youth horticultural production. Purposive and random sampling techniques were used to get data from 60 respondents. Data were collected through interview, structured questionnaires, observations and group focused discussions and analyzed by using Statistical Packages for Social Science (SPSS) and Microsoft excel programme. Finally, the findings were presented in tables and pie charts. Findings show that horticultural farms owned by the youth were tomatoes, cabbage, green pepper, carrot, cauliflower, eggplant and potatoes farms. The performance of the youth in horticulture was good as indicated by their positive perception of the horticultural activities, quantity and quality of the product produced, socio economic outcomes of horticulture including increased household income, house construction, ability to pay education cost, ability to get basic needs and ability to save. Facilitating factors included water availability, construction of horticulture center, support from the government and NGOs, willingness of the youth and poverty. Limiting factor included high cost inputs, transport problems, bureaucracy on subsidies distribution, poor financial support and farming technology. Basing on the limits, it is recommended that improving transport system, environment to access loans and quality control system on subsidies should be improved. Also, a holistic approach is necessary to realize positive socio-economic impacts on the people employed in horticulture.
Description
A dissertation submitted at Mzumbe University as a partial fulfillment of the requirements for the award of Master Degree in Development Policy (MSc DP) of Mzumbe University.
Keywords
Poverty reduction, Youth horticultural activities, Horticultural farms, Farming technology, Quality control systems