| dc.description.abstract | ABSTRACT: Most of Tanzanian population lives in rural areas where their livelihoods depend on smallholding agriculture which contribute substantially in GDP of the country. Notwithstanding these contributions to household income and food security, the sector is beleaguered with several challenges which work against their success. Hence, this study conducted in order to assess challenges that face orange farmers in Muheza District, in Tanzania. Data collected was using structured questionnaires administered to a randomly selected 135 orange farmers from three wards. Descriptive statistics and Ordinary Least Square
(OLS) regression were used to analyze challenges facing orange production. Multiple responses‟ analysis revealed that high production costs (85.9%) shortage of rainfall (83.0%), inaccessibility to market information (77.39%) and poor farming practices (63.7%) were the major challenges that farmers reported facing in orange production in the study area. The OLS results show that, the independent variables such as high production cost and shortage of rainfall significantly (P<0.001) challenged farmers engaging with orange production. Also, shortage of agricultural inputs and poor farming practices were significant (P<0.01) challenges that faced by orange farmers. Production cost, inadequate market accessibility and theft did not significantly (P>0.05) challenged orange farmers. The study recommends that Government should employ more extension officers and provide adequate working facilities; consequently this will enable efficient transfer of technologies and hence, will reduce the habit of poor farming practices and will probably increase orange productivity and farmers‟ income. Moreover, Government should also make
effort on subsidising agricultural inputs to increase its affordability to orange farmers which in turn will lead to improve in productivity and farmers‟ income. | en_US |
