Browsing by Author "Haug, Ruth"

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    Analyzing usage of crowdsourcing platform Ushaurikilimo' by pastoral and agro-pastoral communities in Tanzania
    (International Journal of Instructional Technology and Distance Learning) Fue, Kadeghe; Geoffrey, Anna; Mlozi, M.R.S.; Tumbo, Siza, D.; Haug, Ruth; Sanga, Camilius, A.
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    Analyzing usage of crowdsourcing platform Ushaurikilimo' by pastoral and agro-pastoral communities in Tanzania
    (International Journal of Instructional Technology and Distance Learning, 2016-12) Fue, Kadeghe; Geoffrey, Anna; Mlozi, M.R.S.; Tumbo, Siza, D.; Haug, Ruth; Sanga, Camilius, A.
    Earlier studies report that agricultural extension service for livestock keepers in Tanzania is not effectively offered. ‘Ushaurikilimo’ which is a crowdsourcing platform consisting of a Web and Mobile based agro-advisory system. It is a system which complements the traditional agricultural extension provided to pastoralists and agro-pastoralists. Mobile crowdsourcing for agricultural extension service is an emerging approach to address some of the problems experiencing in traditional agricultural extension service. This study explored the information seeking pattern of livestock keepers who are using ‘Ushaurikilimo’. In total 1739 questions are in ‘Ushaurikilimo’. Out of 1739 questions and answers, the study concentrated on 1312 questions since 427 questions related to forestry. Out of 1312 questions submitted to ‘Ushaurikilimo’ via livestock keepers’ mobile phones, 605 (47%) questions relate to livestock and 53% relate to crops. Most livestock keepers asked questions with keywords related to chicken, pigs and milk from ‘Ushaurikilimo’ knowledge base. Further data mining analysis showed that the following keywords are the most queried information by livestock keepers: poultry management, poultry equipment and accessories, hatching equipment, feed equipment, feed storage, feed manufacturing machinery, product handling/transport equipment, quality testing equipment and energy saving equipment, milk processing, housing and environment, building materials and equipment, feeds and feeding, food preservation, feed additives and dairy products. In this study, the pattern of information seeking behavior of livestock keepers matched the pattern which has been reported earlier by other researchers who explored the information seeking behavior of livestock keepers who are using other sources of information such as newspapers, television, radio, farmers’ friends and extension agents. One peculiar result from this study is that the average response time after the question had been assigned to an expert to answer was 32.49 hours. Thus, the crowdsourcing platform, web and mobile based agro-advisory system proved to be effective compared to conventional agricultural extension methods. This calls for a need to scale up ‘Ushaurikilimo’ to complement the traditional agricultural extension service in Tanzania.
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    From policy promises to result through innovation in African agriculture?
    (MDPI, 2021-05-05) Haug, Ruth; Nchimbi-Msolla, Susan; Murage, Alice; Moeletsi, Mokhele; Magalasi, Mufunanji; Mutimura, Mupenzi; Hundessa, Feyisa; Cacchiarelli, Luca; Westengen, Ola T
    The problem addressed in this paper is the challenge of moving from formulating policygoals to achieving the promised results. The purpose is to assess the possible role of innovationin agriculture as a way of contributing towards achieving the Malabo Declaration commitmentsand the zero hunger Sustainable Development Goal 2 (SDG2) in six African countries. Since theSDGs are high on both international and many national agendas, there is a need to increase ourknowledge of how to move beyond formulating goals. The approach includes both quantitative andqualitative data from a multisite research and development project. Moving from promises in relationto policy goals such as SDG2 and the Malabo Declaration to actions that make a difference at locallevel is a challenging task, and COVID-19 has added negatively to that challenge. Technological andinstitutional innovations exist that have the potential to improve the agricultural productivity, foodsecurity, and income levels of smallholder men and women farmers. However, innovation processesare hindered by barriers related to governmental, economic, knowledge-based, socio-cultural, andresource-based factors. To overcome these barriers, governance needs to go further than defininggoals, and proceed to the next step of establishing effective implementation mechanisms that ensurethe promised result.
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    High global food prices – crisis or opportunity for smallholder farmers in Tanzania?
    (Routledge) Hella, Joseph, P.; Haug, Ruth; Kamile, Illuminatous M.
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    High global food prices – crisis or opportunity for smallholder farmers in Tanzania?
    (Routledge, 2013-09) Hella, Joseph, P.; Haug, Ruth; Kamile, Illuminatous M.
    The recent food-price crisis has contributed towards a huge increase in the number of hungry people in the world. The main purpose of this article is to use empirical data collected from food-surplus and food-deficit study districts to assess to what degree, and how, high food prices have affected smallholder farmers in Tanzania when it comes to production, income, food security, and livelihood security. The main finding is that some smallholder farmers in the food-surplus study area have benefited from high food prices, but that potential benefits are hampered by a range of factors other than food prices. In the food-deficit study areas, small- holder farmers are worse off due to the increase in food prices. The article discusses lessons learned and considers how smallholder farmers could take better advantage of the food- price increase and thereby improve their livelihoods.
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    Mobile learning bridging the gap in agricultural extension service delivery: Experiences from Sokoine University of Agriculture, Tanzania
    (International Journal of Education and Development using Information and Communication Technology) Sanga, Camilius; Mlozi, Malongo; Haug, Ruth; Tumbo, Siza
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