Masters Thesis
The current study aimed at assessing how spice farming contributes to household’s income
of smallholder farmers on slopes of Uluguru Mountains. Specifically, the study intended
to identify types of spices cultivated in the study area, examining the contribution of
spices to household’s income, determining farmers’ attitude towards organic spice farming
and assess challenges facing spice farming households in the study area. The study
adopted the cross-sectional research design whereby data was collected from 120
respondents randomly selected from four purposively selected wards of Morogoro
District. The wards covered were Kinole, Mkuyuni, Mtombozi and Tawa. Primary data
from respondents were collected through a pre- structured questionnaire with both open
and closed-ended questions. In addition, primary data were collected from 11 key
informants. Quantitative data collected through questionnaire were analysed using SPSS
software version 20 whereby descriptive and inferential (Chi-squire test and Paired sample
t-test) were determined. Generally, study findings show that black pepper, cinnamon are
the most cultivated spices in the study area. Study findings also, show that income
generated from spices especially vanilla, black pepper and cinnamon were higher
compared to income generated from other crops (p< 0.007, t=2.727). Findings further
show that the surveyed farmers have a favourable attitude towards organic spice farming
that they have understood the importance of organic practice in conservation of the
environment. Also, findings show that fungi disease affecting black pepper is the major
problem followed by poor market arrangement. Study concludes, that both sales from
spices and from other crops were the sources of household’s income. However, spices
sales generated larger portion of income compared to sales from other crops. Also,
respondents have understood the relationship between organic practices and
environmental conservation. Furthermore, the prosperity of spice production in Uluguru
Mountains is threatened by fungi disease and poor market arrangements.
Therefore, the study recommends that farmers should increase the production of black
pepper, cinnamon and vanilla because there is a reliable market for them. Also, spice
stakeholders such as SAT and Spice Up Project should introduce hybrid varieties of spices
which are resistant to diseases and pests. Furthermore, the Ministry of agriculture should
enact law which will regulate middle person conduct when buying spices direct from
farmers
Assistance from Sustainable Agriculture Tanzania (SAT)