Browsing by Author "Jeckoniah, John"

Now showing 1 - 20 of 29
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    Adaptation and Coping Strategies to Climate Change Among Agro-Pastoralists Community in Mvomero District, Tanzania
    (2015-06-30) Jeckoniah, John
    The climate is perceived to be changing, thus calling for understanding of livelihoods strategies to guide in developing climate-resilient livelihoods. This paper investigated adaptation strategies undertaken by agro-pastoralists to cope with climate change impact in Mvomero district. A cross sectional research design was adopted where data were collected only once and 135 sampled households were involved in the study. Household questionnaires, key-informants interviews and focus group discussions (FGDs) were the main methods for data collection. Descriptive statistical analysis and content analysis were the main methods used in data analysis. The study revealed various adaptation strategies used by agro-pastoralists in the study area including, timing and the use of improved crop varieties. The coping strategies for livestock keepers were to reduce the number of livestocks, moving the animals to other places temporarily and some of them permanently. However, such coping strategies were not sustainable and some household became more vulnerable to climate change due to their ineffective coping strategies. Therefore, the study recommends to government and non governmental organizations to improve agro-pastoralists access to extension services for the access of reliable information and knowledge on predicting weather forecast using both local/indigenous and improved means. Institutions dealing with climate related issues including the meteorology agency should be strengthened to improve the packaging and the dissemination of weather forecast and information related to climate change
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    COMMUNITY KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDES AND PRACTICE TOWARDS THE USE OF FAMILY PLANNING SERVICES IN MAFIA DISTRICT, TANZANIA
    (2015-12-01) Jeckoniah, John
    Use of family planning services has potential to contribute into improving the health of millions of women and children. This paper explored the community knowledge attitude and practice about family planning services in Mafia District. The study adopted a cross-sectional research design and questionnaire was the main method for data collection. Descriptive statistical analysis and summated likert scale was computed to find the distribution of responses and relationship of key study variables. The study found that the level of knowledge about family planning services was high and majority of respondents had positive attitude about family planning services. However, use of family planning services was very low. Misconceptions about family planning services were also found. The paper recommends for the organizations involved in promoting use of family planning services to device interventions to improve utilization of the family planning services by addressing barriers to low usage of the services. The government and non governmental organizations should also continue provide more education and awareness in order to correct the misconceptions to ensure more people use the services.
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    Determinants of the Elderly’s Social Protection Services Access in Kilimanjaro Region, Tanzania
    (TANZANIA INSTITUTE OF ACCOUNTANCY (TIA)) Jeckoniah, John
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    Determinants of the Elderly’s Social Protection Services Access in Kilimanjaro Region, Tanzania
    (TANZANIA INSTITUTE OF ACCOUNTANCY (TIA), 2019-06-01) Jeckoniah, John
    Inaccessibility to Social Protection Services (SPSs) is a major concern for the majority of the elderly on the globe and developing countries, including Tanzania. This paper establishes the extent to which the elderly have access to SPSs and determines the factors that influence SPSs access to the elderly. A cross-sectional research design was used whereby 202 respondents aged 60 years and above were involved. Data were analysed using Ordinal Logistic Regression and content analysis for quantitative and qualitative data respectively. The indicators based on protective, preventive, promotive, and transformative dimensions were established to measure SPSs access levels among the elderly. The elderly in the study area were categorized at medium level of SPSs accessibility (87.1%). Ordinal logistic regression analysis results showed that SPSs access to the elderly’s and their awareness on policy and rights, health insurance, and financial assistance were the important determinant factors that influence SPSs access to the elderly in the study area. The study recommends to the Government and Civil Society Organizations to devise intervention mechanisms for the elderly including the provision of health insurance services, cash transfers (universal pension), and enactment of law(s) that promote the elderly’s welfare and eventually improve the delivery of SPSs in Tanzania.
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    Gendered Analysis of the Governance in the Rice and Sisal Value Chains in the Lake Zone, Tanzania
    (Tengeru Institute od community Development) Jeckoniah, John
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    Impact of Sunflower Production on Livelihood Outcomes among Smallholder Farmers Households in Iramba District
    (2018-10-25) Jeckoniah, John
    Sunflower is among the cash crops with potentials for improving smallholder farmers’ livelihood. However, its impact on livelihood outcomes among smallholder farmers is hardly ascertained. The study specifically aimed to examine the contribution of sunflower cultivation on livelihood outcomes of smallholder farmers’ households basing on propensity scores matching. Cross-sectional research design was adopted whereby household survey, focus group discussion and key informant interviews were used to collect data. The study had a sample size of 368 respondents including sunflower and non-sunflower smallholder farmers. Qualitative data were transcribed, categorised, coded, thereafter grouped into themes and analysed using constant comparison technique. Quantitative data were analysed by using propensity score matching. Through propensity score matching, average treatment of the treated, difference in difference analysis, nearest neighbour matching and radius calliper matching techniques were used to establish the contribution. Findings indicate that participation into sunflower cultivation had an impact on livelihood outcomes as observed by the significant differences in livelihood outcomes (MD = 2.31; t = 5.94 from nearest neighbour matching and MD = 2.52; t = 9.69 from radius calliper matching). Therefore, the study concluded that sunflower cultivation had a significant impact on the livelihood outcomes among households of sunflower smallholder farmers. Thus, the null hypothesis was subsequently rejected. The study recommends to smallholder farmers that they should up-scale their production systems and techniques. This can be done through creating awareness and sensitisation on improved cultivation techniques that would guarantee more yields and household incomes for sustenance of the achieved livelihood outcomes.
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    Is rice and sunflower commercialisation in Tanzania inclusive for women and youth?
    (Agricultural Policy Research in Africa, 2022-04) Mdoe, Ntengua; Isinika, Aida; Mlay, Gilead; Boniface, Gideon; Magomba, Christopher; Jeckoniah, John; Mosha, Devotha
    Rice is Tanzania’s third most important staple crop after maize and cassava, and produced by more than 1 million households who are mostly small- scale farmers. Meanwhile sunflower is the most important edible oil crop in Tanzania, also grown mostly by small-scale farmers. Over the last two decades, rice and sunflower have increasingly become important sources of income. This can be attributed to efforts by the government, in collaboration with development agencies, to commercialise rice and sunflower production to improve livelihoods and reduce poverty among actors in both value chains. There have also been efforts aimed at ensuring sustainable commercialisation and involvement of women and youth in the commercialisation process (URT, 2016; URT, 2019). Despite these initiatives, women and youth involvement in the rice and sunflower commercialisation process is likely to be constrained by their limited access to land and financial capital. Land access problems among women and youth in Tanzania are largely the result of cultural restrictions on the ownership of ancestral land by women and youth (USAID, 2019). Although the Village Land Act of 1999 recognises the right of every woman to acquire, control, and use land to the same extent as any man, it does not have provisions on the rights of women and youth to inherit ancestral land (URT, 1999). Women and young people also often face limited access to financial capital. Collateral requirements of commercial banks are a significant stumbling block as asset ownership is often low for women and youth (Mbuga, 2019). To overcome these constraints, the government has established the Tanzania Agricultural Development Bank (TADB) to provide a guarantee to small-scale farmers who lack collateral but are trying to access credit from commercial banks. The guarantee scheme is reported to be successful. Apart from TADB, which has been reported to be successful (The Citizen, 2021), there are other guarantee schemes involving commercial banks, millers (guarantors) and members of famers’ groups. A notable example is the tripartite agreement involving the National Microfinance Bank (NMB), a rice processor (guarantor), and members of Minepa Farmers Association in Malinyi District, Morogoro, Tanzania (Aga Khan Foundation, 2020). The agreement requires farmers to sell rice to the processor, which then repays the loan to the bank on behalf of the farmer.
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    Microfinance Services and Women Economic Empowerment in Arusha District Council
    (Tengeru Institute od community Development) Jeckoniah, John
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    Microfinance Services and Women Economic Empowerment in Arusha District Council
    (Tengeru Institute od community Development, 2015-06-01) Jeckoniah, John
    Women’s economic empowerment is one of the highly debated development concern in Tanzania. Women’s access to microfinance services is considered as a doorway for empowering women. Conversely, it is also argued that Microfinance Institutions (MFIs) are extracting money from poor women through high interest rates, causing higher social pressure and in some cases leading to domestic violence. The objective of this paper was to examine whether and to what extent women’s access to microfinance services has facilitated this course. The study also sought factors affecting women’s access to MFIs’ services. A cross-sectional research design was adopted, and 120 women were involved in the study whereby 60 were beneficiary of MFIs services and the rest were non beneficiaries. The study found that onethird of respondents was categorized into higher level of empowerment whereas 41.5% were in the low empowerment category. The study also found that there was an association between women access to MFIs and their empowerment (P<0.001), respondents marital was also associated with their economic empowerment (P<0.001). The paper concludes that women access to MFIs has potential to contribute to women economic empowerment although it is faced with many challenges including high interest rates. It is recommended that government and non-governmental agencies and organisations involved in MFIs services should scale up their activities to reach more women while looking on better ways to manage challenges encountered by rural women including the higher interest rates.
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    Smallholder rice farmers’ access to information in Tanzania: can agricultural marketing co-operative societies provide quality information?
    (Journal of Co-operative and Business Studies, 2023) Mauki, Consesa; Jeckoniah, John; Massawe, Goodluck
    Access to quality information plays a crucial role in enhancing the competitiveness of smallholder rice farmers in Tanzania. Agricultural co-operatives have the potential to overcome smallholder farmers’ information asymmetry. Yet, there is a lack of comprehensive understanding regarding the extent to which Agricultural Marketing Co-operative Societies (AMCOS) can effectively provide quality information to smallholder farmers as required by Co-operative Principle number five (Education, Training, and Information). This paper analyses the current level of access to information among smallholder rice farmers in AMCOS, evaluating the relevance, adequacy and reliability of information provided by AMCOS to its members and identifying the factors influencing the adequacy of the information provided by AMCOS. The study was conducted in Mvomero and Mbarali Districts. A cross- sectional research design was used and data were collected using a questionnaire that was administered to 382 randomly selected farmers based on registers availed by co-operative managers in three co-operatives. Data were analysed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) whereby ordinal logistic regression was used to estimate the influence of various factors on the adequacy of information obtained from AMCOS. The study found that 77.2% of farmers accessed information on rice agronomy. Smallholder rice farmers obtained adequate (52.6%), relevant (35.6%) and reliable (37.7%) information from their respective AMCOS. The adequacy of information was influenced by membership in social groups, access to rice agronomy information and financial information at p<0.05. It is concluded that agricultural co-operatives are potential platforms for providing quality information in enhancing smallholder rice farmers’ informed decision-making. The study recommends that efforts should be made to strengthen AMCOS by providing them with resources, training, and support to enhance their capacity to deliver accurate and timely information to farmers. This include collaboration with agricultural extension service providers and leveraging their networks to access up-to-date information on agronomic practices, weather forecasts, and market trends to enhance farmers’ competitiveness in rice farming.
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    Social and cultural determinants of the spread of HIV/AIDS, STIs and gender based violence in high risk areas: A case of road construction sites in Tanzani
    (www.isdsnet.com/ijds, 2018-07-30) Jeckoniah, John
    High mobility of sexually active population continues to be a risky factor for the spread of STIs and HIV, both in the source and destination sites. This paper analyses the social and cultural determinants for the spread of STIs and HIV along road construction sites which harbour a number of migrant workers from rural and urban areas. The study adopted a cross-sectional study design, using a structured questionnaire for respondents, a checklist for key informants and a guide for focus group discussants. A total of 308 respondents, including eighteen key informants and 20 focus group discussions were involved. Descriptive statistical analysis was employed for quantitative data whereas ethnographic content analysis was used for qualitative data. It was found that the level of knowledge about HIV/AIDS, how the disease spreads and the prevention methods was generally high. However, a corresponding change in sexual behavioural response was low. Many respondents still practise risky sexual behaviour, have many sexual partners and are inconsistent in using condoms. Some misconception about HIV/AIDS spread were also found. Also, there are many incidences of gender based violence which are under reported. Social and cultural factors responsible for the spread of HIV/AIDS include low risk perception and marital instability. It is recommended to the government and NGOs to involve and support local organizations for capacity building against HIV.
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    Social and cultural determinants of the spread of HIV/AIDS, STIs and gender based violence in high risk areas:a case of road construction sites in Tanzania
    (International Journal of Development and Sustainability, 2018-07-01) Jeckoniah, John
    High mobility of sexually active population continues to be a risky factor for the spread of STIs and HIV, both in the source and destination sites. This paper analyses the social and cultural determinants for the spread of STIs and HIV along road construction sites which harbour a number of migrant workers from rural and urban areas. The study adopted a cross-sectional study design, using a structured questionnaire for respondents, a checklist for key informants and a guide for focus group discussants. A total of 308 respondents, including eighteen key informants and 20 focus group discussions were involved. Descriptive statistical analysis was employed for quantitative data whereas ethnographic content analysis was used for qualitative data. It was found that the level of knowledge about HIV/AIDS, how the disease spreads and the prevention methods was generally high. However, a corresponding change in sexual behavioural response was low. Many respondents still practise risky sexual behaviour, have many sexual partners and are inconsistent in using condoms. Some misconception about HIV/AIDS spread were also found. Also, there are many incidences of gender based violence which are under reported. Social and cultural factors responsible for the spread of HIV/AIDS include low risk perception and marital instability. It is recommended to the government and NGOs to involve and support local organizations for capacity building against HIV.