Adoption and impact of Tobacco recommended varieties among smallholder farmers in Tabora region

Abstract

The research examines the status of adoption of improved tobacco recommended varieties among smallholder farmers with a view to assess the impact of tobacco production on household income in the region. A survey approach was used to collect data from a sample of 160 tobacco farmers who were randomly selected. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression model were used to analyze the data. Results show that farmers have responded appreciably to intervention programme that promote the use of the tobacco recommended varieties with an adoption rate of 61.6%. Information flow from various tobacco companies was the significant factor influencing the decision of farmers to adopt the tobacco recommended varieties. Constraints in the adoption noted include poor germination of seeds, high demand of inputs, unreliable availability of seeds and inadequate knowledge on tobacco production. The mean household income from tobacco production (4,232,415 Tshs) was significantly higher than the mean income of other income sources cumulatively (211,333 Tshs) with an income advantage of 4,021,082 Tshs. The study concludes that farmers are responding appreciably to intervention programmes that promote the use of tobacco recommended varieties in the region. Also tobacco sub-sector has higher contribution on household total income as compared to other enterprises.