TITLE:
Factors Influencing Change of Smallholder Organic Horticultural Farmer Organisations under Nongovernmental Organisations in Two Selected Regions in Tanzania
AUTHORS:
Upendo Wilfred Mmari, Christopher Paul Mahonge, Emmanuel Timothy Malisa
KEYWORDS:
Relational Factors, Non-Relational Factors, Smallholder Organic Horticultural Farmer Organisations, Organisational Change, Non-Governmental Organisations, Networks of SOHFOs
JOURNAL NAME:
Technology and Investment,
Vol.14 No.4,
September
5,
2023
ABSTRACT: There
has been the persistent failure of organic horticultural production to meet its
full potential in various aspects including productivity, technological and marketing areas in various Sub Saharan
countries in Africa including Tanzania. Thus, this study intended to determine whether a change of Smallholder Organic Horticultural Farmer Organisations (SOHFOs) under the local
umbrella Non-governmental Organisations (NGOs)with the mandate to work within
the country in coordinating SOHFOs is influenced by relational factors (their
networks with other Organic Horticultural Value Chain Actors (OHVCAs)) or non-relational (other) factors. The
study was conducted in Morogoro and Kilimanjaro regions in Tanzania. A study
included a total of one hundred fifty nine organizations (159) that were
represented with three hundred fifty one (351) respondents. From one
hundred and forty nine (149) SOHFOs under local umbrella NGOs selected by
simple random sampling technique and further proportionate random sampling, quantitative
data were collected from two hundred and eighty nine (289) respondents and qualitative data were collected from forty four (44) SOHFOs participants.
Moreover, from ten (10) managing organisations represented by eighteen (18) Key
Informants qualitative data were collected. Quantitative data (relational data)
were analysed using the social network analysis approach using Ghephi 0.9.2 software. For non-relational data, Statistical
Packages for Social Science (SPSS) version 21 was used whereby descriptive
statistics such as measures of centralities
(that is closeness centralities (CCs) and betweenness centralities (BCs))
and mean scores were used to establish some of the variables of the study.
Binary logistic regression model was used to predict the factors influencing
change (which is regarded as use of manure) at SOHFOs under local umbrella NGOs. Qualitative data were analysed using content
analysis. Results from binary logistic regression model and content
analysis indicate that SOHFOs under local
umbrella NGOs are experiencing change in technological area whereby, soil erosion control measures are the
most used technological practice as opposed to the use of organic manure.
Again, the results on predictor factors for use of manure at SOHFOs under local
umbrella NGOs indicate that relational factors; that is capacity of SOHFO to
access and disseminate knowledge and
information to other SOHFOs and to access and spread organic horticultural
products and farm inputs to other OHVCAs are the significant factors over
individual organisational attribute of SOHFOs under the local umbrella NGOs in Tanzania. The study recommends policies
and systems that put emphasis on
relational measures for more effective organic horticultural agriculture
via SOHFOs under the local umbrella NGOs in Tanzania.