Contribution of Round Potato Production on Smallholder Farmers’ Wellbeing in Meru District, Tanzania

Abstract

Round potato is an important food and cash crop for increasing smallholder farmers' well-being. The paper analyses factors associated with potato farmers’ well-being and assesses the contribution of round potato production on smallholder farmers' well-being in Meru District, Tanzania. The study involved 341 potato farmers (122 project participants of the potato project and 219 non-project participants). The study adopted a cross-sectional research design, multi-stage, and simple random sampling techniques; purposive sampling was used to select active groups of potato farmers, and non-project participants were selected using simple random techniques. Content analysis was used to analyze the qualitative information collected from FGD and Key Informant Interviews (KIIs). Correlation analysis was used to determine factors associated with potato farmers’ income. Propensity Score Matching (PSM) was used to estimate the impact of round potato production on smallholders’ farmers’ income by comparing the Average Treatment Effects (income outcomes/indicators) on the Treated (ATT). The results showed a positive and significant correlation between income and production (yield) (p<0.001), the project participants had better well-being than their non-participants' counterparts. The round potatoes project interventions influenced smallholder farmers’ well-being. It is recommended to actors engaged in the promotion of round potatoes production and productivity for improved well-being including LGAs, NGOs, development partners, research institutions and policymakers to ensure; the availability of improved seeds and other proper agro-inputs (fertilizers and pesticides), aces to extension services and loans.