List of Articles Fredy Kilima

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  1 - Absconding of Honeybee Colonies from Beehives: Underlying Factors and its Financial Implications for Beekeepers in Tanzania
  Nicholaus Kuboja Fredy Kilima Aida Isinika
  A study was conducted to investigate honeybee colonies absconding from beehives and its financial implication among beekeepers in Tabora and Katavi regions, Western Tanzania. Four districts were selected on the basis of adoption of improved beehives. A total of 198 beek More

  A study was conducted to investigate honeybee colonies absconding from beehives and its financial implication among beekeepers in Tabora and Katavi regions, Western Tanzania. Four districts were selected on the basis of adoption of improved beehives. A total of 198 beekeepers were randomly selected for interviews. Data collected from beekeepers using a questionnaire were supplemented with data from focus group discussions and interviews with key informants that included experienced beekeepers, extension workers and subject matter specialists. Drought, presence of bee pests, diseases and predators and shortage of bee forage were identified as major factors causing honeybee colonies to abscond from beehives in the study area. The act of honeybee colonies absconding from hives caused an average annual income loss of TZS 2 894 555.89 (US$ 1822.5) and TZS 1 797 105.02 (US$ 1131.5) among beekeepers using traditional and those using improved beehives, respectively. Such losses were accelerated by beekeepers’ failure to uphold good management practices, especially with respect to undertaking regular follow-ups and cleaning of beehives as well as inappropriate harvesting methods. Inappropriate beekeeping practices were found to be the root causes of honeybee colonies to abscond from hives. As remedies to such losses, beekeepers should be advised to use improved hives and uphold good beekeeping practices. The role of extension service is vital in creating this awareness among beekeepers in the study area. Lessons from this study are also vital to inform policy and practices in the beekeeping sector in Tanzania and beyond. Manuscript profile
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  2 - Tomato Value Chain Information System in Tanzania: Lessons from Kilolo District and Dodoma Municipality, Tanzania
  S.Y Nyamba V.J Kalungwizi M.R.S Mlozi I.M Busindeli F.T.M Kilima C.P Msuya-Bengesi B.B Chija Z.S.K Mvena M Gabagambi S.M Gjotterud E Kiranga
  The major challenge for the tomato farmers is getting a fair price at the market price given that there are many actors involved in the tomato value chain. Given this situation, this project's goal was to improve communication pathways in dissemination of agricultural m More

  The major challenge for the tomato farmers is getting a fair price at the market price given that there are many actors involved in the tomato value chain. Given this situation, this project's goal was to improve communication pathways in dissemination of agricultural market information in tomato value chains in Iringa and Dodoma Regions in Tanzania. The specific objectives were to: identify and assess the status of tomato production and information sharing among the various actors in every node in the tomato value chain; identify the communication and knowledge dissemination pathways in tomato value chain; examine the efficacy of communication and knowledge dissemination pathways in tomato value chain; establish the innovative communication and knowledge dissemination pathways in tomato value chain, and enhance capacity and empower the various stakeholders involved in the tomato value chain. One way of achieving the goal of the study was to come up with an innovative communication pathway that would improve the marketing of tomatoes by directly linking farmers to markets. The study has developed a system called Tomato Value Chain Information System (ToVCIS). The system links famers to different markets in the Tanzania by sending text messages to a control centre which is fed with prices on a daily basis by government employed market monitors in the different towns listed above. Therefore, this paper details on how the system will help farmers through ToVCIS to mitigate vulnerability. Equally, it offers some recommendations for improving the efficiency as well as the sustainability of the system Manuscript profile
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  3 - Factors underlying farmers’ choice of market information system in Lilongwe, Malawi
  Fredy Kilima Thokozani Chikuni
  20.1001.1.22517588.2021.11.2.6.0
  The paper sought to investigate the effect of simultaneous use of radio- and mobile phone- based agricultural market information systems on smallholder farmers’ access to information focusing on prices of agricultural inputs and commodities. A multivariate probit More

  The paper sought to investigate the effect of simultaneous use of radio- and mobile phone- based agricultural market information systems on smallholder farmers’ access to information focusing on prices of agricultural inputs and commodities. A multivariate probit model was estimated to gauge potential use of each information system by farmers to access information on prices of agricultural inputs and commodities. Results reveals limited use of mobile phones to jointly access input and commodity prices as the devices were mainly for accessing information on commodity prices. The cost of using mobile phones was the dominant factor underlying the low use of mobile phones to access information on commodity prices. The cost of use along with farmers’ access to extension and group membership were the major factors underlying the use of radio to access price information. Results predicted higher prospect for smallholder farmers to use radio- than mobile phone-based information system to access information on agricultural inputs and commodities. Endeavors to promote farmers access to markets information should focus on creating synergies with extension services and local initiatives linking farmers through groups. Future research on the subject matter should attempt to accommodate more means of acquiring market information including extension agents and explanatory variables to enhance robustness of the adopted model or its variants. Manuscript profile
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  4 - Socio-Economic Factors influencing the Participation of Smallholder Vegetable Farmers in High-Value Markets A case study of Arumeru District, Tanzania
  Happiness Huka Fredy Kilima Alban Mchopa
  20.1001.1.22517588.2023.13.3.5.5
  High-value market chains are regarded as one of the country's lucrative market segments. However, various constraints hinder the effective involvement of smallholder farmers in these market chain, thus limiting their ability to generate income for their households and l More

  High-value market chains are regarded as one of the country's lucrative market segments. However, various constraints hinder the effective involvement of smallholder farmers in these market chain, thus limiting their ability to generate income for their households and livelihood. The objective of this paper was to examine the influence of socio-economic factors on the participation of smallholder vegetable farmers in high-value markets (HVM). The study used a cross-sectional research design, involving a sample of 384 respondents. Data collection involved the use of structured questionnaires, focus group discussions, and key informant interviews. The study applied a probit model to assess these factors. Findings reveal that socio-economic factors including access to information, distance to the market, availability of extension services, and crop diversification significantly (p < 0.05) influence the participation of smallholder farmers in HVM. To enhance the participation of smallholder vegetable farmers in HVM, the study recommends that the government and agricultural organizations invest in extending agricultural extension services to remote farming areas. Additionally, efforts should focus on enhancing transportation infrastructure. Furthermore, the study suggests facilitating the dissemination of market information to smallholder farmers through information centers, mobile apps, or SMS services, to provide them with real-time market updates. Lastly, promoting specialization in crop production is encouraged. These combined measures can empower smallholder farmers, leading to increased participation in high-value markets, ultimately resulting in improved economic outcomes and livelihoods. Manuscript profile