TITLE:
Effect of Irrigation Technologies That Are Managed at Household Level on Farm-Incomes: An Experience from Charco-Dam Users in Nzega, Tanzania
AUTHORS:
Shauri Timothy, Razack Lokina, Yohana James Mgale
KEYWORDS:
Charco-Dam Technology, Farm Incomes, Irrigation Technologies, Propensi-ty Score Matching, Small-Scale Vegetable Producers
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Social Sciences,
Vol.10 No.5,
May
19,
2022
ABSTRACT: Background: In arid and semi-arid areas, investing in water-related technologies is
expected to affect productivity and eventually increase farm incomes. However,
there is a limitation of empirical evidence on the effects of irrigation technologies
managed and controlled at the household level on farm incomes. This study was
interested in studying the effect of adopting Charco-Dam Technology (CDT) as
one of the small-scale rainwater harvesting on-farm incomes. Methods: The study used the Propensity Score Matching (PSM) method to empirically
prove the effect of the CDT on the farm incomes using 528 small-scale vegetable
producers (220 are adopters of CDT and 308 are non-adopters) from Nzega
District, located in Tabora Region, Tanzania. Results: Generally, CDT
was found to improve farm incomes, which is the key objective of various
strategies and policies toward agricultural development in Tanzania. Conclusion: In due respect, it is high time for the governments, farmers themselves, and
other agricultural development partners to seize the opportunity to have such
technologies to reap their potential benefits. Therefore, the study recommends
that the agricultural departments of local
governments and all agricultural stakeholders encourage the uptake of such
technologies, especially among small-scale farmers in arid and semi-arid areas.