Smallholder Coffee Farmers Adoption of Climate Smart Agriculture

Abstract

The coffee sector is facing a challenge of climate change such as drought, excessive and unpredictable rainfall, increasing temperature and occurrences of coffee pests and diseases which affects coffee productivity. In response, the government of Tanzania and other stakeholders are implementing initiatives to revitalize the coffee sector by supplying subsidized improved coffee variety seedlings and offering capacity building through training programs to farmers both members and non-members of primary cooperatives. This research aimed at evaluating the climate-smart agriculture (CSA) practices adopted by smallholder farmers in Mbinga, Nyasa, Rungwe, Mbeya, Ileje, and Mbozi districts of Tanzania using multivariate probit (MVP) model. The study used a combination of data collection methods including household surveys, semi-structured questionnaires, focus group discussions, and observations to gather primary data. In addition, secondary data was obtained by reviewing reports from the Tanzania Coffee Research Institute (TaCRI) and the Tanzania Coffee Board (TCB). The findings show that household characteristics such as age, sex, level of education, household size and household income, farm characteristics like land size under coffee production and coffee yield and institutional factors including extension officers’ visits, membership of primary cooperative and farmer’s training has a positive and significant effects on the likelihood of adopting CSA. These findings provide evidence for the simultaneity and interdependence of the decisions and intensity of adoption of the CSA. The study recommends improving household income, farm management practices and strengthening institutional capacity through engagement of coffee stakeholders including Tanzania Coffee Board (TCB), Tanzania Coffee Research Institute (TaCRI), Moshi Co-operative University (MoCU), Primary co-operatives, NGOs, and private sector will accelerate the rate of adoption of CSA by smallholder farmers.