Coffee certification effects on farmers income in Rombo district, Kilimanjaro Tanzania

Abstract

The study aimed at determining the effects of coffee certification on farmers' income in Rombo district, Kilimanjaro Tanzania. The study examined the effects by comparing the changes in income between certified and non-certified coffee farmers. Farmers were from the two co-operatives of Mamsera RCS with certified coffee and Tarakea with non-certified coffee. Factors such as price changes, production trend and cost of production were used as measurements of income. Other factors observed were increase in revenue, market credibility, farm size and number of coffee trees. The study had four specific objectives, first was to examine the changes in coffee selling price, secondly to determine changes in production, thirdly to examine cost of production, and fourthly to examine the increase in income generated by certified coffee. Cross-section research design was used as well as simple random sampling technique to select 131 respondents from both co-operatives of Mamsera and Tarakea. Descriptive statistics was used to analyses collected data. Analysis on changes in coffee price revealed that farmers with certified coffee earned higher price compared to non-certified farmers. In the case of change in costs of production incurred by coffee farmers, the findings revealed that there is no considerable difference on the costs incurred by both group of farmers. The production trend for certified coffee showed an increase over time compared to non-certified coffee. Therefore the study concludes that farmers with certified coffee experience better economic conditions from higher yields, lower production costs and higher prices which results to increase in income. Hence the study recommends that, more efforts should be put to advocate coffee certification as it has shown positive effect in improving farmers' income.