DOI: 10.36347/sjavs.2016.v03i03.020

Pages: 262-269

This study was carried out in Mbarali district located in southern highlands of Tanzania. It aimed in assessing the contribution of paddy production to household income and challenges faced by smallholder paddy farmers. Cross sectional research design was used and data were collected through interview and documentary review. Data were analyzed by Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). Descriptive statistics included frequencies, percentages, mean and standard deviation. A Multiple linear regression was used to analyze the challenges facing smallholder farmers in paddy production. ANOVA was used to compare means of various sources of incomes contributing to total annual household income. The findings revealed that the mean farm size was 0.86 acre and paddy yield was 1611kg/acre. The average income earned from paddy per year was TZS670742.7. Mean annual incomes from other crops, livestock production and casual labor were TZS106859.0, TZS157800.0 and TZS113947.4, respectively. Others sources were motorcycle transportation (TZS191000.0), bricks making (TZS117916.7) and petty trade (TZS109861.1). Paddy production was found to contribute 46% to the total annual household income among smallholder paddy producers in the study area. Contributions from other sources were petty trade (7%), bricks making (8%), livestock production (11%), other crops cultivated (7%), casual labor (8%) and motorcycle transportation (13%). Further analysis indicated that paddy and other cultivated crops were highly significant (P<0.0001) contributors to total annual household income. Livestock production also significantly (P<0.05) contributed to household income. High prices of fertilizers (P<0.05), scarcity of area for cultivation ((P<0.001) and low market price for paddy (P<0.001) were significant challenges that were faced by smallholder paddy farmers. It was concluded that despite of low market prices for paddy, its contribution to income poverty reduction within household is larger