Browsing by Author "Sokoni, Cosmas H."

Now showing 1 - 7 of 7
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    Analysis of Agricultural Change Using Field Allocation to Crops Technique. A Case of Uporoto Highlands, Southern Tanzania
    (Journal of the Geographical Association of Tanzania, 2013) Sokoni, Cosmas H.
    Every agricultural system is dynamic as it functions within changing demographic, socio-economic and physical environments. The understanding of agricultural change is important because of its strong relationship to socio-economic, environmental and political systems. This paper discusses the field allocation to crops technique for analysis of changes in crop composition in farming systems. The technique is suitable at local scale and in environments where farmers have multiplicity of fields in different locations in order to benefit from micro climates variations. The paper discusses the relevance of studying changes in crop composition for understanding agricultural change and the technique’s strengths and weaknesses. The technique is demonstrated using data from a farming systems survey in the Uporoto Highlands, Mbeya region, Tanzania. Through capturing gain and loss of fields by crops, the technique unveils changes in the relative importance of crops over time. The technique is relevant for understanding agricultural change with respect to crop composition, and for identification of patterns of changes for better informed decision making.
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    Home to Field Distance in western Bagamoyo, Tanzania: Lessons for Rural Development Policy and Practice
    (College of Arts and Social Sciences, University of Dar es Salaam, 2011) Sokoni, Cosmas H.
    Long home to field distance and its impact on agricultural productivity attracted concern from researchers after Tanzania’s villagisation program in mid 1970s, but has drawn less attention in recent years. This paper establishes the status, causes and implications to rural development, of home to field distance in western Bagamoyo, Tanzania. Home to field distance has increased as farmers abandon agricultural land near villages that is exhausted due to continuous cultivation without adequate use of external inputs. Land near the village has become scarce and more expensive as is demanded for settlement development. Farmers seek land, which their families had occupied prior to villagisation as well as clear fresh bush land that is farther away from residential areas. To cope with long home to field distance farmers migrate temporary to field where they live in temporary structures for 3 to 6 months. These farmers’ strategies to alleviate the distance problem are not sustainable as they will lead to further land degradation. Policy and practice for rural development need to take into account farmers’ needs for agricultural intensification and their temporary mobility.
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    Human Impact on the Headwater Environment in the Uporoto Highlands, Tanzania
    (Journal of the Geographical Association of Tanzania, 2014) Sokoni, Cosmas H.
    Headwater catchments are often perceived to be remote and peripheral and therefore neglected, least developed and economically backward. However, changes in headwater regions have repercussions far beyond their borders. The Uporoto highlands form the headwater region for the Ruaha River and Kiwira River drainage systems that are of great significance to Tanzania. Village settlements development, population growth, and poor land management along the water divide have contributed to gully erosion that is a potential hazard. Using a case of Igoma, the largest village settlement in the region, the paper establishes the link between settlement growth and degradation of headwater catchments. It discusses the opportunities and hazards of the gullies to the local communities. The paper further draws lessons for rural settlement development and gives recommendations for minimizing the negative impacts of degradation of the headwater environment. Lastly, it creates awareness on the apparently neglected potential environmental hazard in the Uporoto Highlands.
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    The Influence of Family Size on Family Wellbeing in Mbozi, Mbeya
    (Tanzanian Journal of Population Studies and Development, 2013) Nakalani, Margreth; Sokoni, Cosmas H.
    This paper investigates factors influencing large family size and family realization of its benefits in Nanyala ward, Mbozi district, Tanzania. It is based on a household survey that involved 280 heads of households aged 50 years and above. Large family size is predominant in Nanyala ward. Factors influencing large family sizes include use of force by men, desire for security at old age, men’s desire to increase clan, high child mortality and parents believe that every child has his/her own luck. The paper reveals parents’ reflections on benefits and disadvantages of large family size. 63.2% of the respondents claim that life is so difficult that large family size is no longer beneficial. These parents indicated that if they were young, they would choose to have no child or not more than three children. On the other hand, parents revealed advantages of large family size as a source of farm labour, respect, bridewealth and health services. The study recommends various positive measures to be taken - such as reinforcement of population policies on marriage laws, education for women and improvement on health services, falsifying traditions and culture related to large family size.
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    Land-use/cover changes and their drivers on the slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania
    (Journal of Geography and Regional Planning, 2012-03-18) Misana, Salome B.; Sokoni, Cosmas H.; Mbonile, Milne J.
    This paper presents the findings of a study that analyzed land use and cover change, their driving forces and the socio-economic implications on the southern and eastern slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro. This study is based on data extracted from remote sensing techniques using 1973, 1984 and 1999/2000 satellite images and household interviews. The major change detected in the study area from satellite images was expansion of cultivation at the expense of natural vegetation. The area under cultivation increased from 54% in 1973 to 62 and 63% in 1984 and 2000, respectively. Expansion and intensification of cultivation were noted particularly in the lowlands while some forest areas in the highlands had become degraded. These changes led to changes in cropping patterns and crop diversification, declined productivity of land and food insecurity. The underlying drivers of these changes were demographic, government policies, economic factors, socio-cultural factors including the land tenure system, institutional factors, technological change and infrastructure development. Investments in irrigation technology, introduction of new crop varieties and government interventions to support the poor are required to improve the productivity of land and reduce the vulnerability of the people to environmental perturbations, including drought.
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    Prevalence and correlates for diarrhoea in the mountainous informal settlements of Huye town, Rwanda
    (SpringerPlus, 2014) Uwizeye, Dieudonne; Sokoni, Cosmas H.; Kabiru, Caroline W.
    Abstract Dwellers of urban informal settlements in developing countries are consistently reported to be victims of high diarrhoea prevalence. Studies have frequently reported the association between high diarrhoea prevalence and other factors, such as poor living conditions, inadequate hygiene, and sanitation in these settings. However, little is known about the dynamics of diarrhoea prevalence in mountainous urban informal settlements similar to the Rwandan context. This study was conducted in the Matyazo cell of Huye town to review the prevalence and correlates of diarrhoea. A survey of 214 households and transect walks in the neighbourhoods were conducted during the rainy and dry seasons. Logistic regression was used to analyse the survey data while the thematic analysis technique was used to analyse qualitative data. Results indicated a substantial reduction of diarrhoea prevalence from the rainy to the dry season. It was also found that the prevalence was unequally distributed in the neighbourhoods according to household location. After controlling for other household characteristics and sanitation conditions of around homes, the study indicated that households established at 1800 metres or more above sea level were protected against diarrhoea during both rainy seasons (Adjusted Odds Ratio_ AOR: .42, 95% Confidence Interval_ CI: .13-.81) and dry seasons (AOR: .58, CI: .12-.90) while households found further from the road were likely to suffer from diarrhoea during rainy seasons (AOR: 3.32, CI: 1.47-7.48) as well as in dry seasons (AOR: 1.60, CI: 1.26-4.10). Poor sanitation within and around homes was also found to be associated with the increase of diarrhoea in either season. However, the evidence was not sufficient enough to confirm a significant association between diarrhoea prevalence and other household characteristics. We believe this is due to the strength of environmental factors in mountainous settings.