Africa RISING research trials yield impressive options for boosting smallholder farm profitability in Tanzania
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Results from a cost-benefit-analysis study of fifty-nine Africa RISING technologies in Tanzania show that almost all the technologies being tested by the project on-farm, with farmer involvement, are better than the base practices used by farmers.
For instance, the mean benefits-cost ratio of the technologies was found to be 1.7 indicating the potential of farmers earning 70% more, over and above their total expenditures if they adopt the Africa RISING technologies.
The analysis looked at three economic indicators: the gross margin (Tanzania shillings (TZS)/ha) (GM), benefit-cost ratio (BCR) and returns to labour (TZS/person day) (RL).
The research team considered fifty-nine technologies under trial in Babati and Kongwa-Kiteto action areas, representing 2 distinct ecological zones; the sub-humid and semi-arid, respectively. Technologies included crop diversification through intercropping, soil fertility management, post-harvest management, and integrating high value crops (vegetables) into the production system. Biological and economic data which included grain yield, grain prices, variable input costs and land cost were used in this evaluated.
The mean market output prices for 2014 were collected from secondary sources. Costs of labour, land, and draft power were estimated from Tanzania Africa RISING baseline data for the target crops while costs of commercial inputs (seeds, and fertilizers) were collected through key informant interviews.
More information is contained in the poster below.