SPECIAL PROJECT

ASSESSMENT OF COTRIBUTIONS OF COCOA PRODUCTION IN IMPROVING LIVELIHOOD OF FARMERS COMMUNITY

CASE STUDY; KYELA DISTRICT

INTRODUCTIONS;

Background information

Cocoa production serves as an important and valuable cash crop around the global, about 8.2 million hectares of the world land is used to cultivate this crop. Cocoa is playing an important role in social economic life of more than 5 million household and affecting 25 million people in poor rural area, this crop is mostly growen in tropical environments, within 15 to 20 degrees latitude from the equator. The ideal climate for growing cocoa is hot, rainy, and tropical, with lush vegetation to provide shade for the cocoa trees this practice sometimes is called agro forestry system, it allow for famers to diversifies production by includes other products includes timber, firewood, fruits, honey and construction materials.
The primary growing regions of cocoa is Africa, Asia, and Latin America. The largest producing country by volume is Côte d’Ivoire, which produces 33% of global supply, other countries includes Ghana, Nigeria, Indonesia, Brazil, Colombia, Cameroon and Guinea. Unlike other cash crops like coffee, cotton and tea, the vast majority of cocoa comes from small, family-run farms, which often rely on outdated farming practices and have limited organizational leverage. This raised the global attention to support and improve production environment of cocoa producer in response to increasing demand for cocoa related products.

The crop has got many uses but the primary use is in chocolate making, it also used in making cocoa liquid, cocoa butter, and cocoa powder, in Africa cocoa……

In respect to Tanzania agriculture, Cocoa remains among of the very important cash crop in economy creating employments to more than 100,000 households in the country.  The crop was introduced in the country in late 1960s, yet until today little has been done significantly to promote or develop this crop as a cash crop, farmer still operate in marginalize environment, with poor planting technique and production methods, at the moment about 80% of the country’s cocoa is coming from single district kyela mbeya where conditions for the crop cultivation is near perfect. Majority of the plant are grown there is in organic conditions, by smallholders famers in plots well below a hectare and sold directly from famers for export. Globally the demand for cocoa is rising, and West Africa encountering deal of challenges in its cocoa production, buyers have begun to reconnect with Tanzania’s cocoa producers, this open up room for Tanzania cocoa producer to international cocoa market.

PROBLEM STATEMENTS AND JUSTIFICATION;

There is undeniable truth that the cocoa still playing an important role in rising rural income in Tanzania, but yet until today little have been done significantly to promote and develop this crop as cash crop. So far the crops doesn’t reach its full potential, farmers still operate in marginalized environment subjected to a lot challenges, little researches has been done to crack out basic problems faces by farmers, the crop still doesn’t have market board to overseas global   market trend and protect the interest of farmers, and lastly there is no government policy to guide and support famers efforts toward improving the crop productivity. This research is aim at assess the significance of this marginalized cocoa industry in improve livelihood of farmers community.

OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY;

General Objective;

The main purpose of this research is to assess the contribution of cocoa production in improving famer’s livelihood

Specific Objectives;

        i.            To identify constraints to cultivation,

      ii.            To assess livelihood linkages

    iii.            To assess the benefit of the crop in rising household income

    iv.            To assess the shares that farmers receive from cocoa sales.

      v.            To assess various ways farmers employs to improves their bargaining power over market

Research Questions;

        i.            What are the possible constraints that encounter by farmers during cultivation

      ii.            What are the benefit of the crop in rising household income

    iii.            How much share farmers receive as a potential returns from cocoa sales