Minde Josephine J, Matemu Athanasia O, Venkataramana Pavithravani B
Department of Food and Nutritional Sciences, Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology (NM-AIST), P.O. Box 447, Arusha, Tanzania.
Department of Community Economic Development, The Open University of Tanzania, P.O. Box 517, Moshi, Tanzania.
Heliyon. 2022 Nov 17;8(11):e11646. doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e11646. eCollection 2022 Nov.
Lablab is a legume with multiple uses as food, feed, and organic fertilizer. However, it is underutilized, and its empirical contribution to farmers' livelihoods is limited. This study examined the Lablab value chain (LVC) relative to smallholder farmers' livelihood assets in Tanzania. Data on Lablab farming, its value chain, and its contribution to the farmers' livelihood assets were collected from four districts of Tanzania known for Lablab production. The results showed that the LVC mapping comprised systems, actors, and interdependent activities, the key systems being input supply, tillage, intercropping, and marketing. Seed supply was through the recycling of the last harvest (48.8%), while intercropping (56.5%) and hand-hoeing (51.6%) were the primary cultivation systems, with farm gates and/or local markets serving as the marketing locations. The grown seeds were mainly black (62.3%) due to external marketability but were rarely eaten. Although farmers were the major chain actors, traders were highly active in the marketing segment, leaving farmers out of the bargain art protocol. Generally, Lablab production generated almost 90% of the farmers' revenue by multiple linear regression. Based on farmers' five asset categories, natural and human assets contributed 70% and 50% respectively, while there was less contribution from social, financial, and physical assets. The study recommends networking exposure to reliable marketplaces with good prices, improved seed availability, and financial services for Lablab farmers in Tanzania. To sustain the smallholder farmers' five livelihood assets from Lablab, researchers and policymakers must pay attention to the three linkages of the LVC.
豆薯是一种具有多种用途的豆类，可用作食物、饲料和有机肥料。然而，它未得到充分利用，对农民生计的实际贡献有限。本研究考察了坦桑尼亚豆薯价值链（LVC）与小农户生计资产的关系。从坦桑尼亚以豆薯生产闻名的四个地区收集了关于豆薯种植、其价值链及其对农民生计资产贡献的数据。结果表明，价值链映射包括系统、参与者和相互依存的活动，关键系统是投入供应、耕作、间作和营销。种子供应通过对上一季收获的种子进行再利用（48.8%），而间作（56.5%）和手工锄地（51.6%）是主要的种植系统，农场大门和/或当地市场是营销地点。种植的种子主要是黑色的（62.3%），因其具有外部市场销路，但很少被食用。尽管农民是主要的价值链参与者，但贸易商在营销环节非常活跃，使农民无法参与议价过程。一般来说，通过多元线性回归分析，豆薯生产为农民创造了近90%的收入。基于农民的五类资产，自然资产和人力资产分别贡献了70%和50%，而社会、金融和物质资产的贡献较少。该研究建议为坦桑尼亚的豆薯种植农民提供网络渠道，使其能够接触到价格合理的可靠市场，提高种子供应，并提供金融服务。为了维持小农户从豆薯种植中获得的五类生计资产，研究人员和政策制定者必须关注价值链的三个环节。
