Factors Influencing Post-Harvest Losses of Avocado among Smallholder Farmers in Njombe Town Council

Mahenge, Stephano M. (2023) Factors Influencing Post-Harvest Losses of Avocado among Smallholder Farmers in Njombe Town Council. Masters thesis, The Open University of Tanzania.

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Abstract

This study investigated factors influencing post-harvest losses (PHL) of avocado among smallholder farmers in Njombe town council. The specific objectives of the study were to examine harvesting methods influencing PHL among Avocado small holder farmers, to assess the environmental factors influencing PHL among Avocado small holder farmers, to assess the institutional factors influencing PHL and to examine the infrastructural factors influencing PHL among Avocado small holder farmers in Njombe town council. Sample size of the study was 92 respondents who were smallholder avocado farmers obtained through simple random sampling technique. The study was guided by the theory of constraint and rational choice theory. This study adapted cross-sectional research design. Quantitative data were analyzed by using descriptive analysis in multiple response form. The findings indicated several factors; such factors were harvesting methods, environmental difficulties, institutional support and infrastructural difficulties. The study concluded that harvesting methods influenced PHL of avocado due to limited access to proper technology for harvesting and farmers were faced by number of environmental challenges which led to PHL, such challenges included pest and diseases, rainfall, temperature, humidity and wind. The study recommended that farmers through their local group/AMCOS they can purchase appropriate technology that will help them to undertake harvesting process properly and the Government through Njombe town council have to establish cooperative union which will allow small holder avocado farmers to have membership in order to get high prices of their products, sign contract with buyers within and foreign markets and be able to win competitive markets due to bulk selling. Keywords: Post Harvest Losses, Small Holder Farmers, Harvest Methods and Socio-Economic Factors

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