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AbstractThe appropriate use of improved technologies in cashew production can lift cashew productivity and income amongst cashew growing countries including Tanzania. The major motive of this study was to assess the adoption determinants of improved technologies in cashew production for enhancing country’s effort of attaining 1,000,000 MT of cashewnut production by 2025 from the current 238,576 MT. Multistage sampling was used to collect cross-sectional data from 760 cashew growers using a semi-structured questionnaire in Tandahimba and Masasi districts. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the adoption rates whereas a Cragg Double hurdle model was used to analyze the determinant of enhanced cashew technologies. Results showed that the overall adoption of enhanced cashew technologies in Mtwara region was 58%. The findings revealed that the adoption intensity of pesticides application, recommended spacing, and the area under improved cashew trees were 88%, 32%, and 41% respectively. The outcomes revealed by Double Hurdle model indicated that the choice and extent of adoption were influenced by education, off-farm income, farm size, extension contacts, group affiliation, and credit access. Furthermore, cashew tree age, gender, asset endowment, and location influenced only the adoption decision of cashew production technologies. Therefore, the study urges for the inclusive policy agenda that will escalate land allocated for cashew production and off-farm earnings to enhance the adoption and intensity of enhanced cashew technologies. Moreover, results suggest the requirement for policy mediations that will accentuate the extension support and input credit services to heighten espousal of enhanced cashew technology in Tanzania.

The purpose of this article is to determine the effect of Information and communications technology (ICT) tools’ attributes in accessing technical, market and financial information among youthful dairy agripreneurs in Arumeru District, Tanzania. Data were collected through a standardized questionnaire from 347 farming households. Descriptive statistics and multivariate probit regression were used to analyze the data. The results of the study show that utilization of the various ICT tools (mobile phone, television (TV) and radio) is interrelated, whereas several factors, including extension contacts, installation of electricity, level of buyer trust, availability of market information and receiving of remittances, are found to affect the probability of ICT use. Findings also reveal that complementarity, accessibility, relevance and timeliness had a positive effect on ICT use, while the feedback attribute had a negative influence on ICT use. This finding underscores the need to consider ICT tools’ attributes when designing a sustainable ICT-based information delivery model for dairy youth agripreneurs. An understanding of actual users’ preference for ICT attributes can provide a blueprint for the ongoing ICT-based public- and private-sector initiatives that target youth-users more effectively.