Improving Paddy Production Through Strengthening Capacities of Smallholder Farmers on System of Rice Intensification and Saving and Credit: A Case of Igurusi Ward, Mbarali District in Mbeya Region

The “Improving Paddy Production through Strengthening Capacities of Smallholder Producers on System of Rice Intensification and saving and Credit” is a research project that was implemented from October 2012 in Igurusi ward, with the aim to improve the livelihood for smallholder farmers involved in paddy production. However, producer’s farmers in Igurusi ward are facing challenges of lacking access to reliable saving and Credit for their products, rice being one of them. Currently, few farmers’ use Muungano SACCOs to meet their credit demands. Due to lack of reliable saving and credit, producers are not able to cater for the need of labour and they are forced to use seed from previous harvest. The researcher used participatory methods appropriate to enable him collect data without biasness. Primary data was collected by using participatory methods such as field visits, observation, interviews and Focused Group Discussions while taking into consideration gender aspects. The community need assessment enabled the researcher to clearly identify the real community challenges, factors influencing the challenges and community assets available by encouraging full participation of the community in the process. As result from the research process, the lack of access to reliable saving and credit for agro produce and inadequate knowledge and skills for farmers to undertake remunerative were identified as core problems hindering social economic development and livelihood improvement of smallholder farmers in Igurusi Ward. Fortunately, the currently agricultural production and saving and credit for agro - produce is among key national priorities that have gained strong institutional and policy support to reduce income poverty in Tanzania. Rice on other side is among high value crops being promoted for marketing in many parts of Tanzania as a cash crop