Levels of livelihood outcomes among smallholder sugarcane outgrowers in morogoro region, Tanzania

Contract farming (CF) has much potential for improving household livelihood outcomes among sugarcane outgrowers for sugarcane outgrowers. However, studies debate on whether sugarcane outgrowers gain abilities (livelihood outcomes) or not from contract farming relations. As a response to the debates, this paper determines the levels of livelihood outcomes among smallholder sugarcane outgrowers in the study area, and specifically sought to measure levels of livelihood outcomes available among sugarcane smallholder farmers. The paper adopted a cross-sectional study design and 300 sugarcane outgrowers were interviewed. Using the IBM Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) Statistics, Version 20, data were analysed descriptively. It was further found that smallholder farmers in Kilombero Valley were categorized in low livelihood outcomes even though they had access to CF services through their farmers’ associations and the sugarcane buyer. Therefore, it is recommended that, available sugarcane farmers’ associations in the study area, in collaboration with the Sugar Board of Tanzania (SBT), should set plans for raising farmers’ livelihood outcomes. In addition, it is recommended that contractual supports provided by sugarcane farmers’ associations should increase farmers’ association leaders’ ability to negotiate for better prices of their sugarcane outputs.