Unlocking total factor productivity of smallholder dairy farmers in Tanzania

Abstract

Tanzania is endowed with a diversity of ecosystems, a huge number of cattle farming, and available arable land. However, the productivity per cow is still very low due various reasons. This study used data from the African Asian Dairy Genetic Gains (AADGG) database collected over a period of eight years from 2016 to 2023 and supplemented with mini-survey of cost of production done in twenty-four (24) Local Government Authorities (LGAs). The objective of this study was to determine factors that influence total factor productivity in small-scale dairy farms in high milk shade LGAs in Tanzania. Results show that despite of favourable conditions for dairy farming, productivity is still low (40%). The low productivity is exuberated by two factors: the high cost of feed and treatment (among other costs) within respective area of production. However, with improvements in management, the cost will be reduced by almost half (47%), hence an increase in productivity per cow. To increase productivity per animal, this study recommends proper choices of local available resources such as breed types, feeds and disease management regimes. It is also suggested that choice of resources should be practiced in combination with modernization and transformation of traditional systems of integrated farming that will enhance the use of livestock production resources efficiently.