Tanzania Journal of Development Studies

Local Narratives on the blue economy: An analysis of livelihood mobility in coastal communities in Bagamoyo, Tanzania

Rosemarie Mwaipopo — 2024-01-15

This study examined how women and men in coastal Bagamoyo of Tanzania experience and conceive the ocean and how, through such understanding, they seek to further its conceptualization to include their attachment to the ocean space, interactions and relationships they enter through the ocean, and their livelihoods in the context of the blue economy discourse. Borrowing from the cultural-ecological conceptual framework, the study investigated how women and men perceive grand approaches on ocean governance such as the ‘blue economy’ and its effect on their livelihoods. Although Mainland Tanzania has not been explicit on its ‘blue economy agenda’, the study interrogated how local people perceived the blue economy’s key assumption on sustainable governance of ocean resources, and how they resonated with their livelihood mobility. The conceptualization of livelihood mobility is used to depict the dynamic production and reproduction potentials of human life realisable through people’s interaction with resources. The findings illustrate that such interactions are often not well-captured by resource management strategies because of their multi-faceted and, sometimes, subtle nature. Thus, we conclude that efforts or policies seeking to promote the blue economy discourse need to, first, investigate the understanding of the coastal people, which is based on their lived experiences; and second, their cultural understandings of the ocean.

Gender and age differences in self-esteem among undergraduate students in Tanzania: The Case of Dar es Salaam Universities

Ndelwa Adrick — 2024-01-15

This paper presents the findings of an investigation into gender and age differences in self-esteem among university students in Tanzania. The study employed a quantitative research approach and involved a correlation research design with a sample of 379 respondents. A structured questionnaire was employed to gather data that were analysed descriptively and inferentially using SPSS, version 24. The t-test results revealed statistically significant gender differences in self-esteem, with t (377) = 9.754, p = .001. It was found that male students had higher self-esteem than female students. Furthermore, ANOVA results revealed a statistically significant age differences in respondents’ self-esteem (df = 2, F = 75.591, p =.001). Overall, the findings indicated that male students exhibited higher levels of self-esteem compared to their female counterparts. Moreover, first-year female students were found to have low self-esteem compared to their counterpart male students of the same year of study. Additionally, the study revealed a positive correlation between age and self-esteem, suggesting that self-esteem tends to increase as students grow older. However, the extent to which this is so depends on the social interaction of a particular society, which influences the development of self-esteem. Given these results, it is recommended that universities and education stakeholders implement a tailored self-esteem enhancement program to support female students in developing their self-esteem. Furthermore, guidance and counselling efforts should prioritize younger students to foster healthy self-esteem development from an early age.

Poor going poorer: Commercialization of rice farming and food shortage in the Usangu Plains, Tanzania: 1986–2010s

George Ambindwile — 2024-01-15

This study explores the impact of commercial rice farming on peasants’ food security in the Usangu Plains between 1986 and the 2010s. It specifically analyses how commercialisation of rice farming has affected peasant’s food sovereignty/ self-sufficiency from the mid-1980s. The study uses the political economy approach in explaining this relationship. Drawing from archival, oral and secondary sources, it examines how commercial rice farming affected food provision and security in the Usangu Plains. Besides, it provides an historical account of the commercialisation of rice farming, which was seen by the state as a viable strategy to agricultural development, and therefore food security to the nation and peasants. The study argues that the commercialisation of rice farming has not only negatively affected the food security of peasants—especially the poor—but has also led to their impoverishment and aggravated poverty. Impliedly, the feudal-capitalist system that geminated from this form of commercialisation has benefited few rich farmers and traders, leaving the majority poor into miseries.

Socio-economic factors associated with slow recovery of prawn stock: Evidence from prawn fishing communities in Tanzania Mainland

Huruma Luhuvilo Sigalla — 2024-01-15

Over three decades, Tanzania Mainland has been experiencing a decrease in prawn stock. One of the governments‘ responses in redressing this situation was to impose management restrictions for industrial and artisanal fisheries. Recent evidence from various biological studies shows a sign of recovery, but at a slow and unexpected pace. As a result, there has been a dilemma based on the lack of understanding as to why, despite all the efforts to control and manage prawn fishery, the stock has not been increasing at the expected level. This has led to the need for undertaking a socio-economic analysis to comprehend the factors—beyond the biological aspects—that might be determining the prawn stock situation in Tanzania Mainland. Findings from regressional analysis suggest that age, daily income from prawn fishing, and ownership of vessels determine fishing effort. Other factors, including increase in demand for prawn (local and international), increase in the number of collectors (petty traders and middlemen), the lack of market monitoring, non-adherence to closure system, and illegal fishing practices: these have been among the factors behind prawn stock development in Tanzania Mainland.

Refugees and host communities: Critical issues and implications for policy-making in Tanzania

Gelas Rubakula — 2024-01-15

Over the past three decades, Tanzania has hosted thousands of refugees from Burundi, Rwanda, and the DRC. The hosting communities have had mixed perceptions regarding the benefits and effects of hosting refugees. This study aimed to identify major challenges attributed to the presence of refugees and related governing policies. It employed mixed methods, quantitative and qualitative approaches, and the wealth quantile analysis. A total of 403 participants were interviewed: 201 (49.9%) and 202 (50.1%) from Kasulu and Kibondo districts, respectively. The study presents the perception data in frequencies, and uses regression analysis to determine associations. The results show that most participants perceive increased costs of goods and services, pressure on social services, criminality, social vices, and the deterioration of natural resources, including the environment, as the negative outcomes of hosting refugees. Also, while some research participants thought there were no effects on the integrity of the environment, the higher wealth quintiles reported an association between refugees and environmental degradation. Repatriation and camp patrolling were proposed as the durable solutions for the refugee-associated problems. The study proposes a review of policies related to peaceful coexistence, permission of movement and businesses, and increased interactions between refugees and host populations to minimize negative perceptions and hostilities.

Social media use, marketing capabilities and marketing performance of small and medium tourism enterprises in Tanzania

Donatus P. Massawe — 2024-01-15

This study assesses the influence of cognitive, social, and hedonic use within the moderating role of enterprises marketing capabilities on the relationship between social media use and marketing performance. The data was collected using a cross-sectional survey of 346 small and medium tourism enterprises; and was subjected to analysis with the aid of Smart-PLS, a structural equation modelling for both the structural and measurement models. The results show that the three dimensions of social media—i.e., cognitive, social, and hedonic use—have a positive and significant impact on the marketing performance of small and medium tourism enterprises. Moreover, marketing capabilities positively and significantly moderate the relationship between social and cognitive use of social media, but with no such moderating effect on the relationship between hedonic use and marketing performance. Based on the resource-based view and theory of the uses gratification, we suggest that all the three dimensions are relevant and deserve consideration when using social media in the tourism industry. A further competitive advantage emerges when companies have marketing capabilities that promote social use and cognitive use. In fact, the right mix of marketing capabilities, social use and cognitive use support both theories, and hence extends to the decree that an inside-out and outside-in perspective should be for the competitive advantage to materialise, and for better sustainable performance. As such, capabilities are indispensable and transform social media from a general factor of production to a valuable resource for the better marketing performance of small and medium tourism enterprises. These findings are important for policy makers and practitioners to create an enabling environment for the development of an infrastructure that supports the smooth use of social media by SMEs. Knowledge and skills in social media use for marketing should be nurtured and developed in SMEs for better marketing performance.

Sociocultural Factors associated with learners’ poor academic performance in Lushoto Primary Schools, Tanzania

George Kahangwa — 2024-01-15

This paper reports the findings of a study that was undertaken in Lushoto district, Tanzania, to examine the sociocultural factors contributing to persistent poor academic performance of pupils in the district’s public primary schools, and determine how to redress the situation. The study identified the key sociocultural factors condemning the learners to poor performances regardless of their efforts in both local and national examinations to include community members’ habits of engaging children in early social obligations and income-generation. As a result, the children were reduced to part-time readers; or their return to formal education was significantly curtailed. Such blatant disregard for formal learning among parents undercut the prospects of the pupils since they receive little or no support, let alone encouragement from their parents, other community members, and even peers. This already dire situation has been compounded by the common preference for Islamic madrasa over formal education in the district. Furthermore, traditional beliefs and practices distracted the learners’ attention to formal schooling.

Dilemma amidst crises: Students’ experiences of COVID-19 vaccine uptake at the University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

Egidius Kamanyi — 2024-01-15

This paper discusses the experiences of university students on COVID-19 preventive measures by focusing on the dilemmas encountered in responding to the pandemic, especially vaccine uptake. Findings were captured using a qualitative approach through key informant interviews, focus group discussions, and observations at the University of Dar es Salaam. The study was triggered by the fact while COVID-19 pandemic has produced a myriad of challenges to human livelihoods, including for students, experiences of the latter in facing the pandemic are mildly established in literature; particularly how being in areas highly exposed to the risk of COVID-19 has influenced their responses and coping strategies towards acceptance of, or resistance to, vaccination. Based on an interactionist conceptualization, the findings show that COVID-19 is a contested disease as it is defined and understood differently by students in accordance to their everyday experiences and agency, coupled with interactions among and beyond them. Hence, the acceptance and/or resistance to COVID-19 vaccines was informed by same multiple experiences from various sources of information, news, misinformation, trust and distrust. In responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, students received information from government announcements, mainstream media, and interactive social media outlets that created fear, uncertainty and controversies, which in turn influenced students’ understanding and decisions to accept or resist COVID-19 vaccines. The paper concludes that students are not only consumers of information and messages, but also creators and actors on the same.

The unethical behaviours of community secondary school students living in street-rented houses in Tanzania

Bashiru Shabani Mtopa — 2024-01-15

This cross-sectional design study sought to investigate the unethical behaviours of community-based secondary schools students living in street-rented houses in Nanyumbu District, Mtwara region, in Tanzania. The study used a simple random sampling method to get a total sample size of 107 respondents from Mikangaula and Mangaka secondary schools. Primary data were gathered through key informant interviews, questionnaires and focus group discussions; and were analysed through the lenses of the virtue ethics theory. The finding revealed that street house-renting exposed students to a lack of parental upbringing and guidance, excessive and uncontrolled freedom, influence of peer groups, and unhealthy domestic activities. Students living in street-rented houses had several unethical behaviours, such as dropping out, truancy, engaging in sexual activities, alcohol consumption, arriving late at school, smoking marijuana and cigarettes, drug abuse, and having early pregnancies and/or marriages. The study, therefore, recommends that the President’s Office, Regional Administration and Local Government (PO-RALG) should build school hostels in community secondary schools. In addition, the administrations of community schools should effectively implement rules and regulations in community secondary schools. Lastly, students who misbehave should be punished to shape them in developing good behaviours in the society, in line with the virtue ethics theory.