Comparative analysis of objective and subjective measurement methods of horticulture yields per unit area: insights from smallholdings of Kilolo District, Tanzania.

Abstract

This research was undertaken to analytically compare the objective and subjective methods of measuring yields per unit area in the study area. The total number of 34 small scale horticulture farmers were involved in the study. Questionnaire and interview were used to collect information regarding to size of production fields and horticulture crop yields through recalling. GPS and crop cutting methods were used to determine the actual size and yields respectively. Quantitative method of data analysis was applied such that data were summarized using summary statistics (frequencies and percentages) with the aid of Microsoft excel software system and the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20. Also linear regression analysis was performed to test the relationship between field size and yields. The findings revealed that 78% of the surveyed farmers overestimated the size of their horticulture fields while 22% underestimated. The actual size of fields overestimated ranges from 20m2 to 200m2 and 50m2 to 390m2 for staggered and simultaneous harvest horticulture crops respectively. Underestimation of filed sizes ranges from 50m2 to 500m2 and 100m2 to 125m2 for staggered and simultaneous harvest horticulture crops respectively. On the other hand the findings reveal that 81% of farmers, overestimated yields and 19% underestimated. Overestimated of yields range from 22kgs to 881kgs and 52kgs to 297kgs for staggered and simultaneous harvest horticulture crops respectively while underestimation ranges from 24kgs to 273kgs and 184kgs to 526kgs for staggered and simultaneous harvest horticulture crops respectively. Additionally, the findings revealed that there is a weak positive relation between filed size and the yields of selected horticulture crops under subjective measurement methods. This has been evidenced by P-values of linear regression models which shows values greater than 0.05. This implies that field size and yields obtained from subjective methods were either overestimated or underestimated. The study concluded that measuring field size and yields of horticulture crops by using subjective methods results into significant distortions. Given this conclusion, it is thus recommended that scientific investigation should be directed towards investigating the mechanisms that can be used to improve the accuracy of subjective methods in measuring agriculture productivity.