176
rainfall in season 2 severely reduced the yield and land rent in both conventional and
organic cotton production. In general, conventional and organic practices have similar cotton yields, but organic practices often generate higher land rents than conventional practices due to a higher price for organic cotton and lower production costs.
In both seasons, the innovative organic practice generated the highest land rent of all
conventional and organic practices, and it is statistically significantly higher than
the land rents of all conventional farming practices.
1 Introduction
Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) is the second largest export crop in Tanzania (after
coffee) and largely contributes to national export earnings. Furthermore, it provides
employment and income for over 500,000 households in rural Tanzania (TCB
2010). Cotton growing in Tanzania is dominated by smallholder farmers with farm
sizes ranging from 0.5 to 10 hectares, with an average of 1.5 hectares. The production is characterised by manual operation under rain-fed conditions with minimal
use of inputs such as fertilisers and pesticides. Two cotton production systems, conventional and organic, are practised in Tanzania, with the majority of cotton farmers
practicing the conventional system (TCB 2010). Conventional cotton farming is
based on the use of inorganic fertilisers and synthetic pesticides (Pimentel et al.
2005). However, most conventional smallholder farmers use little or no fertiliser,
but they appreciably use pesticides for controlling the common cotton pests like
aphids [Aphis gossypii (Glover)], American bollworm [Heliothis armigera
(Hubner)] and cotton stainer [Dysdercus spp.].
The recommended application rates for fertiliser in cotton production vary
depending on the soil type. For the Western cotton growing area (WCGA) of
Tanzania, the revised fertiliser recommendations show application rates of
20–30 kg N ha
−1
, 10–15 kg P ha
−1
and 5 Mg ha
−1
farm yard manure (FYM) (Mowo
et al. 1993). However, a general national recommended rate of 40 kg N ha
−1
and
18 kg P ha
−1
is also reported by IFDC (2014). No specific national recommendations for pesticide use in cotton are available, and the application rates are based on
guidelines from the pesticide manufacturers, which suggest four to six sprays per
growing season.
Organic agriculture is a farming system that does not use genetically modified
organisms (GMO), inorganic fertilisers, synthetic pesticides or any other agrochemicals (FAO 1998; Gold 2007; IFOAM 2014) but largely relies on soil fertility management for nutrient supply and natural pesticides for pest control. In recent years,
organic cotton production in Tanzania has increased. In the season 2017/18, for
example, Tanzania produced 3525 Mg of organic cotton, which placed the country
in the seventh position of the world’s leading organic cotton producers and in the
second position in the world regarding the land area that is under conversion to
organic cotton production (Textile Exchange 2018). Organic cotton production is
T. N. Bwana et al.
rainfall in season 2 severely reduced the yield and land rent in both conventional and
organic cotton production. In general, conventional and organic practices have similar cotton yields, but organic practices often generate higher land rents than conventional practices due to a higher price for organic cotton and lower production costs.
In both seasons, the innovative organic practice generated the highest land rent of all
conventional and organic practices, and it is statistically significantly higher than
the land rents of all conventional farming practices.
1 Introduction
Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) is the second largest export crop in Tanzania (after
coffee) and largely contributes to national export earnings. Furthermore, it provides
employment and income for over 500,000 households in rural Tanzania (TCB
2010). Cotton growing in Tanzania is dominated by smallholder farmers with farm
sizes ranging from 0.5 to 10 hectares, with an average of 1.5 hectares. The production is characterised by manual operation under rain-fed conditions with minimal
use of inputs such as fertilisers and pesticides. Two cotton production systems, conventional and organic, are practised in Tanzania, with the majority of cotton farmers
practicing the conventional system (TCB 2010). Conventional cotton farming is
based on the use of inorganic fertilisers and synthetic pesticides (Pimentel et al.
2005). However, most conventional smallholder farmers use little or no fertiliser,
but they appreciably use pesticides for controlling the common cotton pests like
aphids [Aphis gossypii (Glover)], American bollworm [Heliothis armigera
(Hubner)] and cotton stainer [Dysdercus spp.].
The recommended application rates for fertiliser in cotton production vary
depending on the soil type. For the Western cotton growing area (WCGA) of
Tanzania, the revised fertiliser recommendations show application rates of
20–30 kg N ha
−1
, 10–15 kg P ha
−1
and 5 Mg ha
−1
farm yard manure (FYM) (Mowo
et al. 1993). However, a general national recommended rate of 40 kg N ha
−1
and
18 kg P ha
−1
is also reported by IFDC (2014). No specific national recommendations for pesticide use in cotton are available, and the application rates are based on
guidelines from the pesticide manufacturers, which suggest four to six sprays per
growing season.
Organic agriculture is a farming system that does not use genetically modified
organisms (GMO), inorganic fertilisers, synthetic pesticides or any other agrochemicals (FAO 1998; Gold 2007; IFOAM 2014) but largely relies on soil fertility management for nutrient supply and natural pesticides for pest control. In recent years,
organic cotton production in Tanzania has increased. In the season 2017/18, for
example, Tanzania produced 3525 Mg of organic cotton, which placed the country
in the seventh position of the world’s leading organic cotton producers and in the
second position in the world regarding the land area that is under conversion to
organic cotton production (Textile Exchange 2018). Organic cotton production is
T. N. Bwana et al.