Abstract

The Annual Agricultural Sample Survey (AASS) for the year 2022/23 aimed to enhance the understanding of agricultural activities across the United Republic of Tanzania by collecting comprehensive data on various aspects of the agricultural sector. This survey is crucial for policy formulation, development planning, and service delivery, providing reliable data to monitor and evaluate national and international development frameworks.

The 2022/23 survey is particularly significant as it informs the monitoring and evaluation of key agricultural development strategies and frameworks. The collected data will contribute to the Tanzania Development Vision 2025, Zanzibar Development Vision 2020, the Five-Year Development Plan 2021/22–2025/26, the National Strategy for Growth and Reduction of Poverty (NSGRP) known as MKUKUTA, and the Zanzibar Strategy for Growth and Reduction of Poverty (ZSGRP) known as MKUZA. The survey data also supports the evaluation of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP). Key indicators for agricultural performance and poverty monitoring are directly measured from the survey data.

The 2022/23 AASS provides a detailed descriptive analysis and related tables on the main thematic areas. These areas include household members and holder identification, field roster, seasonal plot and crop rosters (Vuli, Masika, and Dry Season), permanent crop production, crop harvest use, seed and seedling acquisition, input use and acquisition (fertilizers and pesticides), livestock inventory and changes, livestock production costs, milk and eggs production, other livestock products, aquaculture production, and labor dynamics. The 2022/23 AASS offers an extensive dataset essential for understanding the current state of agriculture in Tanzania. The insights gained will support the development of policies and interventions aimed at enhancing agricultural productivity, sustainability, and the livelihoods of farming communities. This data is indispensable for stakeholders addressing challenges in the agricultural sector and promoting sustainable agricultural development.

Statistical Disclosure Control (SDC) methods have been applied to the microdata, to protect the confidentiality of the individual data collected. Users must be aware that these anonymization or SDC methods modify the data, including suppression of some data points. This affects the aggregated values derived from the anonymized microdata, and may have other unwanted consequences, such as sampling error and bias. Additional details about the SDC methods and data access conditions are provided in the data processing and data access conditions below.

Geographic coverage

National, Mainland Tanzania and Zanzibar, Regions

Analysis unit

Households for Smallholder Farmers and Farm for Large Scale Farms

Universe

The survey covered agricultural households and large-scale farms.

Agricultural households are those that meet one or more of the following two conditions: a) Have or operate at least 25 square meters of arable land, b) Own or keep at least one head of cattle or five goats/sheep/pigs or fifty chicken/ducks/turkeys during the agriculture year.

Large-scale farms are those farms with at least 20 hectares of cultivated land, or 50 herds of cattle, or 100 goats/sheep/pigs, or 1,000 chickens. In addition to this, they should fulfill all of the following four conditions: i) The greater part of the produce should go to the market, ii) Operation of farm should be continuous, iii) There should be application of machinery / implements on the farm, and iv) There should be at least one permanent employee.

Kind of data

Sample survey data [ssd]

Sampling procedure

The frame used to extract the sample for the Annual Agricultural Sample Survey (AASS-2022/23) in Tanzania was derived from the 2022 Population and Housing Census (PHC-2022) Frame that lists all the Enumeration Areas (EAs/Hamlets) of the country. The AASS 2022/23 used a stratified two-stage sampling design which allows to produce reliable estimates at regional level for both Mainland Tanzania and Zanzibar.

In the first stage, the EAs (primary sampling units) were stratified into 2-3 strata within each region and then selected by using a systematic sampling procedure with probability proportional to size (PPS), where the measure of size is the number of agricultural households in the EA. Before the selection, within each stratum and domain (region), the Enumeration Areas (EAs) were ordered according to the codes of District and Council which reflect the geographical proximity, and then ordered according to the codes of Constituency, Division, Wards, and Village. An implicit stratification was also performed, ordering by Urban/Rural type at Ward level.

In the second stage, a simple random sampling selection was conducted . In hamlets with more than 200 households, twelve (12) agricultural households were drawn from the PHC 2022 list with a simple random sampling without replacement procedure in each sampled hamlet. In hamlets with 200 households or less, a listing exercise was carried out in each sampled hamlet, and twelve (12) agricultural households were selected with a simple random sampling without replacement procedure. A total of 1,352 PSUs were selected from the 2022 Population and Housing Census frame, of which 1,234 PSUs were from Mainland Tanzania and 118 from Zanzibar. A total number of 16,224 agricultural households were sampled (14,808 households from Mainland Tanzania and 1,416 from Zanzibar).

Mode of data collection

Computer Assisted Personal Interview [capi]

Research instrument

The 2022/23 Annual Agricultural Survey used two main questionnaires consolidated into a single questionnaire within the CAPIthe CAPI System, Smallholder Farmers and Large-Scale Farms Questionnaire. Smallholder Farmers questionnaire captured information at household level while Large Scale Farms questionnaire captured information at establishment/holding level. These questionnaires were used for data collection that covered core agricultural activities (crops, livestock, and fish farming) in both short and long rainy seasons. The 2022/23 AASS questionnaire covered 23 sections which are:

1. COVER; The cover page included the title of the survey, survey year (2022/23), general instructions for both the interviewers and respondents. It sets the context for the survey and also it shows the survey covers the United Republic of Tanzania.

2. SCREENING: Included preliminary questions designed to determine if the respondent or household is eligible to participate in the survey. It checks for core criteria such as involvement in agricultural activities.

3. START INTERVIEW: The introductory section where basic details about the interview are recorded, such as the date, location, and interviewer’s information. This helped in the identification and tracking of the interview process.

4. HOUSEHOLD MEMBERS AND HOLDER IDENTIFICATION: Collected information about all household members, including age, gender, relationship to the household head, and the identification of the main agricultural holder. This section helped in understanding the demographic composition of the agriculture household.

5. FIELD ROSTER: Provided the details of the various agricultural fields operated by the agriculture household. Information includes the size, location, and identification of each field. This section provided a comprehensive overview of the land resources available to the household.

6. VULI PLOT ROSTER: Focused on plots used during the Vuli season (short rainy season). It includes details on the crops planted, plot sizes, and any specific characteristics of these plots. This helps in assessing seasonal agricultural activities.

7. VULI CROP ROSTER: Provided detailed information on the types of crops grown during the Vuli season, including quantities produced and intended use (e.g., consumption, sale, storage). This section captures the output of short rainy season farming.

8. MASIKA PLOT ROSTER: Similar to Section 4 but focuses on the Masika season (long rainy season). It collects data on plot usage, crop types, and sizes. This helps in understanding the agricultural practices during the primary growing season.

9. MASIKA CROP ROSTER: Provided detailed information on crops grown during the Masika season, including production quantities and uses. This section captures the output from the main agricultural season.

10. PERMANENT CROP PRODUCTION: Focuses on perennial or permanent crops (e.g., fruit trees, tea, coffee). It includes data on the types of permanent crops, area under cultivation, production volumes, and uses. This section tracks long-term agricultural investments.

11. CROP HARVEST USE: In this, provided the details how harvested crops are utilized within the household. Categories included consumption, sale, storage, and other uses. This section helps in understanding food security and market engagement.

12. SEED AND SEEDLINGS ACQUISITION: Collected information on how the agriculture household acquires seeds and seedlings, including sources (e.g., purchased, saved, gifted) and types (local, improved, etc). This section provided insights into input supply chains and planting decisions based on the households, or head.

13. INPUT USE AND ACQUISITION (FERTILIZERS AND PESTICIDES): It provided the details of the use and acquisition of agricultural inputs such as fertilizers and pesticides. It included information on quantities used, sources, and types of inputs. This section assessed the input dependency and agricultural practices.

14. LIVESTOCK IN STOCK AND CHANGE IN STOCK: The