Does crop diversity
contribute to dietary diversity? Evidence from integration of vegetables into
maize-based farming systems in Tanzania
Maize is the most important staple crop for food
security and livelihoods of farmers in many parts of sub-Saharan Africa, but it
alone cannot ensure nutrition security. Cropping patterns and farming systems
must be diversified to include micronutrient-rich vegetable and fruit crops,
particularly traditional species, to ensure an adequate supply and greater
variety of nutritional foods for farm households. The objective of this study was
to ascertain if increasing the diversity of crops in farmers’ fields by including
micronutrient-rich vegetables leads to increased dietary diversity. A primary
survey of 300 farm households selected from 10 villages in the Babati, Kongwa
and Kiteto districts of Tanzania were analysed using a multiple linear
regression model. Bivariate regression analysis showed that dietary diversity was
significantly and positively influenced by crop count. After controlling for
selected farm characteristics and other covariates, the coefficient of crop
diversity was positively related to dietary diversity, but had an insignificant
effect. The results revealed that increasing the crop count alone does not significantly
influence dietary diversity of farm households. It is much more critical to increase the proportion of
total vegetables consumed from farmers’ own production, along with efforts to
enhance the characteristics that are positively and strongly associated with
dietary diversity, such as household size, level of education, monthly
expenditure on food, irrigated cropping area, control of household income, and
decision-making by female-headed households. Our results suggest the need for
strong promotional campaigns to make farmers aware of the nutritional
importance of increased vegetable consumption, and to promote home gardens as
a source for vegetables that can diversify diets for all household members.
