Information needs, sources and access by small-scale horticultural crop farmers in Tanzania: a case of Morogoro urban district

Abstract This study investigates Morogoro Urban horticultural farmers’ information needs, sources and access, using 112 respondents interrogated through questionnaires, observation and interviews. Farmers needed information on sowing/harvesting time, disease and pest control, erosion control, harvests storage, produces markets. Friends/colleagues ranked as important information source, followed by Extension Officers, libraries, Internet, friends/peers, cooperatives, Nanenane festival, radio and newspapers. Challenges include unavailability of extension officers, long distance to/from libraries. Recommends equipping small-scale horticultural crop farmers will add value to information exchanged through interpersonal relationship. Employing more skilled extension officers, and use of modern ICT to improve horticultural farmers’ information access is also emphasized.