Socioeconomics, factors influencing the sesame production, and small-farmer holders' needs in increasing sesame production in Jowhar District, Middle Shabelle, Somalia.

Abstract

Sesame is an economically important crop to produce high-quality oil and nutritional products. In Somalia, sesame is very important for both domestic consumption and export to an international market. The Jowhar District, Middle Shabelle, Somalia, is the main sesame cultivation site along the river Shabelle. This study sought to investigate the socioeconomic details of sesame farmers, their cultivation practices in Jowhar District, and gather the farmers' perspectives on factors influencing higher sesame production. The study took place in Jowhar district, middle Shabelle Somalia, utilizing a farm-based cross-sectional approach. Data was gathered through a structured close-ended questionnaire, and participants were selected randomly. The collected data was analyzed using SPSS software. The sample size in the study consisted of 196 + no response 5% = 205. Many of the respondents 71.7% were men. The mean age of respondents is 43.46 years. One fourth (24.4%) of respondents having a high school education. Over half of the respondents (57.1%) had 5-15 years of sesame cultivation experience. Most of the respondents (91%) used traditional methods to promote plant growth and pest control in growing sesame. Most of the farmers used simple hand tools for weeding (62%) and harvesting (69%). The survey discovered that most respondents (88%) sold sesame as wholesale at the farm gate. Many respondents (43.9%) strongly agreed that improving local sesame seed varieties should play an important role in producing sesame seed and increasing the price of the produce in the market. About 35.6% strongly agreed that the promotion of sesame waste, such as sesame husks and meals as animal feed, should encourage farmers to increase sesame production. Multiple regression analysis showed the statistically significant impact of the number of laborers on sesame production, as indicated by a p-value of 0.026**. The size of the cultivated area emerges as a highly influential factor, supported by a very significant p-value of 0.000***.

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