Use of the Tool for Agroecology Performance Evaluation (TAPE) to assess farms of the KEA program in Arusha rural district, Tanzania
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- This study aims to assess the level of agroecology in 200 farms in the region of Arusha (Tanzania) that began a agricultural program in 2022, led by several NGOs and peasant organizations under the name Kilimo Endelevu Arusha (Sustainable Agriculture Arusha). The goal of this program is to improve food and farm income security of small scale farmers through sustainable land management, agroecological intensification and by creating a favorable governance context for sustainable food systems. In this context, evaluating the agroecology of these farms helps identify their strengths and weaknesses in the quest to build more sustainable systems. This assessment is conducted using the TAPE tool developed by the FAO. This tool takes the form of a lengthy questionnaire that the farmers answer. The first part evaluates the 10 elements of agroecology through semi-closed, multiple-choice questions. The second part collects quantitative data on the core criteria of performance considered essential for the multidimensional sustainability of productive systems. This study mainly focuses on the first part, analyzing the overall level of agroecology and examining the levels of each element to understand the positioning of the farms in relation to agroecology. The objective was also to identify what influences the level of agroecology on these farms by examining the data based on their farming system, environment, etc. A cross-analysis of the two parts is undertaken to understand the interaction between agroecology and economic performance. This study provided an opportunity to reflect on the construction of the TAPE tool. After uncovering the significant impact of enumerators on response levels, this study provide insights for a more relevant structure of TAPE.