Abstract

This study sought to reveal the less known prevailing dynamics in Zanzibar’s clove industry in these contemporary times. The study mainly revealed prospects and challenges underlying smallholder clove farming in Kisiwani, Gando and Mtambwe shehias in Wete District, Pemba, Zanzibar. Both desk-based literature survey and descriptive survey research designs were adopted for this study. The study reveals pot holing practices, nursery seedling, dropping system, organic system and shading system as the major clove farming practices available in the study area. Also various dynamics prevailing in the clove industry were revealed including fluctuations in clove production over time, integration of key actors in the clove industry in Zanzibar including actors in clove production and marketing in Zanzibar and the prevalence of dominant monopsony marketing structure in the clove industry in Zanzibar. The study further revealed potential prospects in the clove industry in Zanzibar including putting in-place the following: reliable meteorological services, crop marketing boards, state trading corporation, agricultural innovations interventions, clove smuggling control, government commitment and policy framework interventions in the clove industry. Based on the findings, the study concluded the need of integrating all major key actors in the Zanzibar’s cloves industry to work closely in the course of revamping clove productivity among smallholder farmers in the study area. Lastly, the study urges government authorities to undertake deliberate initiatives through policy advocacy to improve smallholder farmers’ livelihoods through strengthening capacities in enhancing their resilience on mitigating and adapting the prevailing dynamics in the clove farming in Zanzibar.

Keywords: Contemporary dynamics; Clove industry; Prospects; Challenges