EFFECTS OF TRANSFORMATIVE LEADERSHIP ON CASHEW NUT PRODUCTION IN TANZANIA

Abstract

This study is titled Effects of Transformative Leadership on Cashew Nut Production in Tanzania: A case of Lindi Region examined how leadership influences the productivity of cashew nut. Lindi is one of the major cashew nuts producing regions in Tanzania, contributing only about 18% of the country’s total production, which is relatively low given the region’s suitability and capacity. The underperformance stems from weak institutional and policy interventions at the grassroots level as well as limited stakeholder engagement, promoting the study’s objective of assessing how inspirational motivation, intellectual stimulation, and individualized consideration, components of Transformational Leadership Theory, affect cashew nut productivity in Lindi. The study employed a convergent mixed-methods design, collecting data from 176 respondents including smallholder farmers, AMCOS leaders, and extension officers in Nachunyu and Sudi wards of Mtama District. Quantitative data from structured questionnaires were analysed using descriptive statistics, correlations, and multiple linear regression, while qualitative data from key informant interviews were examined thematically. The findings demonstrated a strong positive relationship between transformative leadership and cashew nut production, with inspirational motivation (R=0.753, p<0.001) boosting farmer commitment, intellectual stimulation (R=0.710, p<0.001) encouraging adoption of modern techniques, and individualized consideration (R=0.756, p<0.001) enhancing confidence and performance. These findings aligned with the study objectives and demonstrated that transformative leadership significantly shapes farmers’ output. The study concludes that transformative leadership is essential for improving commitment, innovation, and empowerment, leading to higher cashew nut productivity and recommends integrating leadership training into extension programs, strengthening cooperative governance, and adopting farmer-centred support systems to ensure sustainable agricultural growth in Tanzania