This study used the mindset theory comprising two broad phases: pre-decisional or deliberative and post-decisional or implemental goals to investigate the urban and peri-urban (UPA) dairy cattle keepers’ mindset in three districts of Morogoro, Tanga and Temeke in Tanzania. Later the mindset and force field analysis theories were used to compare their resemblance with the empirical data. Specifically, this study assessed the reasons, benefits and drawbacks that UPA dairy cattle keepers in the three districts considered necessary for keeping dairy cattle.

The study found that producing own milk to feed families was the first most important reason that respondents considered prior to keeping dairy cattle in UPA followed by selling milk to other urban dwellers. Similarly, the most important reasons were to improve family nutrition, and to improve animal welfare. Important reported drawbacks to keeping dairy cattle were the fewness of farmer training centres and lack of forage. In UPA, most respondents denied taking loans from the banks to finance their activities because of the high interest rates charged. Majority of the respondents reported that they would use money earned from dairy cattle activities to start farms in the rural areas. It is recommendations that urban authorities, NGOs, CBOs and other interested parties should provide education to UPA dairy cattle keepers using the mindset theory and force field analysis on decision making and ways for improving the activities. Also, authorities should carry out dairy cattle technical efficiency studies to determine the number of dairy cattle units to keep in the four density areas (low-, medium-, high-, peri-urban).