Kilimo Kwanza Issue 40

Tuesday 9 August 2011

SUPPORTING THE PROMOTERS OF THE GREEN REVOLUTION

NANE NANE 2011

kilimokwanza@guardian.co.tz

Rice farmers blamed for power crisis

The Guardian KILIMO KWANZA

Tuesday 9 August, 2011

EDITORIAL

2

NANE NANE 2011

The Guardian KILIMO KWANZA

Tuesday 9 August, 2011

COVER STORY

NANE NANE 2011

3

inside PASS creates thousands of jobs in rural areas

Kilimo Kwanza needs to build on farm advances

Y

esterday was the climax of the week-long Nane Nane celebrations marked on the 8th of August every year. It was an auspicious week for the country’s farmers, who constitute 80 per cent of the population. They got the opportunity to display the advances they have made in the sector so far to improve output.

The closing ceremonies at the Dodoma Nane Nane grounds at Nzuguni area were graced by Dr Ali Mohammed Shein, the President of Zanzibar.

Among the issues highlighted during the celebrations is irrigation.

As the country embarks on a major irrigation farming promotion under the Kilimo Kwanza initiative to achieve green revolution, caution needs to be exercised, lest the move affects other sectors of the economy.

For example irrigation farming in the Ruaha River basin has been cited as one of the reasons the country is experiencing power crisis.

Experts at Mtera dam have it that rice farmers in the area have blocked and diverted water upstream, reducing the amount flowing into the dam to generate power.

According to the experts, soon there will be no water flowing into the dam if drastic measures are not taken to ensure that Ruaha water is properly managed.

The current power cuts have negatively impacted many businesses, some of which have been forced to close shop as a result. Among the affected industries are those processing agricultural produce.

The government is making efforts to solve the problem by seeking investors to generate additional power for agro-processing industries.

While efforts continue to get the investors for the additional power, one of the solutions is better management of the Ruaha water so that there is enough to produce rice and feed Mtera dam to generate power.

And indeed there are many techniques to ensure efficient use of the water. Some are already tested, proven and ready for application.

Artwork

& Design: KN Mayunga

Experts for example have been talking about drip irrigation, a known technique to apply water sparingly for maximum impact, especially where availability is a major problem. No doubt adoption of this mode of irrigation would contribute greatly to saving the precious liquid, which is dwindling by the day given the current climate change, while also offering the country higher output.

If such deliberate management techniques were adopted, we would no longer hear of farmers in the Ruaha basin being accused of causing water shortage at the Mtera dam.

Neither would we hear of power or food shortages.

This said the countrywide Nane Nane celebrations should not only be used for business purposes and get away from the busy office schedules but for learning purposes for the improvement of the agriculture sector.

The fair should result in improvement or adoption of new farming methods which should result into higher yields and less time and labour used in the farm.

If all that is acquired from the Nane Nane fairs is put into practice, there is no reason why Agriculture should not remain the backbone of the country’s economy.

And the improvements in the sector as well as the benefits should trickle down to the small farmers who account for the biggest percentage of the farming community.

Drip irrigation: A solution for unreliable weather conditions

4

6

When mechanized farming displaces farmers

Wallace Mauggo Editor

8 To have your organisation promoted in Kilimo Kwanza, Call: 0787 571308, 0655 571308 0754 571308

R

By Angel Navuri,Dodoma

ICE farmers in the Ruaha River Basin have been blamed for the ongoing power crisis that is threatening to bring the country to its knees.

As the witch hunt for the real culprit behind the power blues draws on, the Principal Engineer of Mtera Dam, Eng. Julius Chomolla has joined the fray; claiming that uncontrolled rice farming within the Great Ruaha River is behind the decreased water inflows into the dam.

“The rice farmers have contributed to the power crisis. They have blocked and diverted large amounts of water upstream which has reduced the volume and speed of water flowing into the dam,’ he explained. Furthermore, he said, the low water inflows into the Mtera dam also has a crippling effect on the Kidatu Dam situated further downstream.

The engineer also rubbished earlier claims that Mtera Dam is full of silt and stones which were hampering the generation of electricity.

“That view is incorrect. The truth is that the flow of water into the dam

Ruaha River Basin

Rice farmers blamed for power crisis has been severely hampered, leading to low water levels that cannot push the turbines.’

Ironically, the engineer was speaking at this year’s Nane Nane farmers day celebrations in Dodoma Region whose theme was Kilimo Kwanza – Tumethubutu. Tumeweza na tunasonga mbele. (Kilimo Kwanza. We have dared. We have succeeded and we are moving forward.”

The engineer urged the government institute rapid measures to control the use of water in the Rufiji Basin catchment areas to increase the amount of water feeding River Ruaha

that flows into Mtera and Kidatu Dams, which remain the primary sources of hydro-electric power in the country. Although it has been identified as a potential game changer in the current drive towards agricultural self sufficiency and commercialization, irrigation in Tanzania lags behind with a meager 1% of the estimated irrigation potential currently utilized.

Last week, the Minister for Agriculture and Food Security Jumanne Maghembe revealed that his ministry plans to spend Sh42.229 billion on improving irrigation infrastructure in 160 areas.

The minister underscored the importance of irrigation farming with government plans to increase the areas under irrigation to 385,690 hectares in 2011/12 financial year, up from the 345,690 hectares irrigated in the previous financial year.

However at the same time, Tanzania is grappling with biting power cuts that have severely curtailed industrial production, including that of agro-processing firms. Power rationing means that productivity has dropped, having a knock on effect on government revenue collections and jobs as companies down size staff to cope with

the black outs.

With a potential of generating 80 Mega Watts (MW) of electricity, low water levels have limited production at Mtera to 33MW that is generated for only 6 hours daily, instead of the usual round the clock production. Sharing the same river basin but situated further down stream, Kidatu dam currently produces only 70MW of power instead of the installed capacity of 204MW. “It is a crisis. We tried talking to the farmers but they have legal permits allowing them use of water from the Rufiji Basin, he said. However it appears that there is no authority monitoring how much water is used for agriculture, and how much goes into electricity generation.

The engineer fears that unless the current problem is solved, soon there will be no water flowing into Mtera especially with the much hyped push towards increased irrigation for Kilimo Kwanza. On his part, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Bernard Membe said that the government is looking for investors to generate an additional 700MW to support agro-processing and add value to produce destined for export.

“It is shameful for us to promote the country as a suitable investment destination only for investors to come and find blackouts. Power is important to the whole economy, including agriculture, and that’s why my ministry is talking to investors for additional power generation. This will assist in value addition through agro-processing,’ he said, noting that farmers can also earn more through value addition.

Membe also said that the government is working hard to construct modern silos that can store produce for longer periods. At the moment the country has a dire shortage of silos.

Speaking on the availability of markets for local products, he said that the ministry has contacted all Tanzanian embassies based abroad to look for markets for Tanzania products.

“We are urging our farmers to produce more and therefore it is part of our responsibility to find ready markets for the produce,” Membe noted.

Recently, the country’s major power generator and distributor, Tanzania Electric Supply Company (TANESCO) was plunged into a double crisis of crippling power rationing and international legal obligation to pay compensation in excess of USD124 million for breach of contract on a dubious power generation contract gone haywire.

The Ministry of Energy and Minerals has also found itself on the receiving end of ridicule and criticism especially after its Minister William Ngeleja tabled before parliament a controversial budget that was out rightly rejected by the legislators amidst claims of corruption, leading to the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary being sent on compulsory leave, paving way for further investigations.

4

Tuesday 9 August, 2011

FINANCING

NANE NANE 2011

PASS creates thousands of jobs in rural areas

TIB extends support to National Ranching Company

By Angel Navuri

T

By Angel Navuri housands of new jobs have been created in rural areas from the various projects under Private Agricultural Sector Support Trust (PASS)’ support, Kilimo Kwanza has learnt.

The organization supports various sub sectors including coffee, tea, paddy maize, sunflower, sugar cane, livestock and agro processing.

Women and farmers make up to about 50 percent of PASS clients and are the main beneficiaries of the PASS Trust loans.

This year, PASS has supported 94 agri-business enterprises and 432 farmers groups, SACCOS, cooperatives, farmers associations and women groups involved in agricultural activi-

ties .

In 2010, over 8550 farmers all over Tanzania got loans worth Tshs12bn for inputs, irrigation, tractors agro –processing and trucks.

PASS Managing Director Iddy Lujina said of the loans issued in 2010, 53 per cent went to crop and livestock production, 35 percent to farm mechanization, 9 per cent to agro processing and trading and 3 per cent to others.

The available credit guarantee fund will enable PASS to mobilize additional credits into the agricultural sector to the tune of about Tshs100bn in the next four years.

The main focus according to Lujina is to facilitate value chain financing covering all needs of agro- entrepreneurs.

“PASS has also achieved an excellent loan repayment rate of over 95 percent and the collaborating banks are

progressively getting more proficient in financing agricultural investments. As the demand for PASS services is growing fast, PASS is recognizing and equipping itself to satisfy the new challenges,” said Lujina.

The organisation’s new outreach programme has helped it to reach the coastal areas through its Dar office, the southern Highlands through the Mbeya office and recently, the lake zone through its Mwanza office. PASS plans to extend its services to Moshi and Arusha in 2012.

PASS assists its clients in preparing solid bankable investment projects and facilitating access to finance through credit guarantee schemes operated with commercial banks.

Currently PASS trust assists customers to get loans through seven banks namely CRDB, Exim bank, TIB, FBME, NMB and Bank ABC.

“In 2011 we added Kilimanjaro Cooperative Bank and plans are at hand to link up with more community banks and rural financial institutions,” Lujina said.

PASS was established in 2000 under the agricultural sector program support. It operated as a project till 2007 when it was registered as a trust.

The not for profit organization with the same mission of facilitating commercialization of subsistence farming, PASS Trust is now an independent service.

PASS trust operates as a service provider between the agricultural sector and the financial sector.

PASS clients comprise groups of small farmers , individual farmers and agro processors whose number has reached around 30,000 so far. It has also facilitated loans of approximately Tshs70bn todate.

THE Tanzania Investment Bank (TIB) has partnered with National Ranching Company (NARCO) to enable the latter to buy cattle from livestock keepers in the country.

The TIB Head of Strategic Planning and Corporate Affairs, Jaffer Machano, said in Dodoma that the move is aimed at providing ready and reliable market for cattle keepers.

“TIB will facilitate NARCO to buy more cows,” Machano said. NARCO is a state owned company established in the 1970s which is responsible for managing all ranches in the country.

The company operates a total of 15 ranches with a land holding of 623,000 hectares and stock holding capacity of 155,300 herds. Through its agriculture window, the TIB disbursed loans amounting to 22bn/- to the sector last year. Machano said, however, that the disbursed loans were just ‘a drop in the ocean’ as the bank had received applications for credits to the tune of 100bn/. “I thus call upon other financial institutions to assist TIB in advancing the agriculture sector.

There are immense opportunities in the sector which have not been utilized,” he said. TIB offers credits through the agriculture window to farmers’ Savings and Credit Co-operative Societies (Saccos), companies engaged in agriculture as well as community banks countrywide.

He said that last year, over 45 groups of farmers across the country were advanced with loans to acquire farm implements. He urged smallholder farmers to form groups in their areas to enable them to acquire credit from the bank.

“The farmers also need to change their mindsets from subsistence farming to commercial agriculture,” Machano said. The bank offers interest rates ranging from 5 to 8 per cent, lower than the market rate of about 19 per cent.

The agriculture sector is faced with a number of challenges, one which is lack of reliable markets. “After we realized this we have decided to put more emphasis on processing and transportation of farm produce,” the TIB official said.

But as the bank strives to improve the sector, a majority of farmers countrywide are yet to utilize the potential since most of them are unable to organize bankable ideas to enable them access credits.

TIB has been in operation for the last 40 years. It played an instrumental role in establishment of industries and other investments during the 1970s and 80s.

Among industries and investments that were established include the then Kilimanjaro Hotel, New Africa Hotel and General Tyre East Africa, among others.

The Guardian KILIMO KWANZA

Tuesday 9 August, 2011

ADVERTISEMENT

NANE NANE 2011

5

The United Republic of Tanzania

Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security and Co-operatives Use of Irrigation in Agriculture a Leeway towards Food Self – Sufficiency and Improved Livelihood of Tanzanians

THE GOVERNMENT ACCORDS HIGH PRIORITY to irrigation development as a reliable strategy for increasing and stabilizing food and cash crop production and productivity for curbing food shortages and increasing export of agricultural products. This is reflected in reforms that have taken place including the preparation of the MKUKUTA II which emphasizes overall increase in area served with improved irrigation infrastructure; the Agricultural Sector Development Programme (ASDP) which provides the demand-driven investment strategy for the agriculture sector and National Irrigation Master Plan (NIMP) which has identified the existing irrigation potential and further provides a framework for planning of irrigation development in Tanzania.

Out of the total arable land in Tanzania estimated at 44million hectares, 29.4 million hectares has been identified by the National Irrigation Master Plan (NIMP) of 2002 as the total potential area for irrigation development.

The irrigation development potential area is further classified into high potential with 2.3 million hectares; medium potential with 4.8 million hectares and low potential with 22.3 million hectares. The classification of irrigation development potential into high, medium and low was arrived at by superimposing three assessment maps, indicating potential for water resources, land resources and socio-economic aspects.

Irrigation offers a wide range of crop production avenues from increased yields per hectare to an overall crop intensification. For example crop production under irrigation is 2 to 3 times higher than that in rainfed farming and with irrigation two to three cropping seasons are possible in a calendar year.

The total area with developed irrigation and drainage infrastructure as of June 2011 is 345,690 hectares which is only 1.18% of the total irrigable land. This total area with developed irrigation and drainage infrastructure is composed of 290,461 hectares for smallholder farmers and 55,229 hectares for large scale commercial farmers growing commercial crops such as tea, coffee, sugar cane, flowers vegetable and rice.

The government has prioritized areas for irrigation development interventions into: • Improvement of smallholders traditional irrigation schemes and rehabilitation of dilapidated irrigation schemes; • Development of irrigation schemes based on rainwater harvesting technologies; • Development of new irrigation schemes in high potential irrigable areas; • Construction of dams for storing water for multiple uses including irrigation; • Promotion of use of ground water for irrigation • Promotion of water saving technologies/efficient water use technologies renewable energy sources, including solar and wind.

In this context, development of most irrigation projects for smallholder farmers is being implemented along this line of priorities, in addition to which the private sector is being sensitized to invest in irrigated agriculture.

The government has set development targets for expanding area with developed irrigation and drainage infrastructure by the year 2015. In the target, it is envisaged to undertake expansion and improvement of irrigation infrastructure in irrigation areas from 345,690 hectares at present to 1,000,000 hectares by 2015/16 so as to contribute towards agricultural transformation

into a modernized and commercialized agriculture with enhanced productivity.

Both the Public and the Private Sectors has important roles to play towards achieving this target as individual or through collaboration between the two sectors through Public–Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement.

a) Role of the Government The government plays a significant role in the overall development of irrigation and drainage infrastructure. In particular the government roles include: i) Undertaking investment in irrigation infrastructure for smallholder irrigation schemes: • Undertakes studies, design and infrastructure construction/ improvement (outlined above); • provide construction supervision of irrigation works; • Implementation modality – using private sector (consultants/ contractors) or force account approach in areas where contractors from the private sector are not attracted due to remoteness and other factors; ii) providing an enabling environment for private sector to participate in direct investment

equipment – sprinklers, drip systems, pumps, pipes etc; • Consultancy Services on Studies and Construction Supervision; • Contractors engagement on construction activities; • Turnkey contracts–for implementation of irrigation project works for smallholder farmers such as sprinkler and drip irrigation systems development. Under this type of works the private sector can undertake design of the system, supply and installation of the irrigation systems equipment and the construction of the pumping plant while the Government takes the supervision role. c) Roles under Public Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement The government undertakes the initial works covering: • feasibility studies, detailed design, water use permits and land title deeds; • construction of primary infrastructure like major dams, diversion intake weirs and flood control works; The private sector undertakes development of the subsequent works. Modality for cost recovery

Picture showing Weir of Uturo Irrigation Scheme with corresponding various farming operations.The scheme is in Mbarali district Mbeya region. in irrigated agriculture: • undertaking feasibility studies, planning and design work including water use permits and cadastral maps suitable for soliciting title deeds as a move to create an incentive for private sector to invest in irrigated agriculture; iii) providing an enabling environment for private sector to participate in the provision of services for expanding irrigated agriculture such services include manufacturing and supply of irrigation equipment – sprinklers, drip systems, pumps, pipes etc.

b) Role of the Private Sector Private sector has a room to participate in different entry points: as Investors in irrigated agriculture and as Service Providers: (i) Investors irrigated agriculture- The private sector can participate by investing in medium and large scale commercial irrigated agriculture. (ii) Service Provision: • Manufacturers and suppliers of irrigation

has to be agreed upon.

Agricultural shows (exhibitions) The Ministry of Agriculture Food Security and Cooperatives (MAFC) which is one of Agricultural Sector Lead Ministries (ASLMs) is participating in the Agricultural exhibitions popularly known as Nane Nane organized by the Tanzania Agricultural Society (TASO) at national and zonal levels. The Ministry is again actively participating in this year’s exhibition being held at national level at Nzuguni grounds in Dodoma, where it is demonstrating various services and technologies delivered by the Ministry.

The Division of Irrigation and Technical Services (DITS) which is one of the Ministry’s Departments is demonstrating various services and technologies pertaining to irrigated agriculture. Apart from participation in the Nane Nane exhibition at National Level in Dodoma, the demonstration of such technologies is concurrently been done at Zonal levels in

Northern Zone at Themi grounds in Arusha; Southern Highlands Zone at John Mwakangale grounds in Mbeya and Eastern Zone at Mwalimu Nyerere grounds in Morogoro. In the Zonal exhibitions, the Division of DITS is represented by the Zonal Irrigation Offices in Kilimanjaro, Mbeya and Morogoro respectively.

Specifically the exhibition entails issues relating to: • Sensitizing the public in conservation of water sources and proper utilization of water for agricultural production; • Awareness creation on the Irrigation Sector Policy as outlined in the National Irrigation Policy (NIP - 2010); • Irrigation technologies - layout of irrigation systems models displaying various best irrigation methods and practices which are efficient in water use for agricultural production are been demonstrated. This provides a ground for farmers to learn and adopt the best practices to improve their knowledge and skills in irrigation practices for enhancing crop production and productivity; • The models also portrays different water sources that can be exploited for irrigation: - Rivers – for run-of river irrigation systems - Dams/reservoirs – water harvesting/storage and its use for irrigation; - Ground water exploitation and its use for irrigation.

• Rain Water Harvesting (RWH) technologies including roof tops rain water harvesting; • Application of different non-conventional sources of energy e.g. Solar, wind power for lifting/pumping water for irrigation use; • Best practices in on-farm irrigation water management; • Best agronomical practices are outlined for farmers to learn (they serve as farmer field schools); • Maintenance of irrigation infrastructure for sustainability of the schemes; • Procedures for participatory formulation and implementation of smallholders’ irrigation projects development. How to access funds for improvement of the irrigation schemes through the District Agricultural Development Plans (DADPs) and additional funding from the District Irrigation Development Fund (DIDF) implemented under the Agricultural Sector Development Programme (ASDP); and • Procedures for formation and registration of Irrigators’ Organizations (IOs) for sustainable operation and maintenance of the smallholder irrigation schemes etc.

All these demonstrations are aimed at creating public awareness especially on the farmers (smallholder, medium and large scale commercial farmers) on ensuring conservation of water resources and sustainable availability of irrigation water and its efficient use for enhanced crop production, productivity and profitability that will contribute to food security and poverty reduction as well as to overall economic growth.

A vivid lesson from Dodoma exhibition is that, despite of the common notion that Dodoma is an arid, it is clearly demonstrated at the Irrigation model that with irrigation and abiding to the agronomical packages a wide range of crops could be grown in Dodoma. All categories of farmers (smallholder, medium and large scale) are therefore invited to invest and engage in commercial farming of various crops exploiting the existing ground water potential in the Internal Drainage Basin. The smallholder farmers could increase their capacity to access funds by associating into cooperative groups.

xxxxxx

The Guardian KILIMO KWANZA

The Guardian KILIMO KWANZA

6

Tuesday 9 August, 2011

FOOD SECURITY

NANE NANE 2011

Drip irrigation: A solution for unreliable weather conditions

oor harvests caused by unreliable rains will soon be history thanks to Jain’s drip irrigation system to be introduced to farmers in the country. Jain Irrigation Systems Ltd which recently entered the country’s agriculture sector plans to offer training to agriculture experts on micro irrigation systems which enables farmers to cultivate and irrigate more land using less water. The experts will then impart the knowledge to farmers so they may be able to use less water for more production.

Drip irrigation, also known as trickle irrigation or micro irrigation, is an irrigation method which saves water and fertilizer by allowing water to drip slowly to the roots of plants, either onto the soil surface or directly onto the root zone, through a network of valves, pipes, tubing, and emitters. It is done with the help of narrow tubes which delivers water directly to the base of the plant.

The Local Representative of the company headquartered in India, Rupa Suchak said at the just ended Nane Nane agriculture fair in Dodoma

that drip irrigation could armor Tanzania farmers from the effects of climate change and empower them to become self sustainable.

“We will work closely with the Tanzania government for the development of President Kikwete’s great initiative on Kilimo Kwanza by providing a solution on water management. We will also introduce adapted technology…transfer knowledge to Tanzania experts by training trainers,” said Suchak.

According to Suchak, Jain has been working with small and marginalised farmers in India and helping them to bring more land under cultivation with less water using Micro Irrigation System.

Suchak said Tanzania being blessed with natural resources such as water, favourable agro climatic conditions, arable land and human resources, this potential needs to be exploited effectively for the sector to become a source for the development of the nation.

Jain advocates for a big revolution for Tanzania farmers and farming communities which the company believes can be the answer to alleviate hunger and poverty through sustained employment by developing agriculture

and agricultural industries.

It is through irrigation and adaptation to mechanization that we can transform agriculture and be the breadbasket as president Kikwete stated in the world economic forum in 2009.

Given the unreliable weather conditions caused by climate change, drip irrigation is the best way to implement Kilimo Kwanza effectively. This is a technology developed for farmers by a company that knows and understands the farmer and his needs for four decades.

“We will bring a modern irrigation technology that suits all types of soil and agro climatic conditions. Be it cotton, cassava, coffee, potatoes, tomatoes, vegetables, flowers, whatever may be your crop, we have a suitable micro irrigation system with agronomical and extension support to enable you get better crop returns,” said Suchak, adding; “Our mission is to bring in a green revolution in Tanzania through the implementation of the pillars of Kilimo Kwanza. “ Jain also undertakes infrastructural development in agriculture and provides total solutions for water, soil and crop management and sight into farm cultivation and operations. xxxxxx

P

By Angel Navuri

President Kikwete gets a briefing on drip irrigation from a Jain official when he visited the company's pavilion at Nzuguni in Dodoma last week.

“We take such jobs on turnkey basis which involves executing , operating and managing the projects , in other words , we offer everything from concept to commissioning.

We are engaged in cooperate farming, and also sponsor contract farming for fruits and vegetables which are in turn used as raw materials in processing and other value addition.”

Jain also cultivates about 2000 acres of land which includes research and development, growing tissue culture banana plants for mother nursery, production of onions and agro forestry among others.

Jain is a diversified entity that has a global presence with 25 manufacturing plants in six continents and supplies its products and services in over 160 countries.

Jain irrigation is also the pioneer company in water creating, sourcing, storage structures, water distribution and water conservation devices like micro irrigation systems.

“With our enviable track record as a total solution provider for various piping systems for water, sewerage, draining, drip sprinkler, etc , we are confident to be Tanzanians development technology partners,” said Suchak.

Farmers’ training results to better rice yields In the 2010/2011 financial year, the Agricultural Seed Agency (ASA) and Rural Livelihood Development Company (RLDC) signed a contract worth Tshs85,563,525 with the aim of improving rice production in the central corridor of Tanzania and Manyara region.

A recent survey revealed that the rice quality was no longer fetching market like before because of several factors.

Unavailability of improved seeds to farmers caused farmers to recycle seeds and sometimes to collect different varieties from neighbouring farmers and plant in the same plots. This led to physical mixture in the fields. Since rice crop is self pollinated they crossed in the field and finally in one plot four to five varieties were identified.

The market normally demands a pure variety and therefore such a situation affects farmers to fetch market with premium price. The Magugu rice lost its originality and therefore customers like the Arusha supermarkets and Comoro market were lost.

Untimely crop harvest and improper post harvest crop management also contributed to poor quality of harvested rice. Rice breakage was very high between 12% and 23% as opposed to the recommended market recommended of only 8%.

Poor crop husbandry such as poor weed management, limited use of organic fertilizers and agrochemical for proper control of pests and diseases were highly contributing to crop low yield levels of 15 to 25 bags per ha.

To arrest the situation ASA in collaboration with RLDC introduced new rice improved varieties namely, TXD 88, TXD 306, Kalalu, Mwangaza and Supa.

Farmers were trained on rice agronomical practices such as proper spacing, weeding, fertilizer application, water management and post harvest management at the Mkindo Farmers Training Centre and Cholima agro-scientific Research respectively. Farmers were also exposed to scheme management technologies in order to improve their schemes management skills.

Demonstration plots were conducted in 26 irrigation schemes and Farmers Field Days were used to evaluate rice varieties and select good varieties for them to grow.

Through this approach adopted farmers are getting good yields of 35 to 42 bags per acre and the crop is of the best market quality.

The Guardian KILIMO KWANZA

Tuesday 9 August, 2011

HEALTH

NANE NANE 2011

I

By Kilimo Kwanza Reporter

n a country that is dependent on agriculture, healthy farmers translate into a healthier nation. HIV prevalence rates in Tanzania remain unequally high amongst farming communities that form an estimated 85% of the populace. This is adversely affecting agricultural production and creating a massive strain on already meagre health and financial resources.

Meanwhile the short periods of agricultural boom are often marked with population booms that fail to match the actual economic gains of the farmers and general economic growth trends. The current situation is fermenting a crisis that calls for urgent attention.

In cognisance of the crucial role that farmers play in the country’s economy, T-MARC Tanzania, a local NGO reached out to farmers and other people who attended this year’s Nane Nane farmers’ day celebrations with targeted social marketing initiatives in HIV/Aids, Family Planning and Reproductive Health (FP/RH) and child survival.

The organisation offered targeted peer education sessions dubbed ‘Jali Maisha’ (value life) sessions that give free counselling on HIV/Aids prevention and family planning information at the Nane Nane exhibitions in Dodoma, Mbeya, Arusha and Mwanza.

“We are not working at our pavillion alone. We have taken a further step to give free HIV/Aids prevention and family planning training to the staff of bars and restaurants located in the exhibition grounds and within a ten kilometre radius of the Nane nane

Healthy farmers, healthy nation

7

grounds in all the regions that the fair is happening,” T-MARCs Marketing Manager for Family Planning, Sophia Komba said.

She added that along with brand detailing and product use demonstrations on correct and consistent use of T-MARC’s family planning products Flexi P, and HIV prevention products Dume male condoms and Lady Pepeta female condoms; the Jali Maisha sessions will also measure the impact of the interventions and message take out with a view of improving future interventions.

The family planning interventions that were undertaken by qualified clinicians also aimed to address usage barriers to family planning pills.

The intervention reached over 200 people every day visiting Nane Nane in each of the regions, through detailed product demonstrations, the distribution of free Dume and Lady Pepeta products, constructive group discussions on myths and misconceptions on condom use, participatory games and quizzes.

The Nane Nane festival is a national annual farmer’s day that brings together farmers, traders and the general public. It is coordinated by the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development in collaboration with the Small Industries Development Corporation. T-MARC is currently implementing the Tanzania Social Marketing Program (TSMP) in partnership with Population Services International (PSI) with funding from United States Agency for International development (USAID).

TSMP is a five year project which aims to improve the health status of Tanzanian families.

KENYA: Hunger amid plenty Harvests are going to waste in parts of Rift Valley province - Kenya's grain basket - as farmers lack markets for their produce, even though severe drought ravages the country's northern regions.

Up to 3.7 million Kenyans need lifesaving assistance, out of the 12.4 million drought-affected in the Horn of Africa, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). In southern Rift Valley, farmers are struggling to offload surplus vegetable harvests while maize farmers in other parts of the province are having difficulty accessing markets for their new harvests.

"Sometimes I have been forced to feed cabbages to my cows; it is painful to watch as produce goes to waste," John Kariuki, a farmer in Njoro's Deffo area in the Rift Valley, told IRIN. Kariuki estimates that he spent KSh8,000 (USD92) on cultivation and input costs for his 0.8ha but is now faced with the prospect of losses. "I

don't care how much someone will pay for this cabbage, all I want is some income from it," he said.

The sight of farmers ferrying their produce on bicycles and pick-up trucks is common along the Njoro-Nakuru road. But travellers and brokers are buying what they can at very low prices.

One cabbage is selling at KSh4-5 (0.05-0.06 cents) from KSh50-70 (0.600.80 cents) a few months ago.

The situation is replicated elsewhere, with the areas of Bomet, Kericho, Nakuru, Nandi, Narok and Uasin Gishu recording normal to surplus food harvests while the Kajiado, Laikipia, Pokot, Samburu and Turkana regions have thousands of people dependent on food aid.

High malnutrition rates, up to 37.4 percent, have been recorded in parts of Turkana, also in the Rift Valley.

Preservation problems Part of the problem is the lack of

food preservation facilities to ensure such surplus fresh produce does not go to waste.

"A policy on food preservation was needed in Kenya yesterday; it is unfortunate that it may take time to get it and get it implemented," said Leah Nakhone, a former director at the Crop Management Research Training Project and a soil scientist at Egerton University, Njoro.

Potatoes could be preserved as chips, packed, refrigerated, then sold or distributed, while vegetables could be dried and distributed to the hungry, said Nakhone.

"If the government provided such preservation facilities to farmers, they would not have to watch their produce rot," she added, noting that this would ensure that food prices did not vary much between dry and wet seasons.

At present, a 110kg bag of potatoes is selling for between KSh700 (USD8) and KSh1,000 (USD11.50), against KSh5,000 (USD57.50) in February and

March in Njoro. Only farmers near the main highways are able to sell their produce even at these low prices, with those farther inland resigned to watching their harvests go to waste.

"I have seen other farmers watch their produce rot in the farms for lack of a market," said Lucy Biwott, a Njoro farmer, who harvested 16 bags of Irish potatoes from the family's 1.2ha field. "I wonder where the hungry people are, how I wish I would transport to them some of these potatoes."

A fund-raising campaign, “Kenyans4Kenya”, aims to raise KSh500 million (USD5.4 million) in four weeks and has, so far, raised some USD2m since its 27 July launch.

In Mau Narok region, farmer Billy Muriungi is luckier with his bean harvest, which he intends to dry and store until leaner times when prices increase.

"I am now tilling the land to plant for another season; I hope the rains will continue and give me another good har-

vest," said Muriungi.

Transport challenge "How can you transport cabbage to northern Kenya from Nakuru?" asked Special Programmes Minister, Esther Murugi. Poor road infrastructure and insecurity in the remote north exacerbate the access problem.

"We are looking for funds from donors to buy produce like potatoes and cabbages [to] distribute to closer areas such as Mwingi and Kitui [in eastern Kenya], where people are also starving," she said.

"If farmers are able to transport potatoes from Nakuru to Mombasa, then the government can too."

She said produce prices and transport expenses would need to be considered before such a programme is undertaken, adding that so far, the government had only allocated funds to purchase rice, maize, beans and cooking oil for the hungry.

IRIN

The Guardian KILIMO KWANZA

8

T

Tuesday 9 August, 2011

MECHANISATION

NANE NANE 2011

When mechanized farming displaces farmers

By Sunday Moshi

anzania has been lauded for good policies. This year, the country’s Property and Business Formalization programme (MKURABITA) won the first award in the United Nations Public Award 2011. Over 5000 residential licences have already been issued.

MKURABITA, the Swahili acronym for Property and Business Formalization programme is a policy endeavoring to uplift the most downtrodden population by giving identity to these people’s property and businesses. Land is surveyed and title deeds issued, while businesses are registered and issued with trading licences. The programme gives the stakeholders access to credit through banks and other credit facilitators like the Small Industries Development Organization (SIDO), FINCA and others.

Recently, some farmers in Mali had their land dispossessed by Libya in what analysts call a new global land rush. The villagers in Mali who had been owners of the fields handed down to them through generations were no longer owners for their government had leased it to Libya as a foreign investor. In this manner 2,229 Mali villagers were dispossessed and displaced. Can’t this happen elsewhere?

Let’s live to see if it won’t.

The United Nations and the World Bank had looked into this exercise as an adequate way to produce food for the growing global population; however, activists, condemn the practice as neocolonialism, that destroys villages, uprooting tens of thousands of farmers, thus creating a population of poor landless citizens who could cause instability in the nation.

Moreover, according to these activists, the food produced is bound for the wealthier nations. And this has sense in it, since the foreign investors will be producing that food targeting good profit which poor landless villagers will not be able to offer. Nevertheless, to be fair, Mali citizens cannot be a liability to Libya which had already paid for the land. It’s not only Mali that has had its citizens displaced by foreign investors. Countries like Ethiopia, Uganda, The Democratic Republic of Congo, Liberia and Zambia have had this influx of foreign investors.

I do not accuse the government of leasing the land for it had not done so yet. MKURABITA aims at formalizing property and business to give the poor property and business owners access to capital. Its one thing to get access to a loan and another to get a loan. A neighbor who applied for a loan in May has not up to the writing of this article been certain that he would get the loan because his property has not even been inspected. What he intended to do with the loan in June cannot be done with same results four or more months later. Moreover repayment of such loans begins as early as a week after the signing of the contract, when all the debtor can do is return a portion of the loan as first repayment, since the loan had generat-

ed no income at such a short time.

Since 80 per cent of the country’s population is employed in the agricultural sector, most of the people who have brought honour to this country through MKURABITA would undoubtedly produce Title deeds to their surveyed land as security for their loans.

The security is not the only requirement for a loan applicant to get a loan. Many institutions who give loans require two sureties or guarantors for every loan applied for. Some of these guarantors cannot accept the responsibility, even if they are sure the debtor has more assets than the loan applied for, without being paid.

Moreover, loans are repaid with interest. In addition to these factors, receiving a loan and repaying of it are also two different things. A person who had not been used to handling a big amount of cash can spend his loan as though drawing from a bottomless pit, only to realize that he had spent the last coin without being able to re-

pay the loan and the business had collapsed. As the conditions of the loan stand, failure to repay it would result to losing the property held for security. In fact this is why loan granters would accept only original copies of title deeds. Once a debtor fails to pay back, he is dispossessed. In case of a piece of land disowned, it has to be sold to pay for the debt. In this way the land changes ownership leaving the original hand to mouth farmer with nothing as the land goes to a wealthier farmer who might be a foreigner represented by a Tanzanian.

The struggle for survival has driven people to desperation. A person would accept money to buy land for a foreigner who might be silent for a long time. After all, he might turn up as a partner to the Tanzanian, although in reality the Tanzanian might be a gardener who eats at the white man’s table. In fact he might not eat long. To avoid being blackmailed, the foreigner could hire someone else and terminate the gardener. Premeditated murder can be transformed to suicide

or natural death by applying sciences or money. Nevertheless, the practice of disowning farmers who had been MKURABITA’s beneficiaries can be a prediction of farmers’ dispossession and displacement, but what shall we say about Loliondo? Otterlo Business Corporation acquired land after the original herdsmen were harshly driven away by the Field Force Unit (FFU). The government claimed that the area was not occupied by people, even though the then MP for Ngorongoro Kaika Telele (CCM) said it had been occupied by herdsmen before and after independence.

We don’t have to be biased but we may just think about it, meditating on the following like this:- we know herdsmen are always after pasture for their animals. To say the area now being occupied by the OBC was unoccupied while Ololosokwani, Loitisambu and the other five villages which are in this same game reserve have people living in, cannot sound true to honesty ears. There certainly lived people who

had to be displaced to give room to this foreign investor. The MP who has been living in the area and among the people displaced knows better than any government spokesperson, who in this case was the minister for information and tourism Ms Shamsa Mwangunga.

The herdsmen’s fate aside, what about Mtwara cashew nut farmers? It is said that the government had not paid them for the past year’s crop as they deserved. Poverty has dominated their livelihood because they had been underpaid in the sales of their crop for many years. A worker who swindles might think the farmer did not need the cash he’d swindled. He might think the farmer had made a huge profit by receiving his cash, minus what he’s swindled, while in reality the farmer had lost so much that he’s willing to quit farming. The farmers’ complaints depict dissatisfaction.

Cases of this nature which the government might dismiss as mere allegations could be avoided if the farmers are given the opportunity to sell

the crop themselves. The farmers’ vulnerability to poverty proves the crop is being sold at a lower price than the cost of producing it. If this be so, since demand of the crop was there there was no proper market arrangements prior to the crop harvest. Whatever the cause was, since the farmers had been dwelling in poverty notwithstanding the effort they’d been investing in their farms, someday they’ll give up farming. If this happens the land will remain undeveloped and an investor will turn up to take over the abandoned farms collectively to implement the policy of Kilimo Kwanza, which allows idle land to be developed by large scale farmers.

Let us now turn to farmers who during harvest and selling of their crops are monitored, while nobody cares what they do as they pick up their hoes to get into their farms.

Although some of us believe the rulers stand aloof as farmers suffer the perils imposed by the secular authority, chairman for the Council of the East African ministers, Dr Diodorus Kamala said during the closing of the 17th farmers’ exhibitions at the Themi grounds in Arusha in 2010; "If we don’t send policemen to the farmer as he works in the farm, why do we send some with guns at the time of harvest?” Farmers could not sell their produce in the East African countries which he wanted them to do, while the government does not want such to happen.

In this ruler’s words lie the truth about the stance of the government regarding the farmer.

He is expected to work independently in the farm, ploughing, sowing, and weeding till the crop ripens. From there he has to conform to the working standards of some kind solicited by the government. “ No grain shall be sold outside the country” and the response always to be “yes my Lord, I obey.”

The farmer’s struggle for survival is taken for granted. He is a hand to mouth farmer contributing very little to the country’s GDP. Such farmer could be replaced by a large scale producer who’ll contribute more through mechanized agriculture. This is where the Land Act enters to help dispossess and displace the small indigenous farmer to give room to mechanized farming. This practice would certainly fill our national granary with grain but where will the 80% poor of the nation’s population be? Who’ll feed them? What has happened in Mali, Libya, Uganda and even Mozambique can also happen here. It doesn’t matter how it happens. It can happen like that of Mali or under the guise of some kind of policy, but happening it will.

Wrestling of the farmer with dispossession and displacement is real.

We can countermand it if we instruct the small scale farmers to be united in groups and give them loans to enable them engage in big scale collective farming, under supervision of well trained personnel, which will oversee, inspire, inspect and even audit their projects. Sticking to “let him who can afford mechanized farming have the land he wants”, will certainly dispossess and displace our 80 per cent population of the poor and create instability in our midst.

KILIMO KWANZA DIRECTORY

FINANCE Tanzania Investment Bank Ltd (TIB) Tel: +255 22 2411101-9 Private Agricultural Sector Support (PASS) Tel: 023-3752/3758/3765 Bank of Tanzania P.O. Box 2939, Dar es Slaam,Tanzania WATER AND SANITATION

Dar es Salaam Water and Sewerage Authority (DAWASA) – Tel: +255 22 276 0006

Dar es Salaam Water and Sewarage Corporation (DAWASCO) Tel: +255 22-2131191/4 Drilling and Dam Construction Agency (DDCA) Tel: +255 22 2410430/2410299 Energy and Water Utilities Regulatory Authority Tel: +255 22 2123850, 22 2123853 Water and Environmental Sanitation Projects Maintenance Organization (WEPMO) Tel: +255 22 2410738, 716 099959 Ministry of Water Tel: +255 22 245 1448

INDUSTRY SUPPORT AND ASSOCIATIONS

Small Industries Development Organization (SIDO) – Email: dg@sido.go.tz, info@sido.go.tz ANSAF - P.O. Box 6370, Dar es Salaam CNFA - info@cnfatanzania.org

Tractors Limited Cells: +255 784 421606, 786 150213

Consolidated Holdings Corporation (CHC) Tel: 255 (022) 2117988/9 Vocational Education and Training Authority (VETA) – Tel: +255 22 2863683/2863409 Export Processing Zones in Tanzania (EPZ) Tel: +255 22 2451827-9 Agricultural Economics Society of Tanzania (AGREST) – Tel. +255-23 260 3415

Tanzania National Business Council (TNBC) Tel: +255 22 2122984-6 Tanzania Agriculture Partnership (TAP) Tel: +255 22 2124851

Tanzania Milk Processors Association (TAMPA) Tel: +255 222 450 426

Rural Livelihood Development Company (RLDC) Tel: +255 26 2321455 Tanzania Cotton Board Tel: +255 22 2122564, 2128347

Horticultural Development Council of Tanzania (HODECT) Cell: +255 789 222 344; Fax: +255 27254 4568 TATEECO Ltd – Tel: +255 784 427817 AGRO-PROCESSING ERTH Food - Tel: +255 22 2862040 MUKPAR Tanzania Ltd Tel: +255 28 250038/184

ASAS Diaries Limited - Tel: +255 26 2725200 Tanga Fresh – Tel +255 27 2644238 NatureRipe Kilimanjaro Limited Tel: +255 22 21 51457 EQUIPMENT Achelis Tanganyika Ltd +255 22 2700 760 or +255 784 300 084

National Service Corporation Sole (SUMAJKT) Cell: +255 717 993 874, 715 787 887 AGRO-INPUTS Minjingu Mines & Fertilizers Ltd Tel: +255 27 253 9259 250 4679