0005 JULY - OCT 2017
ISSN 2591-6858
THE RESTRUCTURING OF EAST WEST SEED
ERASTO NGOLE’S BEGINNING OF AN AMAZING JOURNEY
TAHA'S POLICY & ADVOCACY BRIEF SUMMARY OF KEY POLICY & ADVOCACY ACHIEVEMENTS
OUR PARTNERS
Want to know more? Contact us today! Arusha : Bagamoyo : Lushoto : Mwanza : Morogoro :
Abel Kuley Salmon Mugangala Anania Josia George Upina Naiman Mollel
T +255 677 000 405 T +255 764 818 100 T +255 757 343 377 T +255 762 682 824 T +255 677 000 402
M ES S A G E F R O M TAHA CEO & CHAIRPERSON TFHL
K
aribuni sana to yet another very informative
African
fifth (5th) issue of the HiT magazine.
including the South Korea. The event offered a
This magazine features impactful stories
platform to deliberate on key industry agenda and
that will touch the very core of every
defined strategic action points for further industry
reader, and also provides just the right dose of
development. Our very own Minister for Agriculture,
information to make both horticulturalists and non-
Dr. Charles Tizeba graced the conference as the
horticulturalists aware of the trends and changes in
Guest of Honor accompanied by Hon Regional
the industry.
Commissioners from Mbeya, Kilimanjaro, Morogoro
Countries,
and
international
partners
and Njombe. The Secretariat humbly received a trophy as overall winners for technology exhibition (PSOs category)
Generally therefore, there are great strides realized
during the Nanenane fair, 2017, Northern Zone
in the industry so far despite some pending issues
and our logistic arm TAHAFresh Handling Ltd also
to be addressed. As you read on in this issue, I
received an award by KLM for being the major
believe you will be captivated by the stories as I am,
contributor of the airline. This on the one hand gave
and you will get tidbits on changes in the industry,
us joy that the TAHA Group is doing a commendable
and above all, get information about some of our
job with and for its members, and on the other,
members, what they have to offer you, and how to
humbled and inspired us to offer more services to
contact them.
the industry. I wish you a very interesting time reading this article. TAHA, in collaboration with the International
Please have it as your handbook, share with others,
Trade Center, the Government, and the Korea-
and let us hear back from you on how we can better
Africa Agriculture Cooperation Initiative (KAFACI),
serve the horticulture industry, and especially our
hosted the International Horticulture Stakeholders’
members.
Conference in Arusha on 9 – 10 October 2017. The conference brought together the industry
Ahsante sana.
stakeholders (public-private) from Tanzania, other
Ms. Jacqueline Mkindi | CEO - TAHA GROUP
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EDITORIAL TEAM MAGAZINE EXECUTIVES Jacqueline Mkindi Anthony P. Chamanga
F ro m t h e Edit o r
Amani Temu MANAGING EDITOR Sandra Kabongoyi CONTRIBUTORS Sandra Kabongoyi Maureen Mecozzi Marc Schut Alice Mushi Zuhira Khaldun Evelyn Elliseus Rutazaha David Minja Adda Ngoya
SALES & MARKETING Evelyn Elliseus Rutazaha
T
here is strength in partnerships and most DISTRIBUTION of the phenomenal TAHA Operations Department work being done by TAHA is from collaborations PUBLISHER with numerous supportive Tanzania Horticultural Association (TAHA) partners both within and out Kanisa Road, House no. 49 of Tanzania. P.O. Box 16520 Arusha, Tanzania tel/fax: +255 272544568 email: info@taha.or.tz www.taha.or.tz
We value all partnerships with each and every stakeholder at TAHA and in this issue we
are sharing stories from some of you and what you have been up to. East West Seed has restructured its business module, the Milele foundation is working on numerous projects to advance Zanzibar’s economy, EFTA and Africado have an exciting collaboration; there are more stories on the NMB foundation and AIM project; World Vegetable Center’s International Vegetable Training Course and TRIAS’ efforts in improving the horticulture value chain in Tanzania. Read up on these and more inside. We would like to thank you for your support, inspiration and influence and for becoming part of our journey towards being a transformative leader for horticulture in the country.
Welcome to the partnership issue!
GRAPHICS, DESIGN & PRINT Perfect Printers Ltd.
Sandra Kabongoyi | Managing Editor sandra@taha.or.tz
sales@perfectprinters.co.tz
P. 12
P. 20
P. 32
Con te n ts
P. 8
MILELE ZANZIBAR FOUNDATION Increasing Household Income
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FROM EMPLOYEE TO EMPLOYER The Success Story Of Suleyman Rashid
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THE EFTA AFRICADO PARTNERSHIP
TRIAS Improving Horticultural Value Chain in Tanzania TAHA PICTORIAL
P. 24 NMB FOUNDATION For Agricultural Development WORLD VEGETABLE CENTER'S
P. 27
13 17 20 22
36th international vegetable training Course
24
ERASTO NGOLE'S The begining of an Amazing Journey
27
EAST WEST SEED The Restructuring INNOVATION PLATFORMS
30
Their Sustainability and Success
33
TAHA'S POLICY & ADVOCACY BRIEF Summary of Key Policy & Advocacy Achievements
37
P. 33
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MILELE ZANZIBAR FOUNDATION: INCREASING HOUSEHOLD INCOME
T
ranslated from Kiswahili to mean, “Forever Zanzibar Foundation”, Milele Zanzibar Foundation began in 2014 as a small initiative by a group of concerned individuals from Zanzibar and around the world to improve the quality of life for the people of Zanzibar. Addressing some of the most persistent development gaps on the archipelago and targeting the most remote and underserved areas of Zanzibar, the foundation has made great strides towards incremental changes for the Zanzibari people. With a focus on education, health, and livelihoods in line with five of the global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs),
Milele Zanzibar Foundation is working closely with a diverse network of partners from the government of Zanzibar, local nonprofits, and international NGOs, to deliver large-scale infrastructure, capacity building projects, and developmental programmes to different constituents in Zanzibar. Their work over the course of three short years has impacted the lives of over 200,000 Zanzibaris and included construction of clinics, school renovations, water pipeline and irrigation projects, farmer subsidies, publication of school books, women and youth empowerment projects, green jobs training, teacher training and development, and financing for micro businesses. Zanzibar being a predominantly young and dependent population, as with many other developing countries; the government is the number one employer, the private sector is direly under-developed and the rural population is primarily engaged in small scale, artisanal farming, fishing and livestock rearing to achieve basic survival. As a result, 30.4% of Zanzibaris,
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especially youth and women, live below the poverty line. The Milele Zanzibar Foundation’s livelihood interventions seeks to empower primarily youth and women in rural areas through income generating activities, building technical skills to encourage a spirit of self-sufficiency, sustainability and resilience. In 2015-2016, the Livelihood Sector implemented several projects that helped to increase income and potentially improve overall livelihood of over 10,000 primary and secondary beneficiaries. Having partnered with various organisations to achieve their set out vision, below is a snapshot highlighting the foundation’s projects and their targeted beneficiaries.
Women Empowerment Zanzibar (WEZA II) in partnership with Tanzania Media Women’s Association (TAMWA) has targeted beneficiaries of 7,000 women and 350 Village Savings and Loans Associations (VSLAs) Brief: This project aims to reduce poverty and improve social justice in Zanzibar by supporting 7,000 rural, poor women from 8 districts in Unguja and Pemba to increase income and reduce social, cultural and political barriers to empowerment. Zanzibar Solar Impact Initiative in partnership with Barefoot College aims to benefit 450 Households and 2,700 people in 4 villages. Brief: This project seeks to improve the quality of life of people living in rural, marginalized communities by facilitating access to clean, healthy solar energy and increased income and livelihood capacities of Solar Mamas. Zanzibar Seaweed Cluster Support and Cooperative Development in partnership with Zanzibar Seaweed Cluster Initiative will have beneficiaries of 500 women, 300 Men and 16 Shehias. Brief: This project’s objective is to promote and increase productivity and national income of seaweed sector by specifically increasing coordination, access to knowledge and information and capacity of seaweed farmers, especially women. Fursa Kijani/Youth Employment in Green Jobs in Zanzibar in partnership with Practical Permaculture Institute of Zanzibar (PPIZ), Fumba Town Service Center (FTSC) and Volunteer Services Overseas (VSO). The youth entrepreneurship project targets beneficiaries of 60 out-of-school
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youth from all 11 districts of Unguja and Pemba. Brief: This project aims to increase interest, entrepreneurship and employment of youth in agriculture while simultaneously promoting environmentally sustainability through safe and locally relevant organic farming, building and sustainable livelihood techniques. MZF/ZTBI Revolving Fund in partnership with Zanzibar Technology and Business Incubation (ZTBI) has 530 (454F/76M) beneficiaries and 40 groups. This project seeks to increase the number of successful youth entrepreneurs by providing them with easy access to start-up capital through the revolving fund. Capacity Building of Horticultural Farmers in partnership with Tanzania Horticultural Association (TAHA) has 614 (143F/471M) beneficiaries and 20 farm sites for solar pumps. Brief: This project seeks to increase productivity of the local horticultural sector and increase income of horticultural farmers by providing 50% subsidies on inputs and the installation of solar pumps for TAHA farmers. In partnership with the Tanzanian Horticulture Association (TAHA), Milele Zanzibar Foundation is providing trained farmers with necessary inputs such as water supply, drip irrigation systems, seeds, fertilizers, and
basic farming tools to increase the yield and quality of produce and build farmers confidence in horticulture. Increased food production, income, and savings from this year’s support; so far, farmers have managed to save about TSH 225,096,475 with 50% discount provided by MZF on costs of production for the purchase of tools, fertilizers and pesticides. The country has also seen a reduction on the importation of horticultural products from mainland Tanzania from 80% in 2010 to 20% in 2016, earning the country US$39 million (RGoZ). “Accelerating Progress: It Begins With You”. This is the theme that The Milele Zanzibar Foundation is built on and is the driving force behind with its promotion of the infinite capacity and potential
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that they believe the people of Zanzibar have towards being resilient change makers. It speaks of their focus on engagement at the grassroots or individual level to produce sustainable solutions initiated by the community and complemented and supported by the foundation’s provision of the infrastructure, training, and resources needed to sustain it. To truly promote this theme, the foundation has ensured their projects are undergirded by principles of volunteerism and civic engagement, personal leadership and development and innovation. Whether it is health workers volunteering to work in rural health development or youth entrepreneurs innovating new business solutions, these principles are the fuel that drive growth, progress and change.
FROM EMPLOYEE TO EMPLOYER THE SUCCESS STORY OF SULEYMAN RASHID
(Left – Right) Suleyman at his farm in Zanzibar. Suleyman seen receiving training from TAHA's Agronomist, Khalifan Nassor.
M
r. Suleyman Haji, a 28-year-old youth from Bambi Matora village in Unguja region of Zanzibar started farming late in 2014. Before commercial horticultural farming, Suleyman worked as a casual laborer on his brother’s farm where he was earning TZS 150,000 per month. His brother, a member of TAHA had been receiving trainings and technical assistance from the resident Zanzibar agronomist Mr. Khalfan Nassoro on growing tomatoes and sweet peppers in both greenhouse and open field. Suleyman decided to use the opportunity availed to him at his job to learn about the Good Agricultural Practices he saw being applied on the farm. Citing his brother as his role model, Suleyman decided that after a
year of employment and being a first hand witness to the success garnered by the brother from horticulture, he was ready to start his very own business. Suleyman took it upon himself and sought advice from Mr. Khalifan. “I am so impressed and inspired with the success of my brother through horticulture, is it possible to be a TAHA member myself and achieve success like him?” he asked in awe. Mr. Khalifan encouraged his ambitions and in November 2015, Suleyman left his job at his brother’s farm and registered to be a TAHA Member. He started small, on a land designation of quarter an acre, which he purchased at TZS 1,000,000/- from savings of his payments at his prior job on the farm. On the acquired
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land, he planted tomato (Shujaa Variety) from which he harvested a total of 3,300 Kgs, that he sold at TZS 1,418 per kilo, earning him approximately TZS 4,680,000/= gross income. Drawing from the accumulated experience in horticulture, plus the guidance from TAHA’s agronomist, Suleyman incurred very minimal costs of production which increased his take home profit margin to 3,680,000/=. He was happy and thrilled with the outcome.
After his first phase of harvesting, Suleyman planted Sweet pepper (LYS Seeds Variety), and expanded his farmland to half of an acre. He also made an investment of TZS 4,000,000 to improve his farm by buying a new water pump and engaging 4 casual laborers (3 females and 1 male) for assistance. “I came from being an employee to an employer within a very short period of time.” Suleyman says while beaming with pride. The new employees were to help out with the overall running of the farm but more specifically with the issue of irrigation by furrow system. The sweet pepper breed planted was with the use of new technologies using hybrid seeds, raised beds, correct spacing, correct use of fertilizer, pests and diseases control strategies and pruning.
T o m a t o h a r v e s t f r o m S u l e y m a n ’ s fa r m
With such best practices put to use, Suleyman harvested a total of 17,122 Kgs from weekly harvests that lasted up to five months and sold the produce at varying prices ranging from TZS 600 to 1,500 due to unpredictable price fluctuations. He was able to earn an overall gross income of TZS 16,230,000/= which was a big success, more than he had expected. Suleyman, whose quality of life has had a turn around since he started farming, has been able to buy himself a motorcycle to assist him with transportation to and from markets, and to visit clients. It’s a dream come true of success, hard work and ambition for the youth. He believes that TAHA has been a big part of his success right from the different proper technologies he was able to apply and the useful technical information he received at the very beginning of his farming practice. He has been able to expand his farmland to an acre and also increased the variety of crops he is growing to include watermelons. Suleyman has become an exemplary farmer to others due to his work ethics, discipline and willingness to learn. His efforts have earned him a role as TAHA’s Community Based Facilitator (CBF) for the Kati district, in Zanzibar. Suleyman has thus far helped so many farmers to work towards their dreams of becoming successful horticulturalists through recruiting them as TAHA members to access technical advice from the best.
One of Suleyman’s employees arranging the sweet p e p p e r h a r v e s t s f r o m t h e fa r m
Suleyman poses on his motorbike bought with profit he o b t a i n e d f r o m Sw e e t p e p p e r P r o d u c t
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The EFTA - Africado Partnership EFTA (Equity for Tanzania), who offer equipment loans to smallholder outgrower farmers, have launched a partnership with Africado, a Kilimanjaro based company working with over 2,000 outgrowers to mass produce avocados for export to Europe and the United Kingdom. Under the EFTA/Africado scheme, which is managed in partnership with the Africa Enterprise Challenge Fund (AECF), outgrowers’ loan repayments will be deducted by Africado from sales proceeds at the time of harvest. This will ensure loan repayment obligations are aligned with farmers’ incomes. EFTA, founded in 2003, is a Tanzanian finance company specialized in serving small and medium sized enterprises and farmers. It provides equipment loans with no collateral, except for the equipment itself. EFTA is now established across
Tanzania in Moshi, Arusha, Mbeya, Morogoro, Mwanza, Bukoba and Dar es Salaam. This outgrower project enables the financing of outgrowers, and of buyers and processors who service farmers individually or in groups, even if they cannot meet the usual EFTA minimum loan requirement of 20 million Tanzanian Shillings. The partnership with Africado arose after a realization that most farmers needed to improve the quality of their avocado produce and output through better management of water resources. A strategic pilot project and demonstration plot was developed in a combined partnership between Balton (an irrigation equipment supplier), EFTA and Africado. Each party took a 30% stake, with the remaining 10% covered by the farmer. The pilot will last around a year with constant monitoring and is aimed at demonstrating the potential benefits for the different
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stakeholders, most importantly the outgrower farmer. Irrigation systems deliver an increase in yields, improved product quality, higher market prices, and reduced farm management costs for farmers. It also delivers a longer productive life for the avocado trees themselves, as a result of proper maintenance. The scheme will help deliver EFTA’s core objective to bring a positive impact to the agricultural community, for example through improving farmers lifestyles, establishing lucrative business partnerships, increasing women’s employment and empowerment, and improving skills through training on good agricultural practices. Ultimately, it is aimed at addressing fundamental challenges in the agricultural sector in Tanzania. Avocado is one of the crops deemed as potentially benefiting most from
irrigation systems. Given the focus on benefiting smallholder farmers, the partnership with Africado’s outgrowers scheme was a perfect fit for the EFTA scheme. Africado is also investing by monitoring the farms at least every 3 months to track progress, identifying areas of improvement, and providing advice to farmers accordingly. Main harvesting seasons for avocado are from June to August, with an additional short season in December. Africado’s outgrowers scheme has been running since 2010, but initially faced a lack of interest from farmers who traditionally perceived avocado as a fruit for animal consumption only, and therefore not a source of revenue. However for the few that joined the scheme, they were able to make significant earnings after an initial 3 years of investment. They began to take it more seriously and encouraged their fellow farmers from around the community. As a result, Africado’s outgrower scheme has been growing with each passing year. There was, however, a clear distinction between outgrowers’ produce and the avocados specifically produced on the farm. Those from the outgrowers had more sunburn and damage, and were predominantly of low quality, earning a lower sales price. This prompted Africado to develop training programs to assist farmers in growing higher quality fruit; the program included cartoon illustrations and videos to highlight best practice for farmers. Analysis revealed that the main driver of poor quality product
was the lack of proper irrigation systems, over cultivation of small plots of land and intermingling with crops such as bananas, beans and maize.
outgrower farmers, improving the quality and quantity of avocados produced, and in turn leading to increased income generation and improved lifestyles for farmers.
It is this work which eventually led to the partnership with EFTA. A map of potential farms was drawn up and a training video produced to showcase the before and after results of proper irrigation. The collaboration with EFTA is set to resolve the water irrigation issues faced by the Africado smallholder
EFTA, meantime, is keen to extend this type of outgrower partnership. Discussions are underway with other crop producers, such as sunflower, tea, honey, maize, dairy, sugarcane and others, with a view to establishing similar equipment loan schemes aimed at supporting out growers across the agriculture sector.
For further information, or to find out how to get involved in the scheme, please contact: Leonce Malamsha (EFTA-Special Loans & Partnership Manager Mobile: 0754-210834 / E-mail: lmalamsha@efta.co.tz
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EQUIPMENT LEASING FOR AGRICULTURAL OUT GROWERS www.efta.co.tz EFTA specialises in the provision of entrepreneurs in Tanzania. We enable agri-businesses and agricultural out growers to increase their production yields and harvest quality by purchasing the equipment and machinery that they processing equipment. We work with an extensive list of approved suppliers to ensure the quality and durability of the equipment and access to reliable after sales service and advice. make a difference to your business and that of your network of growers.
FUNDING FOR AGRI-BUSINESSES AND OUT GROWERS
EFTA WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP WITH AGRI-BUSINESSES
Many agricultural processors and aggregators in Tanzania (‘agri-businesses’) have found markets for their produce in Europe, Asia and elsewhere and rely (to varying degrees) on small growers to supply product to meet their customers’ demand. The success of this arrangement depends on the quality, consistency and reliability of produce delivered by the small growers.
EFTA typically works with agri-businesses to access their network of growers and provide loans to them so that they can scale up production, improve quality etc. We prefer to do this through an off-take arrangement with the agri-business which ensures repayment of our loan to the out grower from his/her harvest incomes.
Agri-businesses typically provide support to out growers by means of training, monitoring, provision
technology.
fertilisers and other inputs.
us to identify and reach the growers who are most
EFTA FUNDING FOR OUT GROWERS
equipment that the growers need. equipment loans to out growers. Loan funds can be used to purchase machinery and equipment, such as irrigation systems, greenhouses, ploughs/tillers, tractors, on farm storage, processing equipment etc.
EASE OF PAYMENT. REDUCTION OF RISK Our funding is provided in the form of an equipment lease. EFTA retains ownership of the equipment until the lease loan is fully repaid, at which time ownership transfers to the grower. In some cases EFTA can agree a seasonal repayment plan with growers to align loan repayments with harvest income an agri-business buyer on an off-take basis.
TYPICAL TERMS FOR OUT GROWERS LOANS
ELIGIBILITY FOR OUT GROWER LOANS
EFTA’s typical equipment lease for an out grower begins with a 10% down payment from the borrower (20% for tractors). The lease is repaid over 36 months (in equal monthly instalments or otherwise on an agreed payment schedule), after a two month grace period. No security or guarantees are required from the borrower. Ownership of the equipment remains with EFTA until the lease is fully paid. Interest is charged at commercial rates and there are no arrangement fees or other additional charges to the borrower. Loans can be given on equipment costing between USD 3,000 and USD 50,000 (approx. Tsh 6 million and 100 million). We will lend to co-operative groups as well as individual businesses.
Successful loan applicants will: Be active, experienced growers Have a contract or trading history with an agribusiness to buy their produce Have adequate sources of working capital for their business Require durable equipment with a lifespan of 5 years or more Meet EFTA’s other investment criteria
COMPLEMENTARY FUNDING FOR AGRIBUSINESSES EFTA provides funding at competitive rates to agribusinesses themselves. This might be needed alongside our funding to the out growers (for example, to increase processing, packaging and cold storage
Typical terms (subject to credit checking) are:
and additions to core equipment). Our lines of credit for agribusinesses range from USD 10,000 to USD 500,000. We require no additional collateral as the equipment provides the security. We have access to high quality suppliers and a loan appraisal process that typically takes less than 4 weeks.
3 year loan repayment term, including a grace period of two months; Competitive interest rates for both TSH and USD denominated loans with no hidden fees; 10% to 20% down payment depending on the nature of the equipment; and, Potential scheduling of loan repayments to match seasonality of harvests.
To find out more: Alan Mathers Leonce Malamsha
Out grower scheme manager Special Loans Manager
MOSHI: Jengo la NSSF, Moshi 02727 50657/ 0753 891477
DAR ES SALAAM: 5th floor, IT Plaza Ohio street, 0719 597 958
ARUSHA: Sokoine road, 0714 932697
MBEYA: 3rd floor, Century Plaza 0719 597 958
amathers@efta.co.tz lmalamsha@efta.co.tz
MWANZA: Lumumba Street, Nyamagana 0684 467473 BUKOBA: Plot #4, Block G Migeyo road, 0742 480 288
0756 383545 0754 210834
MOROGORO: Plot 318/319 block V Saba saba area 0687 292 616
Improving Horticultural Value Chain In Tanzania By: Janneke Be emster , Program manager Trias Tanzania Trias, a Belgian NGO, which has been active in Tanzania for more than 25 years, has introduced a new 5-year programme in partnership with TAHA for farmers in and around the country ventured towards connecting, empowering and transforming the business environment to be more sustainable and inclusive.
W
ith a core mission of supporting
project, Trias will pay significant attention to the
Member-Based Organisations (MBOs)
organisational
of family farmers and small-scale
the strengthening of TAHA’s internal systems.
entrepreneurs, Trias’ aims to diversify
The Andreas Hermes Akademie (AHA), a German
and strengthen livelihoods while simultaneously
training centre that builds on years of experience
respecting the natural environment in which they
of working with German and African farmers, will
exist so as to improve the socio-economic security
in part implement this. This year, AHA will play a
and well being of the beneficiaries.
crucial role in assisting TAHA in its change process
development
of
TAHA
through
and with leadership development. AHA will also offer The partnership with TAHA has been an exciting
the BUS training, which strengthens the farmers’
one and the perfect fit to fulfil Trias’ strategy
entrepreneurial skills by helping them to assess
for this specific project to focus on the set up of
their strengths and weaknesses, their markets and
“Agricultural Service Providers" (ASPs). The ASPs
environment in general and to plan for the future.
will act as intermediaries between farmer groups and agri-businesses such as processors and traders
In Zanzibar, the activities are co-financed by the
and additionally support farmers with linkages to
Finnish agri-agency for Food and Forest Development
input suppliers and financial institutions through
(FFD). The Zanzibar economy relies on approximately
the provision of agronomic trainings, information
60% vegetable imports from mainland Tanzania,
dissemination regarding weather, market prices, etc.
majority of which are to cater for the tourism industry.
and work towards finding a sustainable solution for
The villages and populations surrounding the hotels
extension services for TAHA members.
are therefore left out and living in extreme poverty, as they have not been integrated in the supply
World Vegetable Centre is also another partnering
chains of the hotels. The FFD and TAHA partnership
organisation and alongside TAHA will assist in the
looks to address this issue and to work out means
development of high quality extension activities,
that the local population may not only be inclusively
which will vary from selecting the best inputs, good
integrated but also enabled to produce their own
agricultural practices and effective post-harvest
food sustainably.
handling. The two organisations will also collaborate on the procedure that will be used to sanction the
The project has also been formally introduced
development of a “TAHA certificate” that will be
to Meru and Arusha district officials and over the
awarded to farmers who have successfully followed
next course of 5 years the project will improve the
a set of good agricultural practices that are also in
value chain of fresh vegetables in Arusha and Meru
line with environmental conservation.
districts, as well as on Zanzibar not only for men, but also especially for women and youth, who are often
In order to improve the sustainability of the
marginalized and by-passed in development efforts.
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TAHA PICTORIAL
USAID delegation, Michelle Corzine – Deputy Office Director (3rd right standing) and Judith Kitivo - Horticulture Specialist (centre standing) and TAHA Management team visiting farmers in Oloigeiruno village Ilkiding'a in Arusha
Ms. Adda Ngoya receiving a trophy from Hon. Jenista Mhagama on behalf of TAHA for Best PSO performance for Northern Zone, in the presence of Regional Commissioners of Kilimanjaro and Arusha
TAHA’s CEO, Jacqueline Mkindi poses for a photo with VECO Regional Representative East Africa, Mark Blackett after signing a partnership agreement. Accompanied are VECO Tanzania, Country Director, Maria Maina (far right) and TAHA Program Manager, Ayesiga Buberwa (far left)
Mr. Juma Ali Juma, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Trade and Industry, Zanzibar (centre) getting information from Khalifan Nasoro during the Farmers field day at Bambi Matola in Zanzibar.
USAID officials with TAHA's Management team on a field visit
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TAHA’s CEO (C) Ms. Jacqueline Mkindi receives the award from KLM’s representative Ms. Suji Njeri on behalf of TAHA FRESH’s General Manager (R) Mr. Amani Temu and staff. TAHA Fresh was awarded for being Tanzania’s Valued Contributors .
Kifaru’s Farm Manager Mr. Oscar Rivera explaining a point to the TAHA board members when they visited the Kifaru Farm project in Mwanga, Kilimanjaro.
TAHA’s agronomist Mrisho Yusuf training farmers on trellising in the tomato farm at Fuoni Zanzibar.
TAHA CEO Ms. Jacqueline Mkindi poses with the World Vegetable center’s Director General Marco Wopereis (second left), Deputy Director General for research David Johnson (right) and Regional Director, Thomas Dubois (left) in her office at TAHA, Arusha.
TAHA’s agronomist Twaha Adili (centre with cap) speaking to farmers from Mtwara who visited the Nane nane PTC for practical trainings.
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NMB FOUNDATION
FO UN D ATIO N F O R A G R I C U LT U R AL DE VE LO PME NT
T
he NMB Foundation for Agricultural Development (NFAD) has rolled out a farmers’ training under the AIM Project with an aim of linking farmers to financial institutions within and around Tanzania. While approximately 75% of these linkages are to NMB Bank itself, farmers are given assistance and direction towards whichever other financial institution is better suited to their needs. The NMB Foundation, an independent unit under the NMB Agribusiness division is organizing farmers into groups and holding
trainings that cover two modules of good governance and financial literacy as explained below: -
•
•
Good governance empowers the farmers within their individual capacities as well as within their groups with skill sets for transparency and management . Financial literacy highlights on aspects of costing, base of pricing, cost of production, savings, record keeping and trends of production and sale. With these well tracked
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and managed, farmers are better equipped within their groups for the application of loans and financial credit to strengthen their agri businesses. Having partnered with TAHA, for the identification of potential horticulture farmers to be integrated into the training program, NFAD activities have thus far been implemented in the districts of Lushoto, Moshi and Arumeru, where 18, 19 and 15 farmer groups (FOs) have been formed respectively and
trained in efforts to make them bankable and sustainable. The farmer groups are comprised of a minimum of 20 people and have a maximum of 50, not too few to be undervalued and not too big to be mismanaged. The numbers are enough to strengthen the groups’ accumulated capital for investment – the strength in numbers. The AIM project, which has been in operation since 2016 has successfully seen 1846 farmers trained, (F 947, M 899) and raised sensitization for the importance of good governance and financial literacy for farmers. More than 200 individual bank accounts and 16 group ones have also been opened with
The trainings have brought forth an agreement amongst the farmers to collectively market their produce together so as to garner an advantage on the economies of scale and equip farmers with better bargaining power for their produce. This also assists them with securing financing from the bank since they have a structured market. The project, slated to last until 2019, when it will be re evaluated to assess impact made in its operational years.
NMB Bank by the farmers who are keen on establishing a better saving culture and accountability method for themselves.
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36TH INTERNATIONAL VE G E TA BL E T R AINING C O URSE (IVTC )
E
very year, World Vegetable Center (WorldVeg) Regional Office for East and Southeast Asia (ESEA) based in Bangkok, Thailand organizes the
International
Vegetable
Training
Course (IVTC). The training course aims to prepare participants to alleviate hunger and poverty through the sustainable development of the vegetable sector
Christine Hellen Chidaya, Agricultural Extension M e t h o d o l o g i e s O f f i c e r, M i n i s t r y o f A g r i c u l t u r e , I r r i g a t i o n a n d Wa t e r D e v e l o p m e n t , M A L AW I
and engage them in the entire spectrum of activities in the vegetable value chain from breeding, seed production,
production,
marketing,
postharvest
and nutrition. Lecturers and presenters hail from WorldVeg, Kasetsart University (KU), Thailand’s Departments of Agriculture (DOA) and Agricultural Extension (DOAE), the Horticulture Collaborative Research Support Program (HortCRSP) established by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), and other local, regional and international organizations. 2017 marks the 36th year of IVTC. Our Center has trained 887 agriculture research, extension and development professionals from 50 countries in Asia, Africa, the Middle East and the Pacific Islands. Twenty-one of them are from 11 countries in Africa (Kenya, Malawi, Mauritius, South Africa, Swaziland, Sudan, Zambia, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Gambia, and Nigeria). Each month-long module culminated
U m a r A b u b a k a r G u r a m a , S e n i o r L e c t u r e r, F e d e r a l U n i v e r s i t y Ka s h e r e N i g e r i a , N I G E R I A
24
with every participant preparing a Development Action Plan that harnessed their newly acquired knowledge on production and consumption of nutritious and health-promoting vegetables and adapted it to the specific demands and opportunities found in their respective countries. WorldVeg is currently accepting applications for the 36th IVTC. Participants will be empowered with technologies and approaches
M a s h a i e r El h a g M o h a m e d E l Ta h i r , A g r i c u l t u r a l E n g i n e e r, M i n i s t r y o f A g r i c u l t u r e a n d F o r e s t , H o r t i c u l t u r e S e c t o r, S U D A N
to increase incomes and nutrition through sustainable development of thriving vegetable value chains. The training will be held at WorldVeg Research and Training Station, Kamphaeng Saen, Nakhon Pathom, Thailand and will blend theory and practice by harnessing experience from a diversity of experts and organizations. There are two separate modules that can be taken singly or in combination: Vedita Oogarah, Senior Research Scientist, Food and Agricultural Research a n d E x t e n s i o n I n s t i t u t e , M AU R I T I U S
Ka n t a Ku m a r L o b i n , S e n i o r R e s e a r c h S c i e n t i s t , F o o d a n d A g r i c u l t u r a l R e s e a r c h a n d E x t e n s i o n I n s t i t u t e , M AU R I T I U S
Module I: Seed to Harvest (9 October - 3 November 2017) Biodiversity, breeding and genetic conservation, seed systems and quality management, pest and disease diagnoses and integrated management, grafting, protected cultivation, judicious pesticide use and good agricultural practices (GAP). Module II: From Harvest to Table (6 November - 1 December 2017) Postharvest methods, food safety, nutrition, value chain and market analyses, good manufacturing practices (GMP), participatory extension, monitoring and evaluation, digital data management and climate change.
Pa u l S i f i s o N g u b e n i , A s s i s t a n t E x t e n s i o n O f f i c e r, M i n i s t r y o f A g r i c u l t u r e , SWA Z I L A N D
Details of course content and fees, application procedure, and other information are available at http:// ivtc.avrdc.org. Submit online application through http://ivtc.avrdc.org/applicationform/. For any queries, please contact the Regional Director for East and Southeast Asia/Oceania at fenton. beed@worldveg.org or the IVTC fenton.beed@worldveg.org
S a m u e l M a m b a , A s s i s t a n t E x t e n s i o n O f f i c e r, M i n i s t r y o f A g r i c u l t u r e , SWA Z I L A N D
26
ERASTO NGOLE’S Beginning of an Amazing Journey
E
rasto Gasper Ngole started avocado farming in 2008. Having previously worked as a village executive officer for Itulike, Kibena, Mji Mwema and Matarawe in Njombe before being moved to Makambako where he was a tax collector at the weighing bridge in Njombe district. His decision to join farming industry came after the realization that civil service was not sustainably supporting him and his family of six children; two of which are currently at university, one in secondary school and three are in primary school and he thus started looking for job that would supplement his income. He did his research and amongst the business ideas he came up
with was avocado farming. Very few people in 2008 were practicing this type farming, he thought it was a great idea and after looking into examples of avocado farmers in developed countries, it would be something new and a challenge but he was ready. So the preparations began, in June 2008, the first seeds were prepared, followed by grafting in November that same year before planting in January 2009. The initial planting round was for 114 avocado trees; and as he waited, Erasto worked with an agricultural organization in which he motivated fellow farmers to join. It was not until 2016 that Erasto was introduced to Tanzania Horticulture Association (TAHA) whose agronomists were carrying
27
out training on avocado farming to make sure that farmers produced according to international market standards. Equipped with the new training received, he was able to see a big difference; he witnessed a tremendous improvement with his avocado produce. Being prior accustomed to traditional methods for growing crops like beans, and maize most farmers at that time lacked the proper know how on avocado farming. TAHA’s sensitization and training filled this education gap right from seed raising to the final stages of getting your produce to both the local market and international market. Mr. Erasto says that he is currently very confident and has attained enough knowledge on avocado farming thanks to TAHA’s intervention on avocados’ good agricultural practices, which have improved the quality of his produce tremendously. He has also been exemplary and a mentor for his fellow farmers who look to up to him in and around Njombe, a region renown as the to inhabit some of the best producers of avocado in both quantities and quality. He credits avocado growing for his improved way of living. He has been able to build a better home for his family and send his children to the best schools and universities in Tanzania. Seeing that education is expensive in the country, Erasto considers this a great success and says it would not have been possible without TAHA. He has upgraded his means of transport from a bicycle to a motorbike and recently to a car – a RAV 4. It has been a whirlwind for the farmer
The Ngole’s home, before. who is pleased at how his life has changed for the better in such a short span of time. He considers himself a roIe model for young and upcoming farmers in the avocado field and advises them to follow in his footsteps and pay attention to the technical methods to achieve quality production standards. He considers adoption of new technologies key in his farming techniques for avocado growing which has been a big the reason for his success. “TAHA has also been providing us with knowledge that enables us to produce quality avocado seedlings which we then sell at a very good price of 3000 per seedlings.� This has been a complimentary way to generate income as well for the Njombe avocado farmers.
Erasto shows off a truck investment made to help with avocado transportation Before joining TAHA in 2015 Erasto harvested only 4 tones from his avocado farm of about 8 acres with 684 trees of which only 114 trees are harvested the rest are not ready. However, in 2016 after he joined TAHA and adopted the different suggested
28
technologies, he was able to harvest 11.7 tones from the same farm, and the year 2017 has so far seen him harvesting 13 tones and he expects to harvest 5 tones more before the close of the harvesting season.
The Ngole’s home, after. The13 tones produced in 2017 were sold for 16.8 million Tanzanian shillings in and10.4 million in 2016 respectively. When compared against the highest pay of 4 million shillings and before joining TAHA it pales. The market challenge has been solved by prioritizing on avocado varieties that do well on the world market such as Hass variety. Up to 8 different companies have been to the Njombe region to purchase avocados. Some of these are demanding approximately 20 tons per day and some even 60 tons per month. This is a good market to feed and Njombe region has approximately harvested fruits from the about 800 tones for the months on June and July. “The demand is more than the supply. Said Ngole. This shortage to meet the demands of the buyers puts them about 300 hundred million that they will return to the companies because they have
failed to get fruits to meet the demand. So in terms of avocado the problem is not the market it’s rather were to get the fruits. With an overwhelming demand, Erasto is advising the youth not to undermine the potential in horticulture. The results are quick and if done in the right manner, it’s a life changing opportunity. He says being able to meet his family demands makes him and his wife content and attributes their happiness to the success of their avocado business. Avacado farming requires a lot of water and its shortage has been the biggest challenge experienced by the farmers. Most farmers also have not attained enough knowledge to confidently carry out farming to the best of its standards. He thanks TAHA for building a park house in Njombe whose good facilities have been instrumental in the packaging and
29
transportation to international markets. He calls upon them to continue addressing these challenges and the stereotypes that horticulture is not a sustainable business venture. These challenges, Erasto says he was able to persist them with TAHA’s support and because of his love for horticulture, which has been a strong and powerful aspect that has enabled him to persevere. His friends and family having very skeptic about his decision to join avocado farming since it contradicted with the normalcy of growing food crops have since joined the business after witnessing his success. “They thought it was a reckless decision and that I was running mad and said that my children would die from hunger,” reminisces Ngole with a chuckle. A deserved last laugh of sorts.
THE RESTRUCTURING OF E A S T W ES T S E E D
East West Seed, the leading vegetable seed company in Tanzania is going through fundamental changes and restructuring and shifting focus from an introvert, cost-oriented production company to a customer-focused, service-oriented sales and marketing organization.
O
hybrid seeds maybe more costly than the local varieties, they also produce more yield which is an important aspect and a great benefit to the farmer.
riginally, East West Seed Tanzania started off as a production facility for flower seed. Set on sprawling land, the East West Seed farm lies at the bottom of the Kilimanjaro Mountain along the Machame route, renowned intimately by enthusiastic mountaineers who eagerly trek it throughout the year to get to Africa’s highest point. The mountain’s backdrop brings surreal beauty to the farms’ gleaming yellow and orange Marigolds that look golden in the evening light. The bustle from throngs of employees heading back home, machinery and tractors is all quieted as we sit down for our interview with the General Manager Mr. Coen Everts and Product Development Specialist Marvin Casio Martin.
Introducing new and innovative hybrid seeds for outdoor production, the company is targeting a fragmented market of farmers with an average of one to two acre plots. The smallholder farmers are the core focal point of East West Seed and therefore the prices of the hybrid vegetable seeds are kept affordable and suitable for its key customers. Most of the varieties are developed and imported from East West Seed breeding sites in Asia (notably Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines and India), and include vegetables such as tomatoes, onions, cabbages, capsicums, watermelons and sweet corn. The varieties are specifically designed to suit the Tanzanian growing conditions as well as meet the demands from the processors, traders and final consumers alike.
East West Seed Tanzania was incepted in 2008 but it was not until 2012 that the introduction and importation of hybrid vegetable seeds accelerated after East West Seed acquired the local company Mkulima Seed. The flagship company for hybridization, East West Seed has been instrumental in changing the farmers’ mindsets from the usage of local varieties to the adoption of hybrids. With an ingrained mission to improve farmers’ livelihoods, there is a clear understanding that whereas the
Product development, adaptability and customization are crucial to guarantee that East West Seed products fit in the local Tanzanian market, while addressing the differences in cultural management, altitude and climate. Meeting the needs of the consumer is key. By means of introduction, the seeds are sold in
30
value packs, which are cost friendly, priced below 2 US Dollars per pack for farmer’s trial planting. These value packs have been of great success and have received positive responses that have enabled hesitant farmers to first test the quality of the product before making bigger purchases. Once the farmers have experienced the benefits of growing East West Seeds they can opt to purchase larger size pouches or tins ranging from 5 up to 1,000 grams. To assist the restructuring, the company is streamlining distribution as well as focusing on building quality relationships with reputable distributors to maximize sales. Whereas prior, there was no clear procedure on who to be an agent of sale, East West seed is shifting to concentrate and to focus on a quality network of distributors rather than on retail. A well thought through promotional strategy has been designed to reach farmers through various platforms, which include radio commercials, SMS broadcasts, flyers and brochures as well as a hotline number. The best platform however has been the use of traditional demonstration plots by 12 field extension officers nationwide in co-operation with exemplary farmers on plots of 200-300 sq/mtr each. Demonstration plots are cultivated 2 times per year to maximize the showcasing of different farming techniques of vegetables and fruits and to act as convincing grounds for farmers who witness the successful yields of the gardens. The vegetable hybrids are specifically adaptable to local conditions and suitable for the local market with generally limited resources and farm inputs. This was mainly because East West Seed felt that the local farmer with low revenue was not getting as much focus as the commercial green house farmers. With a prime focus on capacity building amongst a reputable number of farmers, East West Seed co-founded SEVIA (www.sevia.org) with Rijk Zwaan, The Dutch
Government and the world-leading Agricultural University of Wageningen whereby in a joint effort they carry out trainings on proper farming techniques, and good agricultural practices in order to achieve the best possible yield.
Employing nearly 600 people, East West Seed has been a great pool for employment for the local community with the majority of their employees being female (75%) who mainly work at hand pollination, a slow and careful process that requires patience and 25% male employees who mostly
handle mechanical equipment and offer heavy-duty manpower on the farm. With its very first emergence and establishment on the Asian market in 1982, the company is proud to be celebrating their 35th year anniversary on August 19th 2017 and as part of the celebration East
Specialist says it is the dedication of the company in bringing solutions to the challenges that the farmers are facing in growing vegetables in Tanzania. For some areas, farmers could not grow tomatoes due to the diseases like bacterial wilt or leaf curl virus, but by introducing disease resistant varieties the farmers have been able to grow tomatoes successfully, expand their production areas and improve their income and livelihood of their families. Together with our field extension officers and partners East West seed was able to provide tailor-made advice for customers to ensure that they can get the best out of our products. When asked the same question, Mr Coen Everts, the General Manager and lead foreseer of the 5-year GROW Strategy and restructuring process says that he is most proud for all the innovation the organization has brought to Tanzania but more so for the close relationship they have built with the employees. The fact that East West Seed invests 2% of total sales revenue into knowledge transfer signifies that East West Seed is both profit and purpose driven, and is truly committed to its mission to provide innovative products and services that will help increase the income of vegetable farmers, and promote the growth and quality of the tropical vegetable industry.
32
West Seed Tanzania will sponsor 4 daughters or sons of Tanzanian farmers to obtain a University degree in Agriculture. Asked what, looking back they would pinpoint as their biggest achievements, Marvin Casio Martin, the Product Development
The sustainability and success of Innovation Platforms By Marc Schut
I
nnovation platforms are fast becoming part of the mantra of agricultural research for development (AR4D) projects and programs. They have become an increasingly popular approach to enhancing multi-stakeholder collaboration in AR4D. Their basic tenet is that stakeholders in the agricultural sector (farmers, government, private sector) depend on one another to solve their problems, and hence need a space where they can learn, negotiate, and coordinate to overcome challenges and capture opportunities through a facilitated innovation process. It is however very important to look at innovation platforms critically in defining their features, key functions, and what they can and, as importantly, cannot do.
Âť Continued on Pg. 34
Innovation platform testing and disseminating improved vegetable varieties and pro-duction practices in Sagara village, Babati District, Manyara Region in Tanzania. Photo: Hassan Mdinga, WorldVeg
In essence, innovation platforms facilitate interaction
changes in conventional wisdom and practices, that
and collaboration within and between networks of
lead to enhanced capacity within innovation systems.
farmers, governmental and non-governmental service
How can innovation platforms be embedded in different governance, cultural, and political contexts?
providers, policymakers, researchers, private sector players, and other stakeholders in the agricultural system. An important question for development donors and funders of innovation platforms is the extent to which innovation platforms and their
Innovation platforms are by nature democratic
outcomes are sustainable. The sustainability issue
spaces for joint problem identification, analysis,
requires us to consider the following two questions:
•
prioritization,
the
collective
design
and
implementation of activities to overcome problems.
When can innovation platforms be considered
They are part of agricultural systems, and only a very
successful?
•
and
small number of the stakeholders will be represented in the innovation platforms. Many value chains and
How can innovation platforms be embedded
service providers are active in agricultural systems,
in different governance, cultural and political
and innovation platforms often function around a
contexts?
specific niche in the agricultural system in a specific geographical location (e.g. production of vegetables
When can innovation platforms be considered successful?
in Arusha for export). These agricultural systems form part of broader
not
livelihood systems such as agriculture, healthcare,
temporary
education, industry and infrastructure. The socio-
organizational structures. An innovation platform
political systems govern the rules of the game,
may cease to exist when it has addressed the initially
including not only formal policies, agreements and
identified challenge. It is thus no longer worth the
standards, but also informal norms and values related
investment – its contribution to innovation ceases
to the importance of agriculture in society.
Successful be
innovation
sustained
platforms
indefinitely
and
should
are
to be significant or there are no funding sources three
The implication is that an initiative to set up an
dimensions of sustainability should be carefully
innovation platform can draw unexpected responses
distinguished as follows:
from stakeholders in the systems within which it
available
• •
•
to
support
continuation.
The
operates. The innovation platform may, for example, Sustainability of the changes that happened
attract support from high-powered stakeholders, such
through the platform (the innovations);
as politicians. This could be positive, as it increases the chances of success, but could it also put the
Sustainability of the innovation platform itself
innovation platform at risk of being co-opted by one
as a mechanism, niche, or entity for change and
particular interest? The establishment could consider
collective action;
the innovation platform as a subversive activity that threatens its power position. How does one decide to
Sustainability of stakeholders’ capacity to
proceed if the initiating group still considers it ‘the
innovate
right thing to do’? Generally, innovation platforms with a broad stakeholder support base run a lower
Whereas, the first relates to the outcomes desired
risk of being co-opted, or of being seen as subversive.
and attained by an innovation platform, the second is
A political economy analysis can help to elucidate
a measure of organizational sustainability while the
the power dynamics at play in specific agricultural,
third relates to institutionalization of the innovation
livelihood, and socio-political systems.
process, as tested by the platform, diffused through
34
M e m b e r s o f t h e M a p u t o , M oza m b i q u e b e s t p r a c t i c e h u b : a n a r e a f o r j o i n t l e a r n i n g , experimentation and marketing of vegetables, using a value chain approach.
In most countries, such as Tanzania, it is considered
For the success and sustainability of innovation
positive that rural actors organize themselves, sit
platforms, there are critical questions that should be
down together around joint constraints, and self-
asked and answered before deciding to embark on
organize interventions to overcome these constraints.
implementing one. These questions should include
In other countries, such processes may be viewed with
the following:
suspicion by governments or other dominant parties,
•
who may feel that these platforms are not needed,
What is the new innovation to be designed and
or undermining their role, mandate and function.
tested (e.g. growing high-quality vegetables by
The bottom line here is that project designers and
unemployed youth in Arusha)?
implementers need to think critically about how
•
to support innovation platforms in the governance
How can we tailor the innovation to specific
or socio-political context in which they are being
types of farmers or agro-ecological areas (e.g.
implemented.
training and other needs specifically for youth)?
•
Members of the Maputo, Mozambique best practice
How can the existing innovation be scaled, either
hub: an area for joint learning, experimentation and
through upscaling (e.g. have youth groups form
marketing of vegetables, using a value chain approach
dedicated market linkages with supermarkets
(Photo: Hipolito Malia).
or make them produce for export markets) or outscaling (e.g. making youth trainer-of-trainers
35
and entice them to share their knowledge and
of agricultural innovation systems, as these outputs
expand their groups)?
are developed in a familiar location known and related to the key scaling actors. This goes to show
Overall, innovation platforms can fulfill an important
that innovation platforms – through their inclusive,
function in the pathway leading to the scaling
demand-driven, and participatory action research
of agricultural innovations by bringing together
methods – can provide an important basis for
different groups of stakeholders that all contribute
impactful innovation processes.
to analyzing a complex problem or challenge. In that For more information:
sense, they all bring a piece of the puzzle needed to overcome the problem. During the process of jointly analyzing problems, stakeholders become aware of
Schut, M., Andersson, J.A., Dror, I., Kamanda, J.,
how their problems are interrelated and how joint
Sartas, M., Mur, R., Kassam, S., Brouwer, H., Stoian,
action is needed to address them. This is an important
D., Devaux, A., Velasco, C., Gramzow, A., Dubois,
prerequisite for achieving impact at scale; realizing
T., Flor, R.J., Gummert, M., Buizer, D., McDougall,
the needs and interests of different stakeholder
C., Davis, K., Homann-Kee Tui, S., Lundy, M., 2017.
groups and ensuring that the innovations developed
Guidelines for Innovation Platforms in Agricultural
are not only technically sound, but also affordable for
Research for Development. Decision support for
farmers, and coherent with government policies and
research, development and funding agencies on
objectives.
how to design, budget and implement impactful
It is important for not only farmers, but also for
Innovation Platforms. International Institute of
policymakers and the private sector to be a part
Tropical Agriculture (IITA) and Wageningen University
of the decision-making and innovation processes
(WUR) under the CGIAR Research Program on Roots
- a precondition for supporting the wider use and
Tubers and Bananas (RTB), Kigali, Rwanda. Available
spread of validated technologies and other types
online:
of innovations developed in innovation platforms.
guidelines-innovation-platforms-agricultural-
The process and its participants provide legitimacy
research-development/.
http://www.rtb.cgiar.org/blog/publication/
to the outputs for key scaling actors in upper levels
‘Best practice hubs’: linking unemployed youth to lucrative vegetable markets Best practice hubs are designed to address knowledge gaps among unemployed youth along the vegetable value chain and serve as centers for education, crop trials and experimentation. Training targets specific pre-identified market opportunities and is both technical as business-oriented; during 3-month training sessions, covering an entire growing season, youth is drawn into communities of practice, where they can learn, evaluate and adapt not only vegetable production technologies but also effective value chain analysis skills to support income-generating activities and build strong market relationships. BPHs are a model for bridging research practice by focusing interventions in targeted geographical areas, embedded within vegetable farming communities. Technologies have to be simple, affordable and available and include drip irrigation, cheap and locally available greenhouses and knowledge about seeds, fertilizers and biopesticides that are readily available. Young farmers were put in touch with markets, finance institutions and, most importantly, each other through an innovation platform. Such an approach was highly successful in Arusha, Tanzania where five youth groups were trained at a best practice hub, and linked with local supermarkets, such as Nakumatt and Soko Kuu Green Grocers Stalls Arusha, and export companies, such as HomeVeg and Serengeti Fresh. Some groups were able to produce vegetable crops according to production certification standards.
36
Policy and Advocacy
Summary of Key Policy Achievements January – June, 2017 Achievement/Way forward
No.
Issue
Description
TAHA Action
1.
Crop Cess
The Local Government Authorities have
TAHA was among the strong private sector
As a result of interventions from TAHA
been charging crop cess (3-5%) on farm gate
champions who worked to convince the
and other Private Sector Organizations
price to buyers of agriculture commodities.
Government to either abolish or significantly
(TPSF, ACT, ANSAF), the Government has
reduce the crop cess rate and make it
amended the Local Government Finance
uniform throughout the country
Act 1982 and reduced the crop cess from
Due to poor and inefficient collection mechanisms, the levy has being paid by
2.
5% to 2% and 3% for food and cash crops
producers/farmers hence adding up to a long
TAHA engaged a number of stakeholders at
list of numerous taxes and levies paid by
different levels to ensure that the concerns
horticultural farmers.
are addressed
Registration of
The Seed Act of 2003 and its regulations of
Aggressive
Vegetable Seeds
2007 require the registration of vegetable
Government supported by comprehensive
other
seed variety
researches on seed registration challenges
Government has amended the Seed
have been implemented by TAHA.
Regulations 2007, where the new vegetable
for commercialization in
Tanzania to undergo field trial tests for two
consultations
with
the
cropping seasons as part of registration requirement in Tanzania
respectively.
As a result of intervention from TAHA and partners
i.e.
TASTA,
the
seeds will not be required to undergo trials TAHA’s request to the Government was the
for two seasons but will only require DUS
reduction of the trial period for horticultural
test results, either performed by TOSCI or
crops seeds which have already been tested
a recognized authority from outside
and proved to be effective by accredited
Tanzania.
Institutions in other countries 3.
Fertilizer Registration
The high fertilizer registration and importation costs hamper the industry development.
Aggressive consultations with the GoT supported by comprehensive researches on the system have been implemented by TAHA in the past two years
A fee of USD 30,000 is charged by TFRA as a total cost of registering fertilizers product in the country
As a result of TAHA’s engagement with the Government, the Fertilizer (Amended) Regulations 2017 were signed on 10th February 2017 and published through the Government Notice No. 50 of 17th February 2017 The following key amendments have been done from the previous Regulations Reduction of trial fee from USD 30,000 to USD 10,000 A single trial (one cropping season in at least two different agro ecological zones) from three trials in three cropping seasons
4.
Regulatory fees
The horticulture subsector is overburdened
TAHA has been advocating for the harmoni-
The Government has abolished the below
with numerous taxes, fees and levies charged
zation of the functions of these regulatory
fees charged by Regulatory Authorities
by
Authorities as well as
responsible for Fertilizers and seeds i.e.
Central
Authorities
Government, and
Local
Regulatory Government
Authorities.
abolition and
reduction of these regulatory fees so as to
TFRA, TOSCI, TAEC, TBS, WMA;
reduce the costs of doing business in the
License fees for Fertilizer dealers (US $ 20)
country
Annual
fees
for
fertilizer
sterilizing
The horticulture businesses have to comply
plant/manufacturer (US $ 1,000)
with more than 31 payments (fees, charges
Fertilizer registration fees (TZS 100,000)
and licenses) charged by multiple Regulatory
Fees related to importation of fertilizers (for
Authorities. This adds significantly to costs of
inspection
doing business in the country.
radiation)
of
standards,
weights
and
No.
Issue
Description
Achievement/Way forward
TAHA Action
Some of these Regulatory Authorities
Seed dealers registration form (TZS 2,500)
perform almost similar functions and some of
DUS
the regulatory fees do not reflect value for
Stability) trial form (TZS 2,500)
money
National
(Distinctness, Uniformity Performance
and
Trial (NPT) form
(TZS 2,500) On-farm seeds inspection form (TZS 3,500) Seeds trial form (per lot) (TZS 2,000) Seeds transpiration permit (TZS 2,500) Seeds transportation/order notice (TZS 2,500) 5.
Government’s
For horticulture subsector to prosper,
TAHA convened a meeting with both the
budget allocation
Government’s
support
The request has been received positively by
Ministry
to support
infrastructural
development
(Collection
the Government and the Ministry promised
Fisheries; and the Parliamentary Committee
horticulture
Centers, Storage facilities) and Research and
to
on Agriculture Livestock and Environment to
Development are very crucial.
addressing
convince among other things to allocate
horticulture
more Budget to support infrastructural
infrastructural development
in
terms
of
of
Agriculture
Livestock
and
For the National Budget of 2017/18 only 0.8%
development (for controlling post-harvest
of the total budget has been allocated for
losses) in horticulture subsector
commit
more
resources
post-harvest
towards
losses
subsector
in
through
agriculture compared to 0.9% for the previous financial year. These percentages are very low compared to the Government’s commitment of allocating at least 10% of the total budget to support Agriculture sector as agreed in Maputo and Malabo Declarations
6.
Crop Cess
Hai and Moshi District Councils directed the
TAHA
by
As a result of TAHA’s interventions, the
charges by Moshi
horticultural corporate entities to pay for
convening consultative meetings between the
District Councils agreed to adhere to the law
and Hai District
produce cess while the companies are
horticultural companies and the respective
by demanding the horticulture companies to
Councils
already paying service levy to the respective
District Councils.
pay only service levy to their respective
addressed
these
challenges
District Councils
District councils. TAHA advised the LGAs to adhere to the Local Government Finance Act 1982, rev 1999 Section 13(4) which directs that the corporate entities paying service levy are not liable to pay produce cess
7.
GSP Stamps on
Some horticultural exporters faced serious
TAHA addressed the issue by communicating
TRA prepared a new list of Customs stamp
horticulture exports
challenge while exporting to UK as the UK
and presenting the issue to both EU Customs
and signatories and shared the same with EU
Customs claim not to recognize the TRA
and
Customs and respective TRA boarder
stamp stamped on their GSP documents
Department
TRA
Desk
of
Origin-Customs
Offices.
submitted. The confusion is now resolved and the Tanzanian exporters export to EU under a
horticultural
preferential trade agreement (GSP) which
exporting to EU by paying fewer duties
allows them to pay fewer duties on their
through
exports to EU. Due to this shortfall on the
agreement
the
exporters GSP
are
Trade
enjoying preferential
stamp used, the exporting companies were supposed to pay duties.
8.
Immigration Guideline
Due
for Horticulture
immigration
to
businesses
changes
introduced
in
the
TAHA has prepared a special guideline
The Guideline will enable the horticultural
of
the
highlighting on key immigration procedures
investors and other stakeholders to comply
horticulture stakeholders have been facing
and documents required for foreign visitors,
with the Immigration Regulations and
challenges in complying with the new
experts and investors coming to Tanzania
procedures without being breaching and
regulations as the changes have not been well
The Guideline has incorporated all the recent
penalties.
communicated
changes made in the Immigration Regulations
procedures,
to
the
responsible Authorities
most
Public
by
the
and Procedures