TANZANIA | Market-led Agriculture Programme
Canadian International Development Agency and World Vision has funded Farm Concern International, FCI to build the resilience of 4,323 smallholder farmers against climate-related shocks by promoting their involvement in sustainable value chains by generating sales worth USD 3 Million and linking them with 76 buyers within 12 months in Tanzania.
Programme Summary
The Sustainable Market Led Agriculture Management funded by CIDA/World Vision Canada focuses on improving production by working across the whole value chain.
The project engaged 61,945 small holder households in Arusha, Meru, Hai and Siha Districts to ensure that they benefit from climate resilient and sustainable livelihoods that contribute to food security and economic growth.
FCI undertook a Rapid Market Opportunity Assessment (RMOA), whose goal was to determine high value commodities, demand levels, sourcing patterns, market opportunities and threats in Arusha, Meru, Hai and Siha Districts.
As a result of the study, the SMART project developed markets between households and 45 informal wholesale traders; Strategic partnerships with the Ministry of Agriculture and other relevant Business Development Service providers including Technobrain for farm IT; capacity built beneficiaries in value addition and post harvest management.
Case Studies
Irish Potatoes Production at Kyengia Commercial Village
For a long time, Kyengia village members were unaware of their fertile soils, favourable for Irish potato farming. This discovery was made during a training session on seed varieties and quality control conducted by FCI field officers. After this training, Mr.Mwokozi, a CPG member planted potatoes in a quarter acre piece of land and was expecting to harvest them by end of February 2014..Read More
Jitume Commercial Producer Group Goes Organic
Farmers from Mae Village had never considered growing Zucchini for food consumption or commercial purposes until Farm Concern International conducted Zucchini commercialization training under the Market- Led Agriculture Programme funded by Canadian International Development Agency and World Vision. After 32 small-holder farmers participated in the training sessions, they formed Jitume Commercial Producer Group(CPG) and immediately put their knowledge into practice. They planted Zucchini on a quarter acre in October 2013 and used cow dung manure and organic pesticides to ensure that none of the fruits would be infested. Read more
FCI Programmes
FCI VISION :Commercialized smallholder communities with increased incomes for improved, stabilized & sustainable livelihoods in Africa and beyond.