Up to 8,450 farmers of which 60% are youth are poised to benefit from a 3-year initiative that is aimed at boosting their economic opportunities through proper production and marketing skills.
To be implemented by East-West Seed Knowledge Transfer (EWS-KT) under Kilimo Tija project, the Transforming Tanzania’s Vegetable Markets initiative will also improve farmers’ access to market information for greater market participation, according to Stuart Morris, EWS-KT Director.
“We welcome this opportunity to work with Kilimo Tija to accelerate the adoption of improved vegetable farming methods in Tanzania and contribute to a more vibrant vegetable sector in the country. The future of agriculture lies with young people, and our work under Kilimo Tija will enable youth to clearly see the business possibilities in vegetable farming and ensure they have the tools to reach their goals,” said Morris.
In this, EWS-KT through East-West Seed Tanzania has partnered with the Feed the Future Tanzania Kilimo Tija (Horticulture Productivity) Project funded by U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to better offer the needed services to the farmers.
Implemented by ACDI/VOCA, the Kilimo Tija project operates in the Iringa, Mbeya, Morogoro, and Njombe regions, as well as Zanzibar.
Its objective is to transform the Tanzanian horticulture market system into a more vibrant, competitive, resilient, and inclusive one capable of fueling sustained growth and drawing in new market participants.
Ready income in vegetable farming
Youth unemployment is a major concern in Tanzania. Although vegetable farming offers a ready income for young people, vegetable production and marketing are not viewed as realistic or appealing business opportunities.
Despite a growing demand for safe-to-eat, nutritious vegetables, Tanzanian farmers still experience unacceptably low yields, do not have access to good extension services, and lack knowledge on improved production practices as well as access to quality agricultural inputs.
EWS-KT through East-West Seed Tanzania has been working with smallholder farmers in the country since 2019 providing the growers with increased access to quality seeds for better productivity and business growth.
Through a proven model of establishing small demonstration fields showcasing highly effective vegetable cultivation techniques, EWS-KT not only equips farmers with the skills they need to be successful farmers but positions farming as an attractive business opportunity, especially for youth.
Training in vegetable production
EWS-KT’s training in vegetable production will include farm planning, marketing, and climate-smart technical skills and knowledge covering land preparation through harvest.
To build employment opportunities beyond direct vegetable production, farmers will also be encouraged to explore other income-generating activities in the vegetable sector, such as becoming seedling producers, agro-input dealers, village-based aggregators or processors, or providers of skilled labor and crop management techniques like trellising and raised-bed creation.
Kilimo Tija and EWS-KT look forward to working together to improve the livelihoods of Tanzanian farmers, invigorate the vegetable farming sector, and increase the supply of nutritious vegetables for consumers.
