Agro-dealers must ensure they support smallholder farmers with training and other capacity-building initiatives so as not only to boost their business but the whole agriculture development process for the national good.

Press release issued by BRiTEN

Dar es Salaam, 7 November 2012

Agro dealers are a critical link in the agricultural input distribution chain; moreover, they play an important role in supporting the smallholder farmer to commercialize. Agro dealers are located nearer the farmer and provide a range of goods and services. Agrodealer Associations serve as an important tool in fighting counterfeit agricultural inputs reaching the farmer. The importer suppliers and the government must recognize their role in the distribution and the fight against counterfeits.

BRiTEN (Building Rural Incomes Through Enterprise) Managing Director Josefynne Miingi-Kaiza asserted the third agro-dealers convection organized by her organization in collaboration with TANADA, the National Agrodealer Association in Dar es Salaam last weekend.

The meeting brought together leaders of the various agro dealer associations at the district level. They deliberated on creating a corporate structure to streamline inputs distribution to smallholder farmers and curb counterfeit product distribution incidences. 

She says that the whole distribution process has been easy through TANADA, and the distributor’s payments were successful.  

“We want agro-dealers to increase income and strengthen their business skills. They should become the source of skills and information for small-scale farmer farmers,” said Micheal Mahecha of TANADA, addressing the convection. Mr. Mahecha stressed that the agricultural input distribution chain could not function well without agro-dealers. It was the responsibility of all stakeholders, public and private sectors alike, to strengthen the network.

On his side, the Minister for Agriculture, Food Security and Cooperatives, Hon. Eng. Christoper Chiza; said the government focused on ensuring agricultural growth rises from the current 3.6% last year to 6%. The Minister went ahead to thank AGRA for providing financing to train3855 agro-dealers, out of which 511 of them received loans through the overdraft facility from NMB. The Minister also stated that the government was committed to strengthening the agro dealer network, and in 2012/13, more than 1000 agro-dealers will be trained.  

“The government is delighted for being able to achieve distribution of agricultural appliances in every village,” he said, adding the system would go a long way to improve livelihood in the rural areas.  

The minister has represented the Deputy Permanent Secretary in his ministry, Mrs. Sophia Kaduma, who read his speech.

AGRA country Manager Mr. Fred Muhhuku told agro-dealers they have to become business savvy, and it starts with knowing who your customers are.

He said agro-dealers must ensure they support smallholder farmers with training and other capacity-building initiatives so as not only to boost their business but the whole agriculture development process for the national good. 

AGRA partly financed the convention.

Kick Start International Regional Manager Mr. Deus Shauri commended the government for putting up some efforts in supporting Agro dealers but added that: “More effort should be put in training small agro-dealers. They need technical skills.”

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About BRiTEN

BRiTEN (Building Rural Incomes Through Enterprise) is a non-profit, Tanzanian development organization. BRiTEN specializes in agricultural development initiatives designed to facilitate market access, enhance agribusiness competitiveness, increase productivity, and improve inputs and finance access.

BRiTEN does this by bringing about a paradigm shift among smallholder farmers in conceiving their agricultural livelihoods as going beyond providing for the family’s subsistence needs and moving into a business-minded frame of mind that harnesses competitive advantage.

Agro dealers’ convention is an annual event that brings together stakeholders in the agriculture input distribution chain – agro-dealers, fertilizer, seed, agrochemicals importers, and Government. This event was a convention and served as the Tanzania National Agrodealer Association’s annual general meeting. The theme for the convention was “towards commercialization of smallholder agriculture

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About TANADA

TANADA: The Tanzania National Agrodealer Association was formally registered in 2010. TANADA was formed during the AGRA funded agro dealer development project that ran from 2007 to 2011 and was supported till the end of the project. TANADA is comprised of District Agrodealer Associations and in some regions such as Morogoro, have a regional agro dealer association representing the districts. TANADA is a countrywide association and is in over 100 districts in the country.