By Anthony Muchoki Supporting women farmers to move from subsistence to commercial farming is the key to achieving gender equality, posits small scale farmer, Mrs. Edina Josephat, a resident of Kasindaga village in Muleba District Kagera Region. A wife and a mother of six, she has seen gender discrimination shutter women’s social and economic prospects. In some cases a…
By Anthony Muchoki Data from Tanzania’s agriculture ministry shows that for eight continuous years, the country has been food self-sufficient. It has been exceeding 100 percent of demand, with its most important food crops- maize, rice, and cassava, respectively. As other East African nation by March/April 2019, were grappling with maize shortage, a sizable number of farmers in Tanzania’s…
Kigoma, Tanzania: For the 30 year old Innocent Michaeli, a father of one, from Nyakitonto Village, Kasulu District, Kigoma Region, farming is not just a job but a way of life. When the rain falls, his heart rise up in anticipation as he goes out of his way to do the best so as to produce the best maize,…
Speech at the U.S. National Academy of Sciences Upon Receiving the 2019 Public Welfare Medal April 28, 2019 | Washington DC Introduction Thank you for that warm introduction. I appreciate the kind and generous words. I want to thank the National Academy of Sciences for this award. For a scientist like me, recognition from this incredibly prestigious and important…
By Anthony Muchoki “Sometimes it looks unreal. It is like a miracle. Yes, it is a miracle… we never thought in our lifetime, we would be able to have a warehouse as big as this one- yes, and belonging to us- the smallholder farmers!” It is Mr. Osphard Sinkala, talking, looking at an imposing warehouse, under construction, with (40x12x5)…
By Anthony Muchoki Simplified science and technology applications in agriculture are changing smallholder farmers lives for the better in many places across Africa. They range from ensuring healthy soils, bringing to smallholder farmers improved seeds, good husbandry and use of new storage technologies, among others. According to Dr. George Bigirwa, AGRA Vice President, such activities along the agriculture value…
Kigoma, Tanzania; Do you like roasted or grilled maize? For this seed variety, it is not for you. The taste is not good at all. This is according to smallholder farmers in Kasulu, Kigoma Region yet, its is their preference for farming at the moment. The seed has lot of weight compared to any other variety that they know….
Mr. Linus Dominico, a resident of Nyakitonto Village in Kasulu District, who cultivates cassava, is experiencing bumper harvest, he has never seen in his lifetime. Mr. Suleiman Rumeya, cultivates maize in Msebehi village, Uvinza District. He says he has engaged himself in agriculture for the most part of his life, but what he has learned from the Kilimo…
“There is no meaningful poverty alleviation effort without addressing agriculture and its challenges.” These are words by Kigoma Urban MP Zitto Kabwe, which smallholder farmers, who are the majority populace in Tanzania and Africa at large, can easily identify with. Agriculture, after all, is the predominant economic sector in Kigoma Region, where the bulk of production comes from smallholders…
Dar es Salaam. It started just as a simple horticulture cargo handling some nine years back but TAHAFresh is today celebrating being one of the reputable logistics service providers locally and internationally. The subsidiary firm of business association Tanzania Horticultural Association (TAHA) was established in 2008 to handle the horticultural cargo and now, it has become a one stop…