Kilimo Kwanza
African Agriculture and Food Systems
Flower industry targets 650,000 jobs in 5 yrs
HORTICULTURE Flower industry targets 650,000 jobs in 5 yrs Over one million Tanzanians would directly work in the horticulture industry by 2020 when the global demand for the sub-sector’s products would reach $153 billion. Currently, about 350,000 Tanzanians are engaged in horticultural activities. The $1.8bn export target THE anticipated growth in Tanzania’s agricultural sector is […]
MIRA: Farmer focused policies improve livelihoods in Tanzania
By Angel Navuri Tanzania’s president, H.E. John Pombe Magufuli is pushing the country to manufacturing and agro-processing. For Augusta Madembwe a farmer based in Ikuna, Njombe district, Iringa region, she hopes the push by the president will reach her village. “If the government can create an environment that will enable processing of agro products at […]
Tanzania: young and in love with farming as business
By Angel Navuri After college education, not many young people in Tanzania would willingly chose to be farmers as a career choice due to the doggy peasantry tag associated with agriculture. The situation has been so dire, such that, to turn the tide, the government last year came up with a National Strategy for Youth […]
Mechanisation partnership pilot powers woman farmer into commercial success
By Anthony Muchoki “For years we have been told that hand hoe belongs to the museum yet, it’s what most of our people use… I never thought in my lifetime I would own a tractor and ditch the hoe,” exclaims Mama Zuhura Chonya proudly looking at her machine doing rounds at a neighbor’s farm in […]
Tanzania Southern Highlands: Africa’s potato paradise
By Angel Navuri Iringa Region in Southern Highlands of Tanzania can easily provide all the potato needs for East Africa and a large part of Africa, if its full potential is realised. At least, that is how, Sagcot Centre, sees it, after three year of implementing a pilot programme on potato seeds development funded by […]
Meru Agro: How we grew our seed multiplication business
By Anthony Muchoki Meru Agro-Tours & Consultants Co. Ltd (MATC) or simply Meru Agro has become a household name in all breadbaskets of Tanzania in the last 5 year or so. From a one man show business based in Arusha, to a nationwide presence, it has been no mean feat, for the firm’s founding director, […]
Tanzania: PhD programme generates world-class crop health scientists making a huge impact in assured food security
By Anthony Muchoki What does Dr. Kiddo Mtunda, Dr Tulole Bucheyeki and Dr. Arnold Mushongi have in common? Each one of them today, is a head of leading public owned research institution in Tanzania, and are among the few very active crop health scientist (breeders) that the country boasts of. Their story is just a […]
The gains and misses in consolidating EAC bloc’s maize granary
*Tanzania set to become no 1 producer in Africa * East Africa’s most political crop By Anthony Muchoki East African Community (EAC) maize powerhouse, Tanzania has managed to create the right conditions to leapfrog way up as Africa’s topmost corn producer, save for abrupt policy shifts, that stands on the pathway. “Fermenting proper business environment […]
Tanzania: Phenomenal rural saving society, and a worthy village market
*Model rural village By Anthony Muchoki Tandai Village in Morogoro Rural District is a good case study of a successful rural based farming economy that has led to great transformation characterised by improved livelihood and financial freedom. Located about 45 Kms from Morogoro town, the remote village twin landmark achievements are Kinole (Tandai) Market, often […]