Empowering Small-Scale Producers with SAGCOT’s Inclusive Green Growth Tool

Special Correspodent

The Inclusive Green Growth (IGG) Guiding Tool for Small-Scale Producers is a landmark achievement in Tanzania’s agricultural development, offering smallholder farmers a pathway to sustainable, resilient, and inclusive growth. Developed under the Southern Agricultural Growth Corridor of Tanzania (SAGCOT) initiative, this tool is tailored to meet the specific needs of small-scale agricultural producers, providing them with a structured framework to evaluate, enhance, and sustain their farming practices. The IGG tool aligns with national laws and integrates international environmental standards and sustainable development goals, making it an indispensable resource for small-scale producers seeking to improve their practices and achieve long-term sustainability.

Bridging Gaps in Sustainability

Agriculture is the backbone of Tanzania’s economy, with small-scale farmers comprising over 70% of the agricultural workforce. These farmers are crucial to the country’s food security and rural development, yet they often face challenges such as limited access to resources, poor infrastructure, and vulnerability to climate change. The IGG tool addresses these challenges by providing a comprehensive self-assessment guide that supports entities with investments below TZS 50 million and operations on farms ranging from 1 to 10 hectares. This focus ensures that the tool is accessible and relevant to the vast majority of smallholder farmers across the country.

The IGG tool encourages small-scale producers to assess critical aspects of their operations, such as labor practices, gender equality, environmental management, and climate adaptation. By adopting the recommendations within the tool, small-scale producers can align their practices with both national regulations and international standards, enhancing their competitiveness and resilience in the face of evolving market and environmental conditions.

Strengthening Community and Environmental Resilience

The IGG tool is built on three main principles: Inclusivity and Social Sustainability, Business Sustainability, and Environmental Sustainability. Each principle is assigned a set of points, with inclusivity and social sustainability accounting for 30 points, business sustainability for another 30 points, and environmental sustainability for 40 points. This scoring system incentivizes small-scale producers to adopt best practices in a wide range of areas crucial for social and environmental resilience.

Inclusivity and Social Sustainability

Social sustainability is a cornerstone of the IGG tool, emphasizing fair labor practices, gender equality, and community engagement. Small-scale producers are assessed on their ability to provide safe working conditions, comply with labor laws, and ensure gender parity in their workforce and leadership roles. This focus on social sustainability helps create a more inclusive agricultural sector, where marginalized groups, such as women and youth, have equal opportunities to contribute to and benefit from agricultural activities.

Another key area of social sustainability is conflict management and land tenure. Many small-scale farmers in Tanzania face land tenure challenges that can lead to disputes and hinder agricultural development. The IGG tool encourages producers to adopt transparent and inclusive land management practices that respect local communities and traditional land rights. This not only reduces conflicts but also fosters stronger relationships between farmers and the communities in which they operate.

Business Sustainability

The business sustainability component of the IGG tool helps small-scale producers strengthen their organizational and financial management capabilities. By focusing on good governance, compliance with financial laws, and certification by regulatory authorities, the tool ensures that small-scale producers are operating in a financially viable and ethically responsible manner. It also encourages producers to adopt sound operational procedures, maintain accurate records, and engage in transparent business practices.

One of the key outcomes of improving business sustainability is increased access to markets and investment opportunities. Small-scale producers who can demonstrate their commitment to sustainability and compliance are more likely to attract partnerships and investment from larger processors, agribusiness firms, and development agencies. This, in turn, enables them to expand their operations, invest in new technologies, and improve their overall productivity.

Environmental Sustainability

Environmental sustainability is at the core of the IGG tool, with 40 points allocated to this principle. The tool promotes efficient use of resources, waste management, and the adoption of climate-smart agriculture techniques. Small-scale producers are assessed on their ability to manage natural resources, minimize pollution, and adopt environmentally friendly technologies. By embracing these practices, farmers can reduce their environmental footprint, conserve biodiversity, and contribute to climate change mitigation.

The IGG tool also encourages the use of nature-based solutions, such as agroforestry and soil conservation practices. These solutions not only enhance biodiversity but also improve soil health and water retention, making farms more resilient to the impacts of climate change. By adopting climate-smart techniques, small-scale producers can better withstand extreme weather events, such as droughts and floods, and ensure the long-term viability of their operations.

A Participatory Approach to Development

The development of the IGG tool for small-scale producers was a highly participatory process involving extensive feedback from farmers, government agencies, and key partners such as the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF). This collaborative approach ensured that the tool is not only practical and user-friendly but also tailored to the specific needs and challenges faced by small-scale farmers in Tanzania.

Stakeholder engagement was a crucial part of the tool’s development. The SAGCOT Green Reference Group, co-chaired by the Vice President’s Office and the private sector, played a leading role in coordinating input from various stakeholders. The tool was piloted with selected farmers, and their feedback was incorporated into subsequent versions to improve its effectiveness and usability. As a result, the IGG tool has evolved into a comprehensive guide that empowers small-scale producers to assess their own practices and make informed decisions to enhance their sustainability.

Enhancing Productivity and Sustainability

The IGG tool has already demonstrated its value in empowering small-scale producers and improving their productivity. As of 2023, more than 500 smallholder farmers have adopted the IGG framework, leading to significant improvements in their agricultural practices and overall sustainability. By following the tool’s guidelines, farmers have been able to reduce post-harvest losses, increase their yields, and access new markets.

The tool also plays a critical role in promoting responsible investment in the agricultural sector. By helping small-scale producers demonstrate their compliance with sustainability standards, the IGG tool opens up new opportunities for partnerships and investment. This, in turn, contributes to the broader goals of Tanzania’s Five Year Development Plan and Climate Change Strategy (2021-2026), which aim to build a resilient and sustainable agricultural sector.

A Holistic Approach to Agricultural Development

The IGG tool represents a holistic approach to agricultural development, integrating social, environmental, and business sustainability principles. By empowering small-scale producers to improve their practices, the tool is helping to transform the agricultural sector into a driver of inclusive economic growth and environmental resilience. The tool’s success is a testament to the power of collaboration and the commitment of Tanzania’s agricultural stakeholders to sustainable development.

The Inclusive Green Growth Guiding Tool for Small-Scale Producers is a game-changer for Tanzania’s agricultural sector. By providing smallholder farmers with the tools and guidance they need to improve their practices, the IGG tool is fostering a more sustainable, resilient, and inclusive agricultural industry. As more farmers adopt the IGG principles, Tanzania is set to achieve its vision of a thriving agricultural sector that not only contributes to national food security but also supports the long-term well-being of its people and the environment.