EU-financed programme brings hope in Z’bar horticulture sector

The programme executed in 66 villages, 47 out of them in Unguja and 19 others in Pemba with a specific target to touch 10,100 beneficiaries among them 6,600 being farmers comprising 60 percent women and 40 percent youth, has seen tomato productivity increased to two metric tones in an acre per season, up from one metric tone, significantly multiplied the income for small-scale farmers.

“Make it Grow!” Horticulture for Sustainable Economic Growth in Zanzibar project has been implemented in partnership of Tanzania’s horticultural industry champion, TAHA, TRIAS and AHA under the four years European Union (EU) funded flagship programme, AGRI-CONNECT.

Zainab Shaame, a small-scale farmer from Pemba and thousands others in Zanzibar, said that their steady supply of high-quality tomatoes enabled them to secure long-term contracts with local supermarkets and wholesalers.

“In my case, the first season I was able to harvest about 7.5 metric tonnes of tomato selling them at 8.5m/-,”Shaame said over the weekend, adding that the revenue encouraged her to double her farm under tomato and the second season she was able to produce 37.5 metric tonnes, earning her 42.5m/-.

TAHA, the executor of the programme in Zanzibar provided them with training on modern techniques such as raising beds, irrigation management, pest and disease control, and efficient fertilizer application.In addition to training, TAHA facilitated access to high-quality tomato seeds and provided guidance on crop management throughout the farming cycle.Also the farmers have received support in establishing links with reliable domestic markets.“I adopted proper farming methods, which allows me and my colleagues to control environmental conditions, optimize water usage through drip irrigation processes, and protect our crops from pests and diseases,”Shaame noted.They also learned proper post-harvest handling techniques; something enabled their tomatoes reach the market in optimal condition.

Fresh data shows the EU bankrolled programme that saw massive training on good agricultural practices and uptake of modern technologies that have marked a massive impact in terms of horticultural crops output and income for growers in Zanzibar in just two years stint.

Formal statistics indicate that TAHA-supported horticultural farmers have recorded a 100 percent yield surge in just two years of the EU funded AGRI-CONNECT programme implementation, depending on the type of crops, technologies applied and geographical areas.

TAHA’s Chief Executive Officer, Dr Jacqueline Mkindi, said that her organization has since been cooperating with various local and internal players in taking the Zanzibar horticultural industry to the next level.

As a result, increased production of horticultural crops has reduced net import of fruits, vegetables, tubers and spices from 80 per cent to only 26 percent at the moment.

Through the AGRI-CONNECT Programme, TAHA also managed to link 8,000 horticultural farmers to market opportunities in and outside the country through market information systems and contract farming.

TAHA has constructed horticultural crops collection centres as well as water wells for both irrigation and domestic consumption at Mpapa and Muwanda areas.

It has also built a cold room at Mpapa for preserving perishable horticultural crops.

The organization in collaboration with AHA trained over 2,500 horticultural farmers in entrepreneurial and financial skills for them to qualify for securing loans.

Over 10,000 other farmers have been trained in good horticultural practices, with 500 of them linked to financial services and Sh2.5 billion worth loans have been extended to them.

TRIAS, another key partner, has successfully managed to link about 100 small-scale farmers to access finance through savings and credit groups.

TAHA’s nutrition and food safety campaign jointly carried out with health officials have reached out to more than 10,000 Zanzibaris, mostly children, expectant mothers and the elderly.

The overarching goal of the campaign is to end malnutrition, stunting and severe diseases.

Launching the state-of-the-art horticultural knowledge hub in Zanzibar built by TAHA, through EU and Finlad-FFD financial support, President Dr. Hussein Ali Mwinyi commended the development partners namely EU, FFD and TRIAS Belgium, saying their support will leave behind a significant footprint into Zanzibar horticulture industry.