Over 3,000 smallholder farmers in Kilombero District are being helped to increase agricultural productivity by over 30 per cent through improved farmers’ organisations.
Women In Social Entrepreneurship (WISE) has been implementing for the last six months a project that has been enhancing institutional, managerial and entrepreneurial capacities of about 62 farmers groups, with membership running to over 3,000.
The three-year project, felt that some of the issues it articulate, which is funded by Alliance for Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) and implemented by WISE according to farmers groups, is beginning to bear fruits.
Interviewed villagers led by farmers’ group apex body- Association of Mlimba High Quality Rice Grower (AMRIGO), Mr Renatus Danda, said, after becoming more organised, they were able to access inputs easily and other services needed for improved farming. “Villagers have realised the power of coming together.” He complimented.
The Farmers Organisations Capacity Enhancement Project (FOCEP) has changed the way they look at agri-business. “When we buy inputs collectively and also negotiate for markets collectively, we are able to get better deals and thus make farming more worthwhile,” he said.
Mr Ramadhani Kindamba, a Programme Officer, based at Ifakara said materials developed by WISE – business plan development, marketing and financial Literacy training modules as well as for enhancing institutional and technical capacities of farmers organisations, were playing a pivotal role in helping farmers to change their operations for the better.
WISE Executive Director, Dr Astronaut Bagile, said the project was on course and called on more farmers to come on board.
