Arusha — A HIGH level delegation of the US Congress and government officials paid a surprise visit to local farmers, especially growers of vegetables and other horticulture products, in Arusha to learn for themselves how America has been supporting local smallholder producers.
"The Congress delegation had previously visited Ethiopia and Tanzania, but Arusha where they specifically wanted to see the horticulture sector and how small-scale growers are being assisted under the United States initiatives to improve their undertakings, secure vegetable markets and transform their lives," explained Tanzania Horticulture Association Executive Director, Ms Jackline Mkindi.
In Arusha the US delegation braved the rains as they visited Umoja Group of Agriculture comprising nearly 60 farmers operating in the remote Midawe village in Bangata ward, Moshono division, in Arusha-Rural District, which produces over 62 tonnes of vegetables per year.
"We are rather surprised but happy to receive the high-level delegation from the US who have come to see how we are doing. Vegetable growing is what is transforming the lives of villagers here.
All of us have built modern houses, send our children to school and still have enough food and money to spare," stated the group chairman, Mr Japhet Kengo Talasio.
Members of the delegation, however, preferred not to be interviewed about their trip to the villages. Two years ago, the US Feed the Future initiative, which is an American government's global hunger and food security programme, awarded a four-year, $4 million grant to the Arusha-based Tanzania Horticultural Association (TAHA) to help develop the country's horticulture sector.
The Midawe group, which has nearly 30 women members, admitted that the support from TAHA, not only helped them to practice modern methods of farming, but also assisted them in securing domestic and international markets.
Feed the Future programme, on the other hand, intends to establish lasting progress against global hunger, with focus on smallholder farmers, particularly women, whose commitment is part of the New Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition launched at the G-8 Summit in May 2012.
The executing agent in Tanzania is TAHA, which provides technical support, market analysis and political advocacy services to a wide range of local growers and businesses in the horticulture sector.
The Feed the Future grant is also supports TAHA in expanding its membership and services to the Southern Agriculture Growth Corridor of Tanzania (SAGCOT), a region identified by the government of Tanzania as having significant potential for growth in horticulture.
TAHA has played a critical role in representing the $350 million industry by providing technical guidance to farmers, advocating for policy changes and promoting Tanzanian horticulture products, both locally and abroad. Currently, TAHA member-companies represent about 10,000 smallholder farmers.
The association was part of a successful effort to encourage the government of Tanzania waive an 18 per cent Value-Added Tax on airfreight for horticulture goods, allowing Tanzanian businesses to become more competitive while increasing their earnings.
TAHA has also engaged with the government of Kenya to successfully cut road-toll fee by half and removing Kenya's import ban on cut roses so that Tanzanian horticulture firms could further increase their exports.
With the help of the Feed the Future grant, TAHA will be able to increase its staff by 50 per cent and double the number of smallholder farmers which it represents.
Source: allAfrica
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