FARMERS FIELD DAY AT IDIMI VILLAGE (MBEYA DISTRICT)
The southern highlands of Tanzania is one of the breadbasket areas in the country. However, the crop productivity is beset by challenges along the agricultural value chains. The challenges range from depleted soils, lack of access to improved seeds and fertilizers, inadequate public extension services, weak farmer organizational structures and inefficiencies in the marketing systems.
To address these numerous challenges, the project incorporates AGRA’s value chain approach that integrates interventions from – production (access to improved seed and other inputs, ISFM/CA and other conservation agriculture enhancers -GAP).The over-arching goal of the project is to increase smallholder farmers’ incomes and food security through boosting productivity and access to structured produce markets in the Southern Highlands in Tanzania.
African Conservation Tillage Network (ACT) is among the key partners in the implementation of the project funded by AGRA “Integrated project to increase agricultural productivity in the breadbasket areas of southern highlands Tanzania”. Soil health (conservation agriculture, climate smart agriculture, SLM) is key to increase productivity in the project area (Sumbawanga, Kyela, Mbarali, Mbeya Rural, Momba, Mbozi)
March 31st, 2015 ACT organized and conducted farmers field day which attracted more than 250 farmers from Idimi, Iyawaya, Ipompo, Haporoto, Horongo, Mshewe and Itagano that was held in Idimi village-Mbeya Rural district. The purpose was to create awareness to farmers and practitioners on the importance of soil health and other soil amendment (Conservation agriculture practice) by observing different treatment in the demonstration plots. The event was officiated by Mr. Marselin Mlelwa on behalf of DED Mbeya, other officers where DAICO, district agricultural officers, WEO’s and VEO’s (Mbeya rural), Community Extension Workers (CEW), Ihando councilors, other stakeholders were ARI-Uyole, private sector like Yara, Syngenta, RUCODIA and media.
Explaining the benefits of CA verses conventional agriculture ACT Field Officer for southern highlands said that “CA simplifies workload, maintains soil profile, keeps beneficially organisms in the soil, reduces emission of carbon gases that in turn help in mitigating climate change consequences but also through CA there will be no soil erosion due to the availability of cover crops”
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| ACT field Officer explaining to the participants in the ISFM demo plot. The one in suit is the acting DED Mr. Mlelwa. |
On topping up during the events, the acting DED Mr. Mlelwa with ACT field officer and acting DAICO by saying that “Now is the right time to adopt on CA technology in your farms due to climate changes and your very lucky to be involved in the intervention and for those who are not in this group and you attended then it is obviously you see the benefit of CA, then go and practice it in the next season and don’t hesitate to communicate with ACT people for assistance”
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| ACT Field Officer showing the advantages of using legumes as rotational crops in CA. |
Legumes like Soya bean and lablab beans have been promoted to reduce the production cost and add nutrients to the soil, application of Rhizobium to soya bean as a measure to increase productivity and reduce production costs, different tillage treatment to measure time collapsed during field operation and production cost and efficiently fertilizer use for soil amendment is the core treatments of the demonstration plots.
The use and availability of industrial fertilizers and pesticides was presented by representatives from Yara and Syngenta respectively so that the farmers have good knowledge of use and appropriate source for those inputs.
By ACT Tanzania Team