Malnutrition bites in Northern TZ

Arusha. Farmers in the Northern Zone are being encouraged to grow soybeans to combat malnutrition and stunting.

The beans have a high soy protein, which is good for nutrition.

Officially, the national malnutrition prevalence rate is 34 per cent, but in Arusha the level is as high as 36 per cent.

In recent decades about 600,000 under-fives are estimated to have died of undernourishment.

In an attempt to improve the health status, the African Fertiliser and Agribusiness Partnership (Afap) has teamed up with Farm Radiant International to empower smallholder farmers in nutrition and food security to reduce malnutrition and stunting.

Afap public private partnerships and investments director Mbette Msolla said they chose legume crops including soybeans which are important crops but not prioritised.

“Our focus was in Kilimanjaro, Arusha, Ruvuma, Njombe, Mbeya, Iringa, Morogoro and Manyara regions to scale up improved legume production and especially soybeans which are rich in protein and are therefore good for farmers who cannot afford meat and fish in their diets.”

He noted that in every region, the government chose districts that the crop would first be introduced.

In the case of Northern Zone, Karatu District in Arusha and Moshi and Hai in Kilimanjaro were chosen.

To introduce the crop, farmers had to be educated through brochures, community radios and demonstration plots.

“Radio is among the easiest ways of communication; so we prepared 20 to 25 programmes per season to educate farmers on the best farming practices as well as soy protein potential. The same was also done on brochures and demo plots,” he said.

According to him, the government allocated demonstration plots.

Improved seeds and fertilisers had to be produced and best farming methods taught.

Farmer Christopher Lohay, of Changarawe Village in Karatu District, has realised that soybean seeds are drought-resistant. “We sowed the seeds at a time when soil was wet, but rain delayed for five weeks and we thought the seeds would rot. However, to our amazement when the rain came they sprouted and grew well.”

He said since he could not afford to provide meat and fish daily for his family, he aims at growing soybeans to have protein.

According to him, soya protein can be grinded and mixed in wheat and maize flour to make food nutritious.

Arusha agriculture officer Daniel Loiruck spoke of high malnutrition and stunting in Karatu and that quick intervention was needed.

According to him, the first 1,000 days of a child were important and right nutrition should be provided to avoid stunting.

“Karatu has a high rate of stunting which not only affects children physically but also the brain.” He called on farmers to plant soybeans and ensure families consume them for better nutrition.

Meanwhile, in Nduruma village, Arumeru District in Arusha, farmers are ready to grow soybeans to feed families and raise incomes.

Farmer Ahmed Mohamed has been buying the beans at between Sh1,500 to Sh2,000 a kilo, grind them and prepare nutritious porridge.

After witnessing at a demo farm how the crop thrives, Mr Mohamed is ready to grow the crop.

“We are ready to grow the crop, but problem is where to get the right kind of seeds.”

Arusha District Council agriculture officer Lucy Mvungi has advised village councils to prepare lists of farmers interested in growing the crop, and submit them to the district which will forward them to the Agriculture Seeds Agency (Asa).

“Alternatively farmers can outsource the seeds from Asa through the Declared Quality Seeds programme to get training to ensure the seeds are of the right quality.”

District agricultural officer Simon Jacob said although soybeans had high protein content, the crop was not grown there.

He hailed Afap for introducing the crop and teaching farmers on how to grow it to ensure their families are nourished and increase incomes.

Arusha District has 65 villages and it is important to launch demonstration farms to train villagers on how to grow the crop.

In Moshi District, farmers have also been sensitised to grow soybeans, which are highly demanded because they are nutritious.

Moshi Rural District agriculture irrigation and cooperative officer Peter Mcharo said during the financial year 2016/2017 Afap introduced the crop.

According to him, the crop has 40 percent protein that can be consumed to stem stunting and high malnutrition rates.

He noted that the district was preparing a demonstration farm in Uparo Village to train farmers on best soybean farming methods.

“While demand for soya protein is high, our farmers were not growing the crop because they were unaware of its potential,” he said.

However, cautioned the public that soya protein should not be used as a vegetable but rather as a nutritious produce.

Moshi District crop subject matter specialist Joyce Kessy called on Afab to open demonstration farms to other 156 villages in the district to encourage other farmers to grow the crop.

She said despite its potential, farmers in the district are yet to grow it. Currently, soybeans are sold at between Sh2,500 and Sh3,000 a kilo.

Soybeans are grown in Njombe, Mbeya, Iringa and Morogoro, which produce between 3,000 and 4,000 tonnes, lower that the demand of 20,000 tonnes.

To bridge the deficit, soybeans are imported from Malawi and Uganda.