INSIGHT: New scheme changing the lives of farmers in Tanzania

Dar es Salaam. Andre Mayi, 58, is a farmer from Seloto village in Babati District. He is also the village chairman. He has 10 acres of land on which he grows maize, pigeon peas, beans, bananas, vegetables and fruits. He also keeps cows, goats, milk, local chicken and pigs. In all his farming years Mayi admits he has never used industrial fertilizer until now  believing it ruins the soils and so did nearly everyone else in his village. However, through a research programme known as Africa Rising, this myth has been proven wrong.

“I do not know where this information came from. But it’s something we all believed in our village - that using fertilizer will ruin your soil. So we only used manure. But now thanks to Africa Rising we know fertilizers improve the soil and sometimes manure alone is not enough,” he said.

Integration is the new mode of operation for Africa Rising

The Africa RISING programme is researching on ways to transform the lives of small-holder farmers by supporting them to maximize from all the various components of their farming systems, from their crops, their trees and their livestock so they are not only able to feed themselves but earn a decent income and to lead a decent life of dignity.

The programme seeks to increase whole-farm productivity, improve nutrition, and increase farm incomes but -- at the same time maintaining natural resources base. 

Initiated in 2011, it is funded by USAID under the US Government’s Feed the Future (FtF) initiative. The programme is being implemented in West, East and Southern Africa.

It is led by the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) and brings together a whole range of development partners from other international research centres, national research institutes’ non-governmental organizations and the private sector to develop management practices and technology combinations that better integrate crops (cereals, legumes and vegetables), livestock (including poultry), and trees and shrubs in mixed farming systems.

“Through this programme we want to increase the productivity of smallholder farms while paying careful attention to avoid any negative environmental impacts and also address some of the challenges smallholder farmers are currently facing due to climate change. We want to use science to bring about a Green Revolution but avoid the negative consequences that are often overlooked,” said Mr Jerry Glover, USAID senior Sustainable Agricultural Systems advisor.

In Tanzania, the project is being implemented in Babati, Kongwa and Kiteto districts in Manyara and Dodoma regions.

According to Prof Mateete Bekunda of IITA and chief scientist for Africa RISING East and Southern Africa project, the normal mode of operation would be that the different research teams and projects working in an area visit the same farmer at different times to introduce their technologies ranging from soil conservation to new varieties.

It is then left up to the farmer to use the new knowledge and information received and integrate those technologies that fit best his situation.

“Under Africa RISING, the maize breeders are talking to beans and pigeon pea breeders, the soil scientist, nutritionist, gender specialist, and postharvest and value addition specialist. Together, they are trying to find out how the different technologies can best work together to complement each other for the benefit of the farmer, to improve nutrition and livelihood and to enhance the natural resource management. Which best mix of technologies can they bet on?” he says.

Dispelling the fertilizer myth

In its first year, the Africa RISING research team, conducted baseline surveys and focus group discussions with farmers to understand the priority areas to address through research. 

“One of the key challenges we identified was lack of fertilizer usage among farmers. We found  that over 81 per cent of the farmers used maize hybrids but only three per cent applied fertilizers on maize. Therefore, the majority of the farmer fields had negative nutrient balances, because of extracting the soil nutrients without replacing them,” said Prof Mateete.

The programme also carried out a soil survey mapping and characterization of the farming systems led by the International Centre for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT). The aim was to establish the soil status and advice which of the interventions are needed to improve soil fertility.

The programme therefore has a strong Integrated Soil Fertility Management (ISFM) component exploring options such as the efficient application of organic and inorganic fertilizers in the farming systems, and integration of legumes in the rotation.

Farmers as researchers

Through the programme Mayi has learned better ways of farming such as how to properly space and grow together the crops on his farm for maximum yields. He has also learned how to combine both manure with organic fertilizer to ensure his crops get all the nutrients they need.

“I have learnt that when we grow crops, we take away nutrients from the soils and we need to replace them. The projects also came and measured our soils and let us know which minerals are lacking. In our village, they found low nitrogen. We were advised to use fertilizer with nitrogen for example, minjingu mazao. And also intercrop with legumes such as beans and pigeon peas.”

“I am now conducting my own research. I applied fertilizer to a section of my land. I have seen a huge difference. Usually I get three bags but with the fertilizer I got 13 bags. And, I did not do the recommended top dressing. So that means I can even get more than this,” he said.”  “In the next planting season I will use fertilizer on an even bigger portion of my land.”

“Under Africa RISING we are working hand in hand with farmers in the selection of improved varieties. They are breeders as well. Previously, we carried out most of our research in the stations and developed high yielding varieties.

But when they were released, the rate of their uptake by farmers was low. This was simply because farmers, who are the end users, were not sufficiently involved,” said Mr Wills Munthali, one of the scientists from ICRISAT. 

“Africa RISING emphasizes  the importance of farmers involvement in its research and development activities. Their feedback is important in ensuring the technologies we develop are appropriate, acceptable and will be adopted,” he added.

Samuel Mujoweni, the chairman of Jitegemee Farmers Group, in Lakaila village in Kongwa District is also one of the farmers on whose farm the programme has a demonstration plot. 

“We have seen ways to increase the production of our farms through use of improved varieties which are early maturing and use of fertilizer. I encourage farmers to use fertilizer and construct the terraces, (fanya juu, fanya chini technology) on their farms to improve the fertility of their soil.”

Elirehema Swai from the Agricultural Research Institute (ARI)-Hombolo, one of the national research partners for Africa RISING in Tanzania, explains that Kongwa and Kiteto districts are semi-arid areas. Therefore soil and water management are critical. Land degradation is also a serious problem.

“The farmers practise poor farming methods. For example, the livestock population is much higher than the holding capacity of the land. Rainfall is unreliable and unpredictable and poverty is endemic,” he said. “We are introducing conservation agriculture and construction of terraces, among others.”

Hungry livestock

The project is also focusing on the livestock kept by the farmers to address some of the challenges they face. “Livestock feed is a major issue in our village especially during the dry season. We keep a lot of livestock – cows, goats and sheep but we do not have enough grazing land. They are therefore not well fed and give little milk and poor quality meat,” Mayi said. “The project has introduced livestock feed that we can grow on our farms for the livestock.”

He says the project is playing a very important role of teaching farmers new farming methods. “Researchers and extension workers are not adequate in the ward. They are also not well equipped. But with Africa RISING, the project is bringing knowledge to the farmers through the demo plots. We are seeing and learning things practically.”

The baseline survey found that it was estimated that the feed sources at best met up to 65 per cent of the cattle feed needs during the wet season (mainly grazing) and only 12-30 per cent during the dry season (mainly crop residues) most of the livestock were grazed or fed on crop residues, such as dry maize stover, green maize stover, bean haulms, pigeon pea residue, sugarcane tops and sweet potato vines. Forages plants were largely absent from the system.

The programme is therefore introducing improved grass and forage legumes to increase feed system productivity and quality. This will also contribute to improving the landscape quality, especially by controlling soil erosion and introducing nitrogen to the soils through biological nitrogen fixation. This component of the programme is being led by the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) and the Tanzania Livestock Research Institute (TALIRI).

Better farming of vegetables

Vegetables are very important as high value crops with ready markets and also for their nutrition. Boosting their production is one of Africa RISING’s objectives. The farmers are full of praise on the increased yield through the use of improved varieties, fertilizers and better farming methods.

 Ally Issa, from Matufa Village, has trials of the new improved varieties of tomato, amaranths and Africa white eggplant, on his farm and he is already sold into the idea of using improved farming practices including use of fertilizers and better crop varieties.

“The yields are higher than what we get from our local farming practices. Before, my farming was unplanned and without any strategy, and no use of inputs such as fertilizers. I therefore thank Africa RISING as now I have seen there is so much potential in agriculture if we practise improved farming technology, of using healthy improved varieties and good agronomical farming practices.”

John Maadary from Matufa in Babati District wishes he was young to enjoy the potential of practising modern agriculture methods and especially fertilizer application:

“I wish I was still young to make the most of this new agriculture knowledge that I have received from the researchers. Whenever I wake up and go to the farm, I smile, as I see the healthy impressive crops.  It’s like someone came and rescued me from darkness and brought me to the light. I now realize the benefit of fertilizer application to enrich the soils. A healthy soil with nutrients results in a healthy plantation.”

The World Vegetable Centre (AVRDC) whose Africa office is in Arusha, Tanzania, is leading this component.

Supporting technology adoption

One approach the project has taken to ensure the new technologies developed are taken up by the farmers through supporting technology adoption is through setting up innovation platforms. An innovation platform brings together representatives of the various stakeholders who are necessary in supporting farmers to adopt technologies.

They include policy makers, extension staff, private sector, development partners, donors, farmers groups and the farmers. The programme has initiated such a platform in Babati and Mayi is a member and represents the farmers’ interests in the platform.

“I am happy we formed an innovation platform where I am representing the farmers. I will bring the issues and challenges farmers are facing in adopting new technologies to the platform,” he said.