Kamati ya Kudumu ya Bunge, Tawala na Serikali za Mitaa pamoja na naibu  Waziri Ofisi ya Raisi TAMISEMI Mh. Josephat Sinkamba Kandege, wametembelea soko la kimataifa la Kibaigwa kwa lengo la kujionea changamoto mbalimbali za uendeshaji wa soko hilo ambalo limejengwa na MVIWATA mwaka 2004 kwa kushirikiana na  serikali ya Ufaransa na kugharimu zaidi ya bilioni 1.5.

Ziara hiyo inakuja baada ya kamati hiyo ya Bunge kukutana na baadhi ya viongozi wa MVIWATA Novemba mwaka 2017 katika ukumbi wa Dodoma Hoteli  akiwemo Mkurugenzi Mtendaji Stepheni Ruvuga pamoja na Mwenyekiti Mstaafu Ndugu Veronica Sophu wakiambatana  na viongozi wote wa masoko  yaliyojengwa chini ya MVIWATA na kubainisha changamoto wanazokutana nazo katika uendashaji wa masoko hayo ikiwemo baadhi ya halmashauri kuchukua mapato yote ya soko bila kurudisha kiasi cha fedha ambacho walikubaliana katika mkataba, hali inayopelekea bodi ya masoko kushindwa kujiendesha hatua inayopeleka masoko hayo kuchakaa ikiwemo mizani, mabati, majengo ya soko kuchakaa,na pamoja na mazingira kutokuwa rafiki kwa watumiaji kutokana na kukosa maboresho kwa muda wa mrefu ikiwemo mashine mbalimbali za kuchujia nafaka.

Akitoa taarifa fupi ya soko, Meneja wa soko la Kibaigwa Kusekwa Dalali  amesema changamoto kubwa inayowakabili ni halmashauri ya wilaya ya Kongwa mkoani Dodoma kukusanya mapato yote ya soko na kushindwa kurudishia kiasi cha fedha walichokubaliana  katika mkataba, pamoja na halmashauri hiyo kubadisha mkataba wa uendeshwaji wa soko  kiholela bila kuwashirikisha upande mwingine, Kushuka mara kwa mara kwa bei za mazao ikiwemo mahindi, Mbaazi na Mpunga, kuwa na eneo dogo la soko kutokana na mahitaji ya sasa, uchakuvu wa miundo mbinu mbalimbali iliyopo sokoni ikiwemo Mizani, majengo, fensi, barabara, mashine za kusafishia mahindi, kuibuka kwa masoko holela jirani na soko,  uwepo wa ukusanyaji wa ushuru kwenye njia zinazoingia sokoni hatua inayopelekea wakulima wengi kuuza mazao yao nje ya soko.

Baada ya kusikiliza taarifa hiyo fupi kamati hiyo ya bunge ukatembelea maeneno mbalimbali yaliyotajwa kwenye taarifa kwa lengo la kuhakikisha kile kilichobainishwa  dodoma na taarifa iliyosomwa zina usahihi, na ndipo hapo  walipogundua ukweli hatua iliyopelekea kamati hiyo kupitia kwa mwenyekiti wake msaidizi wa kamati  Mh. Mwanne Nchemba ambaye pia ni Mbunge wa viti maalumu Tabora kutoa  siku ishirini na moja kwa wizara ya Tamisemi kuanzia April 22 mwaka huu kuhakikisha wanatatua changamoto hiyo kwa kuwakutanisha MVIWATA na viongozi wa halmashauri ya wilaya ya Kongwa na baada ya hapo watoe taarifa kwa kamati hiyo huku pia kamati hiyo akiagiza ukarabati wa soko, mizani, eneo la maegesho ya  magari  pamoja mabati kufanyika haraka pamoja na kuagiza masoko holela yalipo nje ya soko la Kibaigwa kuondolewa kwa kutunga sheria ndogo ya usimamizi wa maeneo, huku pia wakiomba wizara hiyo ya Tamisemi kwa kushirikiana na MVIWATA kuipeleka kamati hiyo ya bunge katika halmashauri ya Mbalali mbeya ambayo inatekeleza mradi huo kwa ufanisi kwa lengo la kujionea na kulinganisha kwanini halmashauri ya wilaya ya Kongwa inashindwa kufanya hivyo kama halmashuri nyingine.

Kwa upande wake Naibu waziri wa TAMISEMI ndugu Josephat Kandege amesema hawezi kuliacha jambo hilo zuri kufia katika mikono yake hivyo atahakikisha atalisimamia na ndani ya siku ishirini na moja atapata jibu la uhakika kuhusu sakata hilo, huku akisema atapitia mikataba ya pande zote mbili ikiwemo MVIWATA na halmashauri ya Kongwa la kujua tatizo nini ndani ya siku hizo 21 alizopewa na kamati bunge.

Mkurugenzi Mtendaji wa MVIWATA ndugu Stephen Ruvuga amesema amepokea maagizo yote aliyopewa na kamati hiyo ya bunge kuhakikisha changamoto mbalimbali zinazojitokeza zinatatuliwa huku akisema  wanajua halamashauri nyingi ziko kwenye heka heka za kukusanya mapato lakini wao kama MVIWATA wako tayari kukaa meza moja na kutoa ushauri kwa halmashauri jinsi gani ya kuongeza ukusanyaji wa mapato.

Licha ya changamoto hizo lukuki uwepo wa soko la Kibaigwa umechangia kuongezeka kwa ajira Kibaigwa na katika vijiji vya jirani kupitia shughuli za sokoni, biashara mbalimbali na huduma kama za mebenki, huku pia soko hilo likiwa ni chanzo kikubwa cha mapato kwa halmashauri ya wilaya Kongwa ambapo kwa kipindi cha miaka kumi na minne (14) iliyopita yaani 2004 – 2017 halmashauri hiyo imekusanya zaidi ya shilingi 2,450,148,250/=.

MWISHO.

Jumla ya wakulima viongozi  thelathini (30) maarufu kama Mapromota kutoka mikoa mitatu(3) ya Tanzania bara ambayo ni Ruvuma, Shinyanga na Morogoro wamepatiwa mafunzo na mtandao wa vikundi vya wakulima  Tanzania (MIVWATA), mafunzo hayo yamefanyika kuanzia tarehe 13/03/2018 mpaka Tarehe 27/03/2018 katika kituo cha mafunzo cha PAUL MAUMBA kilichopo katika kata ya TAWA, Tarafa ya MATOMBO, Wilaya ya MOROGORO VIJIJINI yakiwa na lengo la kuwajengea  uwezo wakulima wadogo katika nyanja mbalimbali ili kuwawezesha na kuboresha uwezo wao wa kutafuta masuluhisho katika changamoto mbalimbali wanazokutana nazo pamoja na kwenda kutoa elimu hiyo na ujuzi walioupata kwa wenzao katika jamii wanakotokea na kuimarisha vikundi na mitandao ya wakulima wadogo ndani ya nchi na kufaidisha wakulima wadogo kiujumla kupitia mabadilishano ya ujuzi.

MVIWATA wametekeleza mafunzo hayo ya Mapromota ikiwa ni mmojawapo wa mpango mkakati wake kwa mwaka 2017- 2021, kulenga kutoa  mafunzo ya uongozi kwa wanachama wake kukiwa na lengo kubwa la kuzalisha wachochea mabadiliko katika jamii za wakulima wadogo ambapo kupitia mafunzo hayo wamejengewa uwezo  ambao nao wataenda kuusambaza kwa wakulima wengine mahali walipotoka kwa lengo kuwa na uelewa mmoja kuhusu masuala mbalimbali ya kilimo nchini.

Zaidi ya wakulima  120  ambao ni wanachama wa MVIWATA  wanategemewa kupatiwa mafunzo hayo ya uongozi (Mapromota) kwa mwaka 2018, huku kuanzia January mpaka March mwaka huu mapromoto 30 tayari washapatiwa mafunzo hayo, kumi na watano wakiwa ni wa kiume(15) na wengine kumi na Watano wakiwa ni wa kike (15) kutoka mikoa mitatu ya Tanzania bara.

Huku katika mafunzo hayo washiriki waliandaa na kuwasilisha mpango kazi katika ngazi ya mkoa  na kupata maoni mbalimbali kutoka kwa muwezashaji wa mada na washiriki wengine kwa maboresho ili kufanikisha ufanisi wa kazi zilizopangwa, pamoja na kubadilishana ujuzi na uzoefu kwa njia mbalimbali za kuimarisha mtandao na kuwezesha elimu ya MVIWATA kwa waliowanachama na wasio wanachama.

Mafunzo hayo ya maparomota yanatarajiwa kuendelea tena  kufanyika kimakundi mwezi Mei mwaka 2018 (NEW INTAKE/BATCH) kwa lengo la kutimiza idadi inayotakiwa kwa mwaka huu wa 2018 huku kwa sasa baadhi ya mapromota wanaendelea na mafunzo ya kisheria kuhusiana na masuala mbalimbali ya ardhi.

MWISHO.

Balozi wa Ireland Nchini ndugu H:E Paul Sherlock April 17 mwaka huu 2018 ametembea ofisi za mtandao wa Vikundi vya wakulima Tanzania (MVIWATA) ngazi ya kati Shinyanga kwa lengo la kukagua miradi mbalimbali ya maendeleo inayoendeshwa  na mtandao huo wa kulima na kufadhiliwa na ubalozi huo Ireland.

Katika Msafara huo Balozi ameambatana na maafisa wengine wawili kutoka ubalozi wa Ireland pamoja na viongozi wa mkoa wa Shinyanga akiwemo Katibu tawala ambaye amemuwakilisha mkuu wa mkoa, afisa kilimo wilaya, afisa kilimo Manispaa, afisa elimu mkoa na viongozi wengine, huku kwa upande wa MVIWATA  mkurugenzi ndugu Steven Ruvuga  pamoja na mjumbe wa bodi ndugu Charles Ndugulile wakiambatana na viongozi wa ngazi ya kati Shinyanga pamoja na baadhi ya wanachama kutoka kata ya LUBAGA walishiriki katika tukio hilo la kuwapokea wageni huo kutoka ubalozi wa Ireland.

Katika hotuba yake balozi Paul ameupongeza uongozi wa MVIWATA kwa kufanya kazi kwa ukaribu zaidi serikali pamoja na vikundi vingine  hatua ambayo inasaidia kutatua changamoto mbalimbali zinazowakabili wakulima kwa urahisi zaidi kutokana na kuwa wa moja licha ya ugumu uliopo katika sekta hiyo huku ukisema kazi inayofanya na MVIWATA ni muhimu sana katika jamii pamoja na taifa kwa ujumla.

Balozi Paul amesema sekta ya kilimo ni sekta ngumu inayohitaji kujizatiti hasa kukabiliana na changamoto mbalimbali ikiwemo ya ukosefu wa masoko kwa mazao mbalimbali ya wakulima, ukosefu wa mbegu bora pamoja na changamoto mbalimbali za ulizashaji ambazo wakulima wamekuwa wakikumbana nazo kila kukicha huku akisema kuwa kilimo ni uti wa mgongo kwa taifa hivyo wakulima hawana budi kufundishwa zaidi juu ya kilimo cha kisasa chenye tija kwa taifa.

Balozi hakuishia hapo bali pia amewataka wanachama na viongozi wa MVIWATA kuendelea kufanya kazi ya kwa kujituma zaidi na kuendelea kutoa misaada mbalimbali kwa wakulima licha ya uwepo wa baadhi ya changamoto ambazo zimekuwa zikirudisha nyuma juhudi za mtandao huo lakini amewataka kuacha kukata tamaa kutokana na kazi wanaoifanya kuwa ya muhimu sana katika jamii inayowazunguuka huku pia akisema ubalozi huo utaendelea kufanya kazi na MVIWATA kwa pamoja kwa lengo la kuangalia namna gani ya kuweza  kuboresha sekta hiyo ya kilimo kutokana na kuwa na umuhimu mkubwa katika jamii na taifa.

Kwa upande wake Mkurugenzi wa Mviwata ndugu Stephen Ruvuga umeushukuru ubalozi huo wa Ireland kwa kuendelea kushirikiana MVIWATA katika kufadhili miradi mbalimbali ya maendeleo yenye lengo la kumkomboa mkulima ili naye kunufaika na matunda ya kilimo chake, huku akisema Mviwata itaendelea kutoa huduma mbalimbali kwa jamii katika nyanja tofauti kwa lengo la kuhakikisha mkulima anapiga hatua kutoka sehemu moja kwenda sehemu nyingine kimaendeleo.

Wageni hao Kutoka nchini Ireland wametembelea ofisi ya Mviwata kanda ya kati Shinyanga ambayo ipo jengo la Pamba mkoani Shinyanga pamoja na kusikiliza baadhi ya changamoto zinazowakabili wanachama ngazi ya chini yaani kata ya Lubaga pamoja na ngazi ya mkoa wa Shinyanga.

MWISHO

Zaidi ya wananchi 200 kutoka vijiji vya Msowero na Mambegwa wilayani Kilosa mkoani Morogoro wamepatiwa huduma ya msaada wa kisheria juu ya masuala mbalimbali yanahusu ardhi kutoka kwa wanasheria wa mtandao wa vikundi vya wakulima Tanzania (MVIWATA) kwa lengo la kupunguza migogoro ya mara kwa mara ardhi ambayo imekuwa sugu wilayani humo hatua inayopelekea vifo pamoja na ulemavu wa kudumu miongoni mwa wananchi.

Kayunga Yango ni mwanasheria wa Mtandao wa Vikundi vya wakulima Tanzania (MVIWATA) amesema wameandaa mpango huo kwa lengo la kuwajengea uelewa wananchi kuhusu masuala ya ardhi kutokana na idadi kubwa wa wakazi hao kushindwa kufahamu wajibu wao kisheria hatua inayopelekea wengi wao kupoteza haki zao za msingi kutokana na kutojua sheria hatua inayopelekea kuingia kwenye migogoro isiyo kuwa na tija kwa taifa.

Kwa upande wake Mkurugenzi wa MVIWATA Stepehen Ruvuga amesema wanaishukuru serikali ya awamu ya tano chini ya Raisi Magufuli kusikiliza kilio cha wakulima na kuamua kufuta mashamba pori ambayo yalikuwa hayaendelezwi kwa muda mrefu huku pia akibainishwa kuwa kwa sasa ni utekelezaji tu ugawaji wa mashamba hayo kuzingatiwa ili kuwawezesha wananchi wote kunufaika na mashamba hayo.

Ruvuga amesema MVIWATA wataendelela kutoa huduma hiyo ya kisheria na  sehemu nyingine nchini kwa lengo la kuwawezesha wakulima walio wengi kujua na kutambua haki zao kisheria kuhusu masuala ya ardhi ikiwa ni sehemu moja wapo ya kuunga mkono jitihada za serikali ya awamu ya tano juu ya kutokomeza migogoro ya ardhi inayotokea mara kwa mara katika wilaya za Kilosa na Mvomero.

Katika utoaji huo wa msaada wa kisheria jumla ya wanasheria watano kutoka MVIWATA  waliweza kufika maeneo hayo ya Mambegwa na Msowero  na kutoa huduma hiyo  ya msaada wa kisheria juu ya ardhi na mirathi kwa mtu mmoja mmoja pamoja na kusikiliza shida ya pamoja huku idadi kubwa ya watu wakijitokeza kupata huduma.

MWISHO

Wanachi Kata za Mvumi na Msowero wilayani Kilosa mkoani Morogoro wameiomba serikali kuweka utaratibu wa kuwawezesha kuyatumia mashamba yaliyofutwa umiliki toka kwa wawekezaji na Raisi wa Jamhuri wa Muungano wa Tanzania mwishoni mwa mwaka jana, ambapo wamedai wamekua wakiyategemea kwa kilimo tangu yakiwa chini ya wawekezaji lakini tangu kufutwa kwa umiliki wa mashamba hayo na raisi na kuyarudisha serikalinii ngazi ya wilaya kumekua na sintofahamu juu ya maeneo hayo, hatua inayopelekea wananchi hao kushindwa kuendelea na shughuli zao za kilimo katika mashamba hayo.

Rai hiyo ya wananchi imetolewa wakati wa ufunguzi wa maadhimisho ya siku ya wanawake Dunia yaliyofanyika katika Kijiji cha Ludewa- Gongoni wilayani Kilosa yaliyoandaliwa na mtandao wa vikundi vya wakulima nchini (MVIWATA) na kufanikikiwa kuwakutanisha wananchi, Viongozi wa serikali,na wanasheria lengo likiwa ni kujadili changamoto mbalimbali za ardhi zinazowakabili wananchi hao.

Wananchi hao wamesema kwa kipindi kirefu wamekua wakiyatumia maeneo hayo kwa kilimo kwa kupatiwa vibali toka kwa wawekezaji, lakini baada ya Serikali kufuta umiliki hakuna utaratibu maalumu uliowekwa wa kuwawezesha kuyatumia maeneo hayo hatua ambayo inapelekea wananchi wengi kushindwa kufanya shughuli zao za kilimo kutokana na kukosa maeneo ya kilimo.

Kwa upande wake Mwanasheria wa Mtandao wa Wakulima MVIWATA Kuyunga Yango  amesema uwepo wa elimu ndogo kwa wananchi kuhusu sheria ya ardhi inachangia pia wananch wengi kushindwa kujua haki zao hatua inayopelekea wengine kupoteza mali na wengine kulalamika bila kujua utaratibu jinsi ulivyo, huku  akiwataka wananchi hao kuacha kulalamika na babadala yake wafuate utaratibu wa sheria unavyotakiwa ili kuweza kuwasaidia changamoto za mara kwa mara za ardhi zinazotokea katika wailaya hiyo ya Kilosa .

Kwa upande wake mkurugenzi wa MVIWATA ndugu Stephen Ruvuga amesema wameamua kutoa elimu hiyo ya kisheria kwa wakazi wa Kilosa na Mvomero kutokana na maeneo hayo kuwa na changamoto kubwa ya migogoro ya ardhi hivyo wanaungana na serikali ya awamu ya tano chini ya raisi Dr John Pombe Magufuli kuhakikisha wanatokomeza migorogo hiyo kwa njia ya utoaji wa elimu kuhusu sheria ya ardhi pamoja na kutoa msaada wa kisheria kwa wale wote wenye matatizo kuhusu ardhi katika maeneo hayo.

Mgeni rasmi katika ufunguzi huo ambaye umemuwakilisha Mkuu wa Mkoa wa Morogoro Dr Kebwe Steven, Katibu tawala msaidizi inayesimamia uchumi Ernest Mkongo amesema kwa sasa wanaandaa mpango maalumu wa kuhakikisha mashamba hayo ya wawekezaji yaliyofutiwa kibali na raisi yanagawiwa kwa wananchi huku akipongeza maamuzi ya mtandao wa vikundi vya wakulima MVIWATA kujitokeza katika maeneo hayo na kutoa msaada wa kisheria kwa wananchi ambao wengi wao hawana uelewa mpana juu ya Sheria.

Kwa upande wake katibu tawala wilaya ya Kilosa ndugu Yohana Kasitila amesema kwa sasa hali imekuwa shwari katika wilaya huku akisema migogoro ya mara kwa mara ya ardhi imepungua kwa kiasi kikubwa  mwaka huu tofauti na miaka mingine, huku akisema jitihida mbalmbali za serikali na wadau wa kilimo ndio imechangia kwa kiasi kikubwa kupungua kwa migogoro hiyo ambayo imekuwa kero wa wananchi.

Kasitila hakuishia hapo bali pia ametoa shukrani za dhati kwa mtandao wa vikundi vya wakuliama MVIWATA kwa kujitokeza na  kutoa msaada wa kisheria kwa wananchi ambao wengi wao ni wakulima, huku pia akitoa wito kwa mkurugenzi wa MVIWATA kutembea maeneno mengine ndani ya wilaya hiyo ambayo yamekuwa na changamoto hiyo ya ardhi kwa lengo la kuwajengea wigo mpana wa uelewa wananchi.

Wakati wa uzinduzi wa kiwanda cha Sigara cha Mariboro kilicho kata ya Mkambarani mkoani Morogoro raisi Dr John Pombe Magufuli amesema mashamba hayo ameyafuta kwa lengo la wananchi kugawiwa bure lakini anashangaa mpaka leo bado utekelezaji unasitasita huku akikili uwepo matatizo makubwa ya ardhi katika Mkoa wa Morogoro ikiwemo Kilosa.

Mtandao wa Vikundi vya Wakulima Tanzania (MVIWATA) has sought support from legislators in taking to task the government on critical issues facing smallholder farmers in the country.

The organizationheld the advocacy meeting recently at the Pius Msekwa conference in Dodoma to engage with the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Agriculture, Livestock and Water.

Accompanied with farmers from different areas and few staff, the MVIWATA executive director Stephen Ruvuga presented real issues constraining smallholder farmers in the country before the committee.

He suggested to legislators to press to the government need to have laws and/ policy that will protect land rights of smallholder producers as opposed to investors, finding lasting solution of the prevailing land conflicts, taming rampant circulation of fake farm inputs (fertilizers, seeds and pesticides) and reinstating strict laws on GMOs in the country.

At the meeting that was chaired by acting chairman Daniel Nsanzugwako, invited farmers informed the committee that there was still confusion between the directives issued by the central government on the ban to use farm gate /barriers levies.

“Whereas it has been abolished by the minister’s announcement, in reality, the councils were still collecting the levies, saying the government just ordered the ban but did not give councils other alternative sources of revenues,” said Hawa Kihwele, a farmer from Mbarali.

There was a consensus that the parliamentarians should present such cases to the respective minister on the matter at the ongoing parliament session.

MVIWATA members present at the meeting got chance to raise voice on need for the legislators to speak on irrigation schemes that were abandoned in different Councils such as in Muleba, where such schemes could have helped farmers to continue with production even during drought season.

Farmers also appealed to members of the committee to pressurize the government on investors who still hold chunks of lands (undeveloped) and that the minister should make the 5th government intention to annul such licenses a reality.

Citing an example, a small-scale farmer Ms Nelly Muhando told legislators that in her Mambegwa village, Kilosa district, about 8,000 acres have been grabbed by investors leaving only 4,000acres for villagers of 1300 households.

She called for swift surveying of the villages to demarcate village borders through Land Use Management Plan to halt land disputes between farmers and pastoralists and between small producers and investors.

Summing up the dialogue, the committee acting chairman Nsanzugwako said that all the concerns were taken on board for further action. However, he insisted that such dialogue be held more regularly every before budgetary sessions so that the Standing Committee (Agriculture) familiarizes with smallholder farmers hurdles and follow them up with the government during and after parliament seating.

The National Network of Farmers Groups Tanzania (MVIWATA) has paid outstanding tribute to His Excellency President John Pombe Magufuli for taking various measures that seek to tackle real issues that constrain development of smallholder farmers in the country.

Through his remarks given at different occasions, the President has expressed his true intentions to give relief to small-scale producers in the country that feed the entire nation without reaping tangible benefits of their noble work of agriculture, livestock keeping and fishery.

The farmers’ organization was particularly touched by the speech of HE President he had made while talking to Chato residents, where he noted to be clearly offended by the agony and sufferings of small scale farmers in the country, which make large part of the population.

Reading the statement on behalf of the members, the MVIWATA Chairperson Ms Veronica Sophu recently here in Morogoro said smallholder farmers were happy by how the President has swiftly taken various measures to identify and address the concerns of small-scale farmers in the country.

“Specifically, we commend him for eliminating nuisance tax, charges and tariffs that were big burden to us. Also we applaud his order to reduce trade barriers on the main road so as traders can transport commodities including farmers produce at easy.

We would like also to commend the President for his decision to repossessing undeveloped pieces of land that were held by investors. The move has come at the right time where there is public outcry in many areas where their land was grabbed by people with financial muscles.”

Although farmers have so many challenges, Ms Sophu told journalists present at the media briefing that smallholder farmers were confident that the 5th phase government will deal with all constraints that irk farmers one after another.

She mentioned some of the challenges remaining to include land security, fake agricultural- inputs, lack of markets for their produce and lack of capital and financial support to expand their activities.

In his hardly six months in office, the President has shown his clear vision to cutting costs and taking administrative action against incompetent and corrupt public servants that have contributed to surging of land conflicts in the country.

On his side, the MVIWATA executive director Stephen Ruvuga said it was heartening to see, for the first time, 40 per cent of the Agricultural sector going to finance development projects in the 2016/17 financial year, showing clear intention to boost the sector.

This is a big step and should be supported by all Tanzanians who have good intention with our country, he said.

“We recognize that the President Magufuli has set priorities in the social services including education, health and water infrastructure in the new budget, we believe under his leadership, the agricultural sector will reach at least 10 per cent of annual national budget.

This is because agriculture provides direct employment to 80 per cent of Tanzanians, let alone those employed in transporting, trading and in crop processing industries.”

Members of MVIWATA strongly back all measures that the President has taken in cutting government expenditure, increasing revenues collection , restoring discipline and accountability in the public and private sectors while encouraging Tanzanians to work really hard wherever they are.

About 300 cashew nut farmers based in Masasi district, Mtwara region are expected to benefit from crops insurance scheme under the Farm Risk Management for Africa project.

The project is implemented in three countries including Burkina Faso, Tanzania and Zambia. In Tanzania the project is implemented by the National Network of Farmers Groups in Tanzania (MVIWATA).

Speaking at the Crop Insurance workshop held recently in Morogoro bringing together farmers from Masasi, Kiteto-Manyara, Kongwa-Dodoma regions organized by MVIWATA, Senior Associate from Acre Africa Christopher Mazali said the scheme shall primarily cover cashew nuts farmers from Masasi.

He added that scheme which protects smallholder farmers against adverse weather conditions such as floods or drought, could also cover different farmers including for cashew nuts and maize in areas where the project is implemented.

“The major purpose for issuing insurance to farmers’ crops is to help them have a guarantee of their produce against weather related calamities including drought, floods and strong wind by compensating farmers for yield losses and simultaneously ease access to production finance,” he detailed.

Weather index insurance protects farmers from natural calamities like drought and floods to several crops including cashew nuts, beans, maize, coffee, cotton and paddy.

“The amount of premium that farmers need to pay depends on the total amount of capital that will be invested by farmers groups,” the expert said.

According to him, the insurance come with advantage to farmers to be able to access loans from financial institutions in partnership with the Acre Africa.

For her part, Market Facilitator for MVIWATA Acquiline Wamba said the rationale for the project was to enable African smallholder farmers to better manage farm risks which are prevalent at every stage of the agricultural value chain.

She said that, besides market challenges, farmers were still facing high production risks that are prevalent due to climate change and other natural disasters such floods, drought and occurrence of diseases.

“It is expected that, by using these tools, smallholders will be able to reduce their exposure to downward shocks, improve access to credit and to improve their capacity to invest in agriculture.”

Commenting on the move, Saudi Matonya a maize farmer based in Dodoma, said the scheme was so crucial to farmers as it would help them contain field risks that hinder their gain.

Matonya added that, due to prevalent of weather related risks, most if farmers in Dodoma quit from farming while others shift from Dodoma and move to other regions to farm there, which threatens food security of the region.

For his part, Secretary for farmers’ cooperative at Liwale district, Lindi said the major problem they faced in their activities was the low price for cashew nuts that fluctuate time to time.

“We are welcoming the scheme as we believe it would help us access to loan from financial institutions for our activities, which has been a major hindrance in farming development,” he added.

In a bid to assisting smallholder farmers to be able to tap vast potential of horticultural crops especially spices, MVIWATA is set to link producers with buyers in the international market.

Spices producers in Kinole and Tawa villages on Uluguru Mountain have been fetching poor prices for their produce such as black pepper, cinnamon, cardamom and clove while middlemen with market information continue minting cash over farmers’ backs.

Speaking at a stakeholder consultative-meeting recently in Morogoro, Kinole Saccos Manager Abbas Rajab said for years unscrupulous middlemen have been collecting the spices from their villages and export them to Uganda and to the European countries where they sell at better prices.

“We are glad to see that our organization is helping us to identifying and realizing that we stand a chance to sell our spices at better prices if we start exporting our produce by ourselves instead of getting satisfied with the prices offered by middlemen,” he said.

If this plan materializes, the farmers will sell one kilogram of cinnamon up to 3,000 shillings instead of 1000 shillings per kg at current prices offered at domestic market, which is governed by middlemen.

Europe is an important market for spices and herbs though growth of the market is slow but steady.

Through Malimbichi project implemented in areas of Kinole, Nyandira and Malolo, MVIWATA is committed to raising the productivity of vegetables and spices in particular by improving the value chain of these products.

The project team leader, Ernest Likoko elaborated that the goal was to transform smallholder farmers who grapple with internal market by linking them with potential buyers abroad willing to pay reasonable prices for spices such as cinnamon.

However, farmers need undergo preliminary steps before starting exporting spices including obtaining different licenses and permits that MVIWATA is facilitating their acquisition.

Present at the meeting was Mr Denis Gordian, a representative from the Board of Warehouse Receipt System who said in order farmers to start exporting spices collectively, needed to establish an independent company that would oversee warehouse on behalf on the market Board and Saccos.

“Second, they have to send a request to our board to add spice crops into the system of warehouse-receipt before being granted a license,” he said.

At present the Board lists only eight crops under the system which include cashews , peas , sunflowers , corn , rice , coffee , sunflower.

“Board accepts requests to add a crop into the system due to quantity of their respective production, the willingness of farmers to use the system and the presence of market or buyers of the crop,” added Mr Gordian.

Warehouse receipt system is used to simplify the collection of specific crop where farmers get paid half or the entire amount through SACCOs or the partnering bank.

This system has been used widely in the cashew, coffee and corn although stakeholders have acknowledged that several challenges still exist for it to be an accurate system.

Agriculture continues to be the backbone of the Tanzania’s economy; it is the biggest employer, a leading foreign earner and source of food for the population.

The sector contributes 25 percent of the GDP and employs 75 per cent, whose majority are smallholder farmers in rural areas.

However, despite various efforts by the government, private sector and civil societies, smallholder farmers in the country still grapple with number of challenges that prohibit them to fulfill their vital role in food production, processing and marketing activities.

Speaking at the launching of the Inclusive Green Growth of the Smallholder Agriculture Sector (IGGSAS) Programme recently in Dar es Salaam, the MVIWATA – Executive Director Stephen Ruvuga said smallholder farmers still lack safe place to store and process their harvest, credit to pay for inputs and a market to provide a fair price for their produce.

“Smallholder farmers continue to face operational issues including lack of levy harmonization, infrastructural challenges. They lack access to improved crop varieties, fertilizers, finance, and market opportunities,” he said.

Explaining further on smallholder farmers’ experiences, challenges and opportunities on access to agricultural inputs and output markets, Mr Ruvuga said the issues of fake seeds, pesticides and other input are rampant in the market and they are hurting famers badly.

He called for stakeholders’ joint efforts to come up with several initiatives to promoting judicial use of industrial agro-inputs while observing importance of preserving and exploring potential of indigenous knowledge on soil fertility and local seeds systems.

In her opening remarks, the AGRA president, Dr. Agnes Kalibata said the IGGSAS programme launched would provide the opportunity to work with at least 30,000 farming households in the Mbeya Region over the next 5 years.

“Using our established to package interventions we will provide critical momentum towards enhancing market driven productivity across the entire value chain and contribute to critical ecological integrity.”

The initiative, which is supported by the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, focuses on strengthening at least six crop value chains to operate more efficiently while increasing access to inputs and knowledge of agronomic practices amongst smallholder farmers.

The programme also aims to provide access to markets and improve the policy environment and advocate for climate-smart agriculture.

The government has been urged to give Sesame preferential treatment in the District Agricultural Development Plans (DADPS) in order to end constraints facing the crop production amid its global demand surge.

Presenting findings of the research conducted on behalf of MVIWATA to identify policy that affect sesame production and Marketing in Tanzania, Prof Damian Gabagambi from Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA) told members of the press that even as the crop had immense potential, there were numerous policy related issues hindering its production.

“It is high time that the government see need of improving provision of extension service, prioritizing sesame for LGA resources and thus start to subsidize the crop by issuing improved seeds, fertilisers, pesticides and herbicides to farmers.”

The research that was conducted in three sesame producing districts-Bahi, Manyoni and Babati- mentions other issues facing the crop to include poor stakeholder organization, bad market linkage, and dominance of local variety seeds and use of unstandardized measurement.

“Sesame has so much potential to stand out as another cash crop, which if sensitized could enable small scale farmers to get out of abject poverty. But we must fight to remove above mentioned numerous constraints,” said the Don.

It is because of that, Farm Africa is implementing a project on improving livelihood and improve by addressing challenges facing stakeholders in the sesame subsector.

The project is being implemented in 17 Villages of Babati under COSITA, 23 villages of Manyoni and 20 villages of Bahi Districts under INADES since July 2015 and it is expected to end in June 2018.

Under this project MVIWATA is responsible for, among other things, explore policy related issues to support the implementation of the project.

“It is disheartening to note that we small-scale farmers have no say on how our crops are being weighed by the middlemen who as far as using altered scales and offering us poor prices to exploit us,” said Martha Magoha, a small scale from Chilungula village in Bahi district.

We are forced to sell the crop at Sh1,200, instead of Sh3,500 a kilo as average market price. We are asking the government to intervene by issuing bylaws and indicative prices for the crop,” he added.

For his part, the MVIWATA executive director Stephen Ruvuga, opening a two day media training to expose journalists sesame farming and markets realities, said in 2013 the average sesame production was 6.7 per cent making the country to attain the status of the world’s average producer.

According to the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) report of 2001 Tanzania is ranked as the eighth country globally in producing sesame after India, China, Japan, Ethiopia, Sudan, Nigeria and Uganda.
In 2013, the country produced a total of 5.6 tonnes of sesame and ranked fifth.

According to him, Lindi, Mtwara, Ruvuma and Mbeya are among major sesame producers in Tanzania.

“Although the market is readily available, with Japan being the largest importer, Tanzania has not capitalized on the situation of promote farming of the crop through providing subsidy,” said Mr Ruvuga.

The demand for sesame is increasing both locally and in the international markets due to its nutritional and medicinal values.

Six representatives of the Burundi’s UHACOM, an apex body of 16 cooperatives dealing with advocacy, marketing to its members in Burundi have visited the National Network for Farmers Groups in Tanzania (MVIWATA) on an exchange trip.

The UHACOM- Haguruka Union of Multi-sector Cooperatives is the upper level of cooperative movement based on a farming community structured around groups of farmers in cooperatives at regional or communal level that encourage self help.

The mission was accompanied with another local NGO called ADISO that assists Burundian farmers to develop their autonomy by mobilizing their own resources and work with them to build viable economic models.

Speaking with the representatives of MVIWATA, the UHACOM president Bigiraimana Paschael said that his organization was excited to hear success stories of MVIWATA and thus they wished to visit and learn how they can develop theirs to be able to offer profitable services to its members.

“Ours, is still at the infant stage, our members have numerous challenges. We have come to learn on tactics that we can employ to tackle those challenges,” he said.

Farmers in Burundi, just like their counterparts in Tanzania, are grappling with challenges of lacking capital for their cooperatives, lack of strong farmers’ organization with clear strategy and lack of structured marketing information system for their produces among others.

Responding to the UHACOM request on how MVIWATA could assist their newly established farmers organization grow to an independent and vocal farmers body, the MVIWATA Legal and Policy Officer Stanslaus Nyembea said there were many avenues for the two to work together.

“We are delighted to see that you are looking up to our organization as a role model. We think we can develop learning platforms from each other even through exhibitions,” he said.

By being members to regional and international farmers’orgaisations such as EAFF, EASAF, La via campensina, East Africa Community (EAC), our challenges and concerns are aired unanimously.”

Among other things, for three consecutive days, the mission got opportunity to know MVIWATA history, structure, functions as well as visiting farmers groups at grassroots level around Kinole and Nyandira markets/villages.

The UHACOM was founded in 2014, it comprised of 16 cooperatives scattered in four regions of Burundi which are made with small farmers groups dealing with producing and processing crops such as coffee, onions beans, maize and rice etc.