Collective learning and solution finding being at the core of its mechanism in Farmer Field Schools (FFS), MVIWATA has for a while been organizing the FFS through different approaches to facilitate learning among smallholder farmers.

Farmer Field Schools are organized in different places to allow farmers to learn together on sustainable production practices (agro-ecology and agroforestry), governance and business skills.

Farmer Field Schools among smallholder farmers is a dynamic methodology, which treats the family farmers as central character of their own destiny. Unlike conventional agricultural extension, which disempowers family farmers by force-feeding them prefabricated techniques in a top-down fashion, this new method unleashed rural people’s creativity in solving their own problems.

Mechanisms used to organize farmer field schools among family farmers.

Through established training centers.

MVIWATA currently has two (2) training centers located in Morogoro Rural District where farmers from different parts of Tanzania periodically come together to learn agro-ecological farming practices, governance, business skills (marketing and rural financing), and gender and peasant feminism.

Located in rural setting the centers provide a room for in classroom and outside classroom learning among family farmers. The various trainings sessions are organized regularly for all farmers or for specific groups like youth and women

Through established demonstration plots.

Smallholder farmers’ network or group based demonstration plots are set in villages to facilitate participatory learning. In some places, like Morogoro rural there are permanent Spice demonstration plots. The demonstration plots carter for farmers’ trainings in spices’ (cardamom, cinnamon, black pepper, ginger) all stages of growth.

The permanent demonstration plots are also established in schools through MVIWATA Clubs of students as part of providing students with a collective forum of learning and practicing agro-ecological farming skills and environmental conservation.

Likewise, demonstration plots set for family farmers enhances collective learning on different agro-ecological farming practices and knowledge and the demonstration plots established provide the basis for preserving local seed systems and indigenous knowledge. Up to March 2021, about 1,958 (670 men, 1288 women) were recorded to have directly visited 44 different demonstration plots established throughout the country.

The established demonstration plots provide family farmers with a platform to conduct collective actions (learning, production, storage, and serving of local seeds).

In 2021, about 110.25 acres of land are under Integrated Sunflower Production in Singida and Manyara regions. In Kiteto District, the Farmer Field Schools through open fields have been supported with oxenization technology, which is accessible, affordable, and sustainable and improves agricultural labor efficiency especially among women and youth.

Through organized exchange visits.

Exchange visits are organized at different levels to allow farmer-to-farmer learning and experience sharing. MVIWATA has been facilitating its members to organize exchange visits among their networks. Also non- MVIWATA members have been using this initiative to learn and exchange ideas with smallholder farmers in Tanzania.

Additionally through different radio programs at MVIWATA FM, MVIWATA is able, currently to disseminate various practices, methods, approaches practiced by family farmers through its radio station where other family farmers can learn and share the experiences.

MVIWATA facilitated a leadership training to leaders of grassroots networks in Ikungi, Manyoni, Itigi, Mkalama, Iramba and Singida DC in Singida Region. The training aimed to capacitate leaders of grassroots groups and networks with mobilization skills, networking and essence of collective actions for the poor working class in fully defending their interests.

The training capacitated about 120 farmers’ leaders of grassroots networks. Farmers’ challenges such as markets of crops, production and financing were discussed and strategized pinpointing to the essence and philosophy behind the establishment of MVIWATA.

The working class collective actions method that requires the actors be the rural farmers, rather than the technical expert was well articulated along with the MVIWATA slogan “The Defender of the Farmer is the Farmer” (Mtetezi wa Mkulima ni Mkulima Mwenyewe). Mobilization and networking among the rural smallholder farmers took the central part of the training as they say in the countryside, “the farmer believes in what the other farmer does, more than what the technician says.”

Similarly, issues of MVIWATA membership and organizational matters was discussed. In addition to the training, participants also were able to identify major challenges hindering their goals. Short-term and long-term strategies of implementation in achieving MVIWATA’s mission and vision was made.

In facilitating access to farmers’ produce markets, MVIWATA delegation held a consultative meeting with Wanging’ombe District Council officers to discuss marketing challenges for farmers, especially the challenges of the Igagala market constructed by MVIWATA.

The delegation from MVIWATA comprised of members and staff brought forward issues impeding full functional of Igagala market as per its intended goals. The meeting discussed and came up with a road map on how to resolve the observed challenges.

Ensuring markets for farmers’ produce and products is one of the strategies of MVIWATA. The national network of farmers’ groups in Tanzania (MVIWATA) has for so long facilitated the construction of marketing infrastructure as well as marketing information systems that aims to eliminate exploitation of farmers.

In commemoration of World Environment Day on 5^th June 2021, MVIWATA through the established MVIWATA Club of students at Kigurunyembe Secondary School in Morogoro municipality held a reflection forum to discuss the progress of the activities of the club that includes agro ecological farming practices and environmental conservation.

When visiting the Kigurunyembe Secondary school, it is easily observable to find that many of the previously bare lands have vegetables fields that benefit more than 500 students with nutritious foods, while trees planted, conserves the environment.

The MVIWATA Club provides a forum for learning and practicing sustainable farming practices and environmental conservation, thus students gain the best skills for sustainable farming while they are still at school.

This approach has begun to be widely used in farmers ‘networks of MVIWATA in various areas as one of activities conducted by the networks. This is because students spend most of their time at school during the year many view the notion of engaging students in agricultural production as punishment in schools. Therefore, MVIWATA is committed to change the notion in place.

MVIWATA members through their groups and networks in Mara and Mtwara regions also commemorated the day by planting trees in bare lands and conducting cleanliness and support to centers with people with disability.  

Engaging youth including students through these clubs to change the mindset on agriculture and increase productivity in schools through agro ecological farming practices as well as environmental conservation, is among the strategies of MVIWATA in ensuring sustainable farming systems and climate change mitigation initiatives are inclusive and widely scaled up.

MVIWATA have participated in the Parliamentary Session of the United Republic of Tanzania where the Ministry of Agriculture through the Minister, Professor, Adolf Mkenda presented the Revenue and Expenditure Plan for the year 2021/2022. In line with the speech, the Ministry also presented the implementation of the 2020/2021 budget.

The delegation of MVIWATA comprising representatives from Morogoro, Mtwara, Manyara Singida and Mbeya, with a section of MVIWATA staff participated in the session where the Ministry of Agriculture presented budget priorities for the year 2021/2022 namely Research, Extension services, Irrigation, Markets, Financial services for farmers and Seeds.

However, the budget requested by the Ministry for approval by Parliament is 0.08% of the total budget despite the fact that according to the Ministry’s figures, Agriculture contributes 29 percent of GDP, 30 percent of foreign exchange earnings and employs approximately 58 percent of Tanzanians.

During the introduction of MVIWATA delegation, the Speaker of the National Assembly of the United Republic of Tanzania, Hon. Job Ndugai commended the role played by MVIWATA in the country, through its advocacy activities on all issues affecting smallholder farmers. The speaker also named other MVIWATA activities like trainings in the fields of agriculture, animal husbandry, fisheries, environment, leadership, and legal aid provision as matters of critical importance to smallholder farmers.

Smallholder farmers in Tanzania face various challenges that impede their growth and ability to effectively contribute to food sovereignty and Gross Domestic Product (GDP) relative to those engaged in other sectors. Some of the constraints they face relate to lack of proper engagement in the formulation and implementation of economic and social projects that are implemented by local government authorities (LGAs) in their areas, thus lack of accountability is highly experienced.

Other challenges smallholder farmers face include lack and insecure access to land, poor physical infrastructure. Lack of access to proper roads, for example, limit the ability of a farmer to transport inputs, produce and also access information. Infrastructure is very poor, markets for agricultural inputs and outputs are often missing and unreliable for smallholder farmers. This means that the acquisition of agricultural resources becomes different and the supply of market services also becomes limited.

In most of the projects which are implemented at different levels, farmers are not effectively involved during formulation and implementation of the projects as per the laws and regulations. As a result of this poor involvement of smallholder farmers, some of the projects which are implemented do not directly reflect and affect farmer’s welfares and needs.

To overcome these challenges, MVIWATA’s strategic plan (2017 – 2021) goal number two, depicts on conducting capacity building through social accountability monitoring training and offering tracking tools to smallholder farmers for them to effectively engage in formulation and monitoring the implementation of social and economic projects implemented in their respective areas.

Recently, MVIWATA conducted a three (3) days training to 35 (20 women, 15 men) smallholder farmers and members of MVIWATA in Ludewa district, Njombe region on tools for monitoring the public expenditures and programmes on agricultural sector with the aim of increasing good governance practices and accountability in agricultural sector. The participants came from four (4) wards of Ludewa district namely Mlangali, Lupanga, Milo and Igumbilo.

The training topics were facilitated by MVIWATA staffs, Ludewa District Agricultural, Irrigation and Cooperative Officer (DAICO) and Ludewa District Planning Officer (DPO). The trainers used participatory approaches such as group works and presentations, discussions and Question and Answers.

The topics facilitated to smallholder farmers included understanding MVIWATA’s History, Philosophy, Mission and Vision, Understanding agricultural policies in Africa (CAADP) and  the 2019 report for Tanzania,  Understanding the Agricultural Sector Development Programme  (ASDP II) its objectives and its monitoring system.

The training also focused on understanding the structure of Local Governments Authorities (LGAs), good governance and the role of farmers’ participation in planning and monitoring. Other topics covered included understanding the national budget process and participation of smallholder farmers, the rationale of Social Accountability and its monitoring process,  Planning guide and presentation of participatory planning & budget from villages, wards to districts and finally the state of the district agricultural budget, Ludewa district. Sustainable farming and environmentally friendly agriculture (OPV) and 10% budget allocation from district to special groups (women, youth and people with disability).

The training brought awareness on various aspects according to the topics covered to the participants and a way forward was laid for further actions.  

Capacity building to smallholder farmers and members of MVIWATA on social accountability and monitoring processes is part of MVIWATA’s activities aimed to ensure smallholder farmers are included in decision making on matters that touch their and also to instil the sense of smallholder farmers’ activism.

Lack of a strong organization of smallholder farmers in the country due to collapse of cooperatives in the 1980’s, Exclusion of smallholder farmers from decision making of matters that touch the welfare of smallholder farmers and Under-representation or complete lack of representation of smallholder farmers in decision making bodies were among the reasons for MVIWATA’s  establishment in 1993. Ever since its establishment MVIWATA has been able to convene farmers’ forums through its groups and networks from grassroots level to national and international level.

Portrayed above are leaders of smallholder farmers, promoters and members of MVIWATA in Nzega district having a group photo after a fruitful grassroots network meeting aimed at strategizing and advancing their advocacy issues especially on how to increase MVIWATA members and outreach among smallholder farmers, secure reliable markets, increase farmers’ bargaining power and access to market information which will allow them to sell their products at the most profitable time.

Farmers’ groups and networks’ meeting within MVIWATA are a reliable platform for smallholder farmers to identify issues facing them, discuss and strategize in having strong representation in decision making bodies and matters that touch the welfare of smallholder farmers.

In strengthening food sovereignty initiatives and poverty alleviation while achieving MVIWATA’s Mission, Vision and strategic goals, the organization has for years since its establishment initiated programs on sustainable production, capacity building forums, and opportunities for skills and knowledge sharing among family farmers through exchange visits.

To achieve these goals, in 2019, MVIWATA enabled 20 Cattle namely Heifers (Ayrshire and Friesian) to 95 households in Lubaga ward, Shinyanga region. The program aims to boost household income and improve nutrition to the family farmers. Since the inception of the program, more than 60 million shillings have been earned from the sale of milk from more than 100 family famers, with 15 calves distributed to family farmers in the farmer’ groups and networks. These Cattles and calves are generally owned by MVIWATA members through their groups and networks.

The income generated by the program to family farmers has enabled families to afford school expenses for students, improve housing for family farmers as well as family farmers being able to afford medical expenses and other related social services. The program has also enhanced increase access to nutritious food in households where only 75% of milk is sold and the remaining 25% is retained at the family to meet food needs.

The sustainable dairy cattle program for family farmers and members of MVIWATA in Shinyanga rural district, aims to reach more farmers through the cattle ownership cycle established and managed by family farmers’ groups and networks of MVIWATA. The system provides an opportunity for the cattle owner to distribute two newborn calves to a farmer’s group she/he belongs-to so that his/her fellow members can also own the cattle by nurturing and raising the calves they have acquired. The system also allows the first owner of the cattle to own the third newborn calves and onward. Alongside the above objectives of the program, it also aims to strengthen farmers’ groups and networks of MVIWATA.

Members of MVIWATA in Musoma Municipal have initiated Urban Agriculture trainings facilitated by Extension officers in collaboration with MVIWATA’s Groups and Networks in Musoma Municipality. The training is part of MVIWATA’s efforts to strengthen farmers’ groups and networks in urban areas so that they can fully engage in sustainable production initiatives through agriculture, animal husbandry, beekeeping and aquaculture to increase income in the family households, improve nutrition and promote food sovreignty.

Among the training topics that farmers receive in urban agriculture include the preparation of plastic bags and trays for planting nurseries, precedures for preparation of nursery for vegetable seedlings, How to mix manure fertilizers in prepared nurseries, transplanting in nurseries, types of vegetable nurseries, eenefits of growing seedlings in the garden as well as value addition of the products they produce.

Into the later phases of the training the focus will also be on animal husbandry, aquaculture and beekeeping. Likewise the training will focus on value addition and marketing of the produce from urban agriculture initiatives.

Sustainable production initiatives training for smallholder farmers and MVIWATA members is part of MVIWATA’s activities in ensuring that the community, especially the peasant farmers, have access to nutritious food emanating from what farmers’ produce, thus bringing into practice the concept of food sovereignty as well as improving nutrition and income in households.

One of the most pressing challenges of the 21st century will be to feed a projected global population of nine billion people while reducing humanity’s agricultural footprint at the same time. Land clearing and more intensive use of existing croplands are often considered to be the two main options to increase crop production, yet biodiversity loss and increased greenhouse gas emissions are associated with both of these approaches.

Urban agriculture, the growing of crops, livestock keeping and aquaculture within cities for human consumption, could be one means of increasing global food supply without relying on further land clearing, utilizing already cleared urban land and possibly allowing for “land sparing” in more natural rural areas.

Given the fact that farmers’ saved seeds that have always helped smallholder farmers over years to endure the pests, disease and drought periods are nowhere to be seen in most of agro dealer’s shops, smallholder farmers and members of MVIWATA are working hard to restore their seed sovereignty by producing traditional seeds using demonstration plots, exchange it among themselves and save it through establishing seed banks managed by farmers’ groups and networks.

Tanzania amended its legislation, which should give commercial investors faster and better access to agricultural land as well as a very strong protection of intellectual property rights. In the traditional days before interference in agriculture by industrial farming technologies, farmers had a diversity of crops which could survive the pests, disease and droughts. Soils were fertile because they were always covered with fruits trees and other perennials. Monoculture and growing for the markets has to be responsible for exposing small scale farmers to hunger and the indignity of surviving on relief food.

MVIWATA’s strategic plan (2017 – 2021) goal number two aims at ensuring that smallholder farmers are in control of production systems. In ensuring that this goal is well effected a number of activities are implemented including mobilizing farmers in groups and networks to inspire them to bring back indigenous knowledge on seed saving and conservation of biodiversity.

MVIWATA organizes trainings on sustainable production systems to smallholder farmers promoters (training of trainers) to share knowledge and experience on various aspects of farmer based seed systems, including seed sovereignty, seed production and seed processing and seed saving. Likewise, seed fairs are organized where farmers share, exchange and sell seeds. Stakeholders from both public and private sector are invited.

In facilitating farmers’ participation in national budget processes, MVIWATA organized a one-day meeting with the Ministry of Agriculture, Division of Policy and Planning of which Mr Mohamed Chikawe an officer in the Division presented to the smallholder farmers and members of MVIWATA the status of implementation of the budget of the Ministry of Agriculture for 2020/2021 and its estimates for 2021/2022.

Held at MVIWATA Headquarters Conference Hall, the meeting brought together thirty 30 farmers representing farmers’ groups and networks of Mvomero District. Other participants were Mvomero District Agricultural, Irrigation and Cooperative Officer (DAICO), Mvomero District Planning Officer, Students from Sokoine University of Agriculture and MVIWATA staffs.

Speaking during the opening session, MVIWATA Executive Director, Mr, Stephen Ruvuga said the session aimed at ensuring smallholder farmers are at the center and engaged in government budget processes, and that this has been MVIWATA’s practice for several years in determining their priorities in the budget and understanding its implementation.

Mr, Ruvuga added that, farmers has the right to understand the priorities and the extent of implementation reached by the Ministry of Agriculture because farmers are the main beneficiaries of the budget processes. He thanked the Ministry of Agriculture Division of Policy and Planning for their collaborative efforts aimed at ensuring that the main concerns of farmers are given priority in various government programs including the Agricultural Budget.

Presenting through online means, Mr, Mohamed Chikawe from the Division of Policy and Planning of the Ministry of Agriculture said the 2021/2022 budget estimates has considered several key guidelines including Tanzania Development Vision 2025, The Five Year Development Plan, CCM Manifesto, Agriculture Sector Development Programme II (ASDP II) and the Budget Guidelines 2021/2022.

He further added that 28.1% of the ministries budget for 2021/2022 will be spent for recurrent expenditure mainly servicing government debt and wages and salaries and 71.9% is allocated to development projects. Mr. Chikawe added that, the government’s budget on agriculture is based on four main priorities which are research, extension services, production of seeds and seed plants and managing the invasive species.

The meeting was also broadcasted live through MVIWATA FM radio, 106.7 MHz.

Mtandao wa Vikundi vya Wakulima Tanzania – MVIWATA and La Via Campesina Southern and Eastern Africa organized a commemoration of International Day of Peasants’ Struggle on 17^th April 2021 to mark 25 years since the brutal killing of 19 landless farmers by Brazilian police forces in Brazil. This years’ theme was centered on NO FUTURE WITHOUT FOOD SOVEREIGNTY.

To effectively commemorate this important day for landless and smallholder farmers, given the challenging times we face against the pandemic, MVIWATA and La Via Campesina convened an international zoom meeting where smallholder farmers’ organizations, Ambassador of the Venezuelan embassy in Kenya, working class movements and like-minded organizations across the globe participated in this important meeting.

These organizations included; Landless Workers’ Movement of Brazil (Movimento dos Trabalhadores Sem Terra, MST), Zimbabwe Smallholder Organic Farmers Forum (ZIMSOFF), Ambassador of the Venezuelan Embassy in Kenya, La Via Campesina, Pan-Africanism Today (PAT), Serikat Petani Indonesia and lastly a Comrade and smallholder farmer from Palestine. The meeting aimed to share experiences and struggles of smallholder farmers and landless workers across the globe.

The meeting was organised with presentations from participants of respective organisations/country. Comrade Jesus Manzanila a Venezuelan Ambassador to Kenya was the first presenter who spoke extensively on the efforts waged by the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela to ensure that the control of the countries resources is in the hands of the working class.
The Ambassador of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela to Kenya also spoke on the public policies on agriculture, oil and natural gas and land among the few that they are revolutionary and pinned for the interests of the people of the Bolivarian republic and opposed to the capitalist interests of the Yankees.

Giving a word of thanks after Ambassador’s presentation, Comrade Stephen Ruvuga, MVIWATA’s Executive Director applauded the Bolivarian Republic’s stance for defending the interests of the people of Venezuela as initiated by Hugo Chaves. He further said Hugo Chaves was a good friend of Mwalimu Julius Kambarage Nyerere, Tanzania’s first President and father of the nation.  Chaves has also become a symbol of change to many grassroots organisations, smallholder farmers and landless people worldwide.

Presentations also came from Comrade Smangele representing Pan-Africanism Today (PAT), Comrade Paula Franca representing MST- Landless Workers’ Movement in Zambia who both spoke extensively on the struggles they are waging, forms of movements’ organisations and the way forward.
Comrade Henry representing Serikat Petani in Indonesia spoke on the movement’s efforts in collaboration with La Via Campesina behind the formation and adaptation of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Peasants and Other People Working in Rural Areas which was adopted by the Human Rights Council on 28 September 2018.

Comrade Saadi, a smallholder farmer from Palestine spoke comprehensively on the imperialist acts of Israel regime in occupying Palestinian land. He added that peasants in Palestine, struggles against Israel occupation on areas with access to water and land which are the foundation of food sovereignty.

He said since the occupation of Israel state who controls access to land and water, Palestinian farmers have been forbidden to access their land by which walls have been built at West Bank where Palestinian farmers face difficult in access to their land. Therefore, they have to get entry permit from Israel forces to have access to their lands.

He added that fishermen in Palestine face inhumane situation where they are killed, arrested and their tools confiscated including fishing boats. Comrade Saad said they think and believe in unit and solidarity with La via Campesina members they shall overcome the brutality of Israel state.
After a fruitful discussion, questions and answers session, finally MVIWATA’s Executive Director thanked the participants and presenters from various countries and organisations.

He also said, it was a good experience especially learning from other peasants’ struggles. He called upon all participants from different countries and organisations to unite since peasants around the globe faces the same challenge. He said solidarity is required globally among peasants to collectively achieve the intended objectives of denouncing imperialism