Posted on December, 10, 2018 at 10:07 am
A JOINT initiative by several agricultural stakeholders is turning around the economic fortunes of Irish potato farmers in Njombe, Mbeya and Iringa regions.
Farm Radio International (FRI), through its”UPTAKE” Project which is financially supported by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) under the New Alliance ICT Extension Fund Activity, is undertaking an initiative which farmers say is a sound pair of an effort to boost growers’ economic positions through the Southern Agricultural Growth Corridor for Tanzania (SAGCOT).
“FRI, through the Njombe based Kings FM Radio, and the SAGCOT, have really helped to bring smiles on our lips. We are no longer who we used to be some years back,” said Mr Chesco Ng’eve, the chairman of Isowelu Agricultural Marketing Co-operative Society (AMCOS) Limited which is based at Lunguya Village, Mtwango Ward, Njombe Rural District.
Each of Isowelu AMCOS’ 412 members produces between 50 and 100 bags (each weighing 120 kilograms) of Irish potatoes per acre, largely due to the education that farmers get via the radio.
Currently, a bag of the potatoes fetches between Sh40,000 and Sh65,000, suggesting that on every acre, a farmer bags up to Sh6.5 million. “The entire Njombe Rural is very suitable for the production of Irish potatoes.
However, before the coming of FRI and SAGCOT, we could produce only between five and 35 bags,” he told journalists who visited the area with a view to learning the effectiveness of radio programmes in boosting the production of Irish potatoes during the weekend.
Through UPTAKE Project, FRI is working with eight radio stations across the country as it endeavors to support broadcasters so they can provide radio services that share knowledge and augment the voices of small-scale farmers, their families, and their communities.
In the Southern Highland Zone, FRI is also working closely with experts from the Mbeya-based Uyole Agricultural Research Institute. “We believe that by supporting broadcasters, they will be able to relay the right message that will bring prosperity and food security among small scale farmers...
We are on a mission of ensuring that every small-scale farmer has access to a radio program that helps them succeed,” said the FRI Regional Program Manager for East and Southern Africa, Mr Rex Chapota.
According to the chairman for Solidarity Group of Ihanzutwa Village, Wanging’ombe District, Njombe, Mr Isaki Mwema, through Kings FM’s Kilimo Sound Programme, farmers get to know everything that they need to raise production of Irish Potatoes.
“FRI’s project is programmed in such a way that we only beep then government experts teach us what to do via the radio.
They teach us how to prepare the land; how to plant; the type of seeds that match with our soil and the right pesticides to apply among others,” said Mr Mwema, noting that production in their area has since gone up from only about four bags to at least 15 bags.
Source: Daily News