Posted on April, 9, 2019 at 08:39 am
SMALLHOLDER farmers in Iringa Region have increased maize production from three to 15 bags per acre due to proper use of modern agronomic practices.
Speaking in separate interviews farmers in the district lauded the initiatives made by One Acre Fund—a non-profit agriculture organization for assisting them with technical-know how as well as giving them farm inputs on credit.
Lukia Mlowoka is a resident of Luganga village in Kilolo district said that for years has been growing maize and ended to get three to four bags of the crop, “but now I’m one of the happiest farmers here because I harvest five times. I thank the One Acre Fund for what they have been doing to us.”
According to Mlowoka, since the arrival of the fund farmers were trained on modern farming skills including the application of agricultural inputs such as fertilizer and improved seeds.
“Right now, in an area where I used to get three bags, I am getting five times. To me this is a success story. This has improved my life.”
Apart from training and farm inputs, according to Mlowoka, farmers are regularly visited by agricultural officers.
Another smallholder farmer at Luganga Village, Edina Chavalla described One Acre Fund as an eye-opener as it has trained her on how to prepare a farm, plant seeds, and how to use fertilizer such as DAP, UREA and CAN for planting and top dressing respectively.
Chavalla said in the past it was difficult for small-scale farmers like her to get access to improved seeds and fertilizer, but the One Acre Fund came up with the solution, whereby farmers are given agricultural inputs on loan basis, whereby the beneficiaries re-pay the loan after harvesting.
“We are getting enough maize, but lack of reliable market remains a challenge that needs to be addressed if we’re to get out of poverty,” she said.
She explained that she has some grandchildren to look after and taking them to school using maize for paying school fees and other things but without having reliable markets, the good job done by the fund is nothing.
“Modern farming is very beneficial as it gives me more yields in a smaller area, thanks One Acre Fund for coming into our village,” said Fraiko Chalale, another farmer in the area.
Dokas Tinga, communications officer of the One Acre Fund said the organisation has been supporting smallholder farmers financially while training them on better farming techniques to increase production and fight hunger and poverty.
“We provide a complete service bundle of seeds and fertilizer, financing, training, and market facilitation,” she said.
One Acre Fund Tanzania is currently serving more than 50,000 farmers in the regions of Iringa, Njombe, Mbeya, Songwe and Arusha.
It offers hybrid maize seeds and fertilizer, as well as add-on products including storage bags, solar lights, and funeral insurance. "We’re also exploring new ways to support the government in providing agricultural extension services.
Source: IPP Media