Tanzania Agriculture Productivity Program

Karibu! We are happy to launch the New Year with the
kick-off of the Rural Entrepreneurs Network Tanzania
(RENTC) information network that has seen the

distribution of market information to subscribers.                       SAMPLE OF HASS AVOCADOS

Consolidated price lists are already being
disseminated to smallholders as part of a new
Tanzanian market information system by TAHA.
In the last quarter USAID-TAPP made commendable
strides towards reaching our goal of achieving food
security by boosting agricultural productivity for food
consumption and income generation. USAID-TAPP
agronomists conducted over 300 technical advisory
visits to farmer groups and processors, where 8,997
beneficiaries were trained, 51 farmer groups were
strengthened, and 8 new partner organizations are now
providing improved extension services to smallholders.
In addition, peer educators trained 2,910 people in
HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention, including 741
youths.
USAID-TAPP aims at helping small farmers improve
agricultural practices, productivity and market share.
The goal is to increase rural incomes and transform
Tanzania’s agriculture sector. Happy New Year!
Jim Vernon, Program Director
Tanzania Agriculture Productivity Program

TOMATO WORKSHOP IN ARUSHA
USAID-TAPP facilitated a tomato workshop at the New
Arusha hotel. The meeting brought together over 107
tomato growers from the tomato growing regions of
Arusha, Kilimanjaro, Morogoro and Lushoto. It was an
opportunity for tomato farmers, seed companies,
researchers, and processors to meet, exchange ideas,
and foster good working relationships with an aim of
strengthening the sector. Darsh Industries are a major
buyer of tomatoes in the country and have seen a
significant increase in orders due to their superior
product lines. As a result, Darsh Industires has
undertaken an initiative to source more fruit and
vegetables from local producers to meet the increased
demand. At the workshop farmers were also sensitized
on the use of good seeds as well as market standards
on varieties and quality of tomatoes needed for
processing.
The workshop enabled USAID-TAPP the chance to
train farmers on tomato production and marketing skills,
and provided a forum where challenges and
“Increased food security through enhanced
productivity”
TAPP is a 5-year program designed to increase smallholder
farmer incomes through enhanced productivity, crop
diversification and improved market access.
Visit
www.tanzania-agric.org
for more information on upcoming
activities and to receive copies of monthly bulletins and
success stories.
P.O. Box 15035 | Arusha, Tanzania
Tel: 255 (0) 27 2549325
tapp@fintrac.com
TAPP staff overlook rows of  Trees
with our new partners at Africado Ltd.

Africado

The purpose of the project is to add value to avocados in the Kilimanjaro region of Tanzania by up-scaling a pilot outgrower scheme and constructing a packhouse with oil press facilities. It will enable Africado and its outgrowers to market their products on the international market, aiming at EU export sales, containerized via Mombasa.

Until now, Tanzanian horticultural exports have been confined to airfreight.  This project would add to a growing number of exporters exploring the cheaper and less emissions-intensive option of seafreight.

The EU market has a particular preference for 'hass' avocados, and has experienced exceptional growth figures in the last 10 years. The global market for avocado oil is significant and demand continues to grow. Africado is ideally located on Kilimanjaro in Tanzania to seize off-peak market opportunities before the Chilean season and at the end of the South African and Peruvian seasons, when EU prices are high.

Africado's proximity to the port of Mombasa and the availability of labour in the area make the production, processing and export logistics of avocados a profitable endeavour. In the first phase, Africado established its nursery and nucleus orchard at Africado, and began a pilot outgrower scheme.

Africado planted 90 ha orchard of clonal avocado trees on its own nucleus orchard and a diverse group of outgrowers planted 19 ha of trees from the nursery of Africado since 2007. Small harvests from the first trees were exported in 2010 and 2011 via a third party pack-house in Nairobi.

During the second phase of the project, with funding from AECF, Africado will increase the capacity of its nursery from 10,000 plants to 80,000 plants, irrigation facilities will be expanded and water secured with the installation of a bore hole and reservoir. 100% of grafted plants for the outgrower scheme will come from the nursery on the nucleus farm.

Together with a contracted NGO partner Tanzania Agricultural Productivity Program (TAPP), the company will form farmer groups for the micro outgrowers (mostly via existing coffee cooperatives structures), provide technical advice and training, subsidized avocado plants from the orchard, transportation and guarantee all off-take of avocados at or above prevailing market prices for local varieties.

For produce that is up to export quality standard, the growers receive a premium of more than 100% 3 months after delivery.


The Project is suitable for AECF funding because:

1. Together with Rungwe  (another recipient of AECF funding), Africado will create a cluster within the AECF portfolio of avocado producers, amplifying the M&E + learning function of the Fund.  
2. This project will demonstrate the mutual advantages and synergies of such (effective) joint ventures between smallholders and commercial farmers by adding a substantial outgrower component to an existing plantation-based commercial unit.
3. It will introduce a new variety of tree crop to the intensive mixed agriculture practiced by smallholders on the slopes of Kilimanjaro.   
4. The Avo Oil component is unique to this project and a significant addition, because it gives outgrowers an outlet for their whole production.(not just the high quality fraction).