In a significant move to support the Tanzanian government's initiatives aimed at economic growth and poverty alleviation, Agriterra, a non-governmental organization specializing in providing training and education for farmers' and cooperatives' associations, has contributed 4 billion TZS.
The funds are specifically earmarked for training and education programs targeting farmers' and cooperatives' associations. The objective is to encourage increased participation of young people and women in the agriculture sector, enhance financial management skills, promote good governance, and provide leadership education for women, emphasizing their active involvement in association elections.
Mikidadi Waziri, Agriterra's Country Director, explained that the allocated funds cover the period from 2019 to 2023. They will be utilized for educational initiatives, training sessions, and knowledge exchange programs focused on financial management, good governance, and leadership adaptability to align with contemporary requirements.
Waziri highlighted the regions of Ruvuma, Lindi, Mtwara, Mbeya, Iringa, Kilimanjaro, Tanga, Pwani, and Manyara as the primary areas where Agriterra has been providing training. Since 2019, the organization has reached 100 cooperative societies, offering them comprehensive training in financial management, good governance, and knowledge exchange.
"Over the same period, we have successfully trained 800,000 farmers in various sustainable and productive farming techniques. Furthermore, we conducted leadership and financial management education for at least 3,200 members of cooperative society boards," stated Waziri during an interview.
Agriterra, headquartered in the Netherlands, has been operational in Tanzania for seven years, serving as a development partner for farmers and cooperative societies. Their focus includes providing training, advice, and capacity-building initiatives to enhance the capabilities of cooperative societies.
Recognizing the challenges faced by many farmers and cooperative societies, particularly in terms of office management and the absence of business plans, Agriterra aims to empower these societies through tailored training programs.
Waziri elaborated on their annual budget, indicating that approximately 75% of the 850 million TZS allocated goes into training, advice, and knowledge exchange initiatives for farmers and cooperative societies.
In addition to training, Agriterra has achieved notable successes, including the establishment of six youth councils and three women's councils. Moreover, they have contributed to ensuring that 26% of cooperative society board members in the targeted regions are young people, with 18% being women.
Highlighting three major ongoing projects in these regions, Waziri discussed the Farmer Focused Transformation (FFT) project, a 10-year initiative implemented in 20 mixed crop associations and microfinance institutions. Other projects involve climate change resilience in crops and a focus on fresh produce and vegetables known as Eat Fresh.