Scaling climate-smart chilli production

Farm Africa is helping smallholder farmers in Tanzania grow chilli peppers as a profitable commercial crop. By providing training, technical support and links to reliable buyers, the project helps farmers increase production, improve quality and earn more from their harvests.

With funding from Harris Spice, Farm Africa works with chilli farmers in the regions of Manyara, Singida, Dodoma and Morogoro to improve productivity and create stronger links to commercial markets.

Farmers receive training in climate-smart farming techniques that help them produce more and better-quality chilli, while reducing losses after harvests.

This includes soil testing, drying methods, nursery management, improved crop spacing and pest and disease management.

Village-based advisors provide ongoing support throughout the growing season, helping farmers adopt new techniques, overcome production challenges and meet buyer quality requirements.

In every location, farmers have the option to sell either fresh or dried chilli, depending on their immediate cash needs, crop condition and market timing.

The current  12-month phase of the project, which started in 2026, builds on the success of the first phase, which demonstrated strong potential of commercial chilli production in Tanzania and highlighted growing demand among farmers to expand production.

Building on these results, the programme is now scaling up to reach more than 200 farmers and strengthen market systems.

New investments in aggregation, solar drying facilities and digital traceability will help farmers access reliable markets while supplying high-quality chilli to Harris Spice.

By helping farmers increase production, improve quality and access dependable buyers, the programme aims to increase incomes for smallholder farming households. The programme will also help build a more sustainable and competitive chilli industry in Tanzania.