From small plot to flourishing tree nursery

Today, Yohana, a young and talented smallholder farmer from Tanzania’s Dodoma Region is a thriving entrepreneur. He runs his own nursery, growing and selling enough trees, fruits and vegetables to support his family as well as invest further in his business.

But Yohana’s path to success has not been easy.

After starting his agricultural career as a casual labourer working in another small tree nursery in his village, he always dreamed of becoming a large-scale farmer, producing fruits, vegetables and a range of seedling trees valued for shade and fruit.

In pursuit of his dream, Yohana started growing vegetables on a small plot near his home. By planting trees around his farm and the local community, he hoped to promote conservation at the same time.

However, progress was slow.

Yohana did not have the agricultural knowledge to start an agribusiness or manage a nursery. He struggled to access the quality seeds and tree seedlings needed for stable growth.

Water sources were unreliable and livestock often grazed on his plot, destroying the crops.

However, after joining the NOURISH project, led by SNV and Farm Africa, and funded by Norad, things began to change.

Yohana on his farm with his tree seedlings.

Yohana attended agroforestry training where he learnt how to cultivate trees and crops together in optimal ways. He also learnt about nursery management so he could produce quality tree seedlings to sell.

And he received training in Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) from the local farmers’ group, learning technical skills to help increase productivity.

Since learning how to improve his farming practices, Yohana’s farm has transformed. 

He has set up a small tree nursery to grow seedlings to sell and for use on his own farm.

He produces trees that bear high-value fruits such as papaya and guava, trees that fix nitrogen to improve soil fertility and fast-growing trees that offer shade and wind protection.

Applying his agroforestry training, he plants his trees alongside his food crops in ways that strengthen the farm’s resilience.

He has also connected his plot to a water supply and installed drip irrigation to manage water more efficiently, boosting productivity.

Encouraged by the progress, he has quadrupled his production area from quarter of an acre to an acre.

To date, Yohana has grown and sold over 20,000 tree seedlings, both locally and to buyers from neighbouring districts.

He is successfully growing many fruit trees, including papaya, oranges, mango, lemon and avocado. He harvests enough to supply produce daily to local farmers in his village.

“I have now fully employed myself in agriculture. I get enough money to run my household and continue to invest in agriculture,” he says.

With his success, Yohana has become an agent of change in his community and a role model for environmental sustainability.

Yohana receiving supplies and seeds in recognition of his commendable work in agroforestry.