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Leveraging investment for sustainable household economic development

The problem

In the arid and semi-arid areas of the Longido district in Tanzania’s Arusha region, farmers depend on rain-fed agriculture and livestock. With few people using irrigation, these pastoralist communities suffer from intense drought and crop failure due to extreme temperatures and erratic rainfall.

Illegal timber logging and overgrazing has led to deforestation, soil erosion and unsustainable rangeland management, which adds to the area’s food insecurity and directly affects its most vulnerable people. Women in particular carry most of the burden of the consequences posed by the changing climate.

However, this remote, rural area in west Kilimanjaro boasts great agricultural potential. Considered an important wildlife corridor, the area is home to a strong farming presence, including the nomadic Maasai people, where climate-smart agriculture can be implemented.

Local tourism markets offer an increasing demand for vegetables and agricultural products, while there is also the chance to establish a strong export market for horticultural products.

What are we doing?

This project will increase income and job opportunities in the Longido district through sustainable horticulture production and other relevant livelihood activities. Women and young people who live in severe poverty and face the worst effects of drought will particularly benefit from meaningful employment.

We will support communities at a local level and jump-start economic activity to ensure farmers can generate income to sustain themselves.

With a holistic approach, we will build farmers’ capacities in addressing climate change challenges and improve their food security. We will make use of the existing farming community and irrigation schemes and promote climate-smart agriculture practices and value addition activities to provide affordable food for domestic and export markets.

Project activities include:

  • Training smallholder farmers in and increasing the availability of climate-smart agricultural technologies and products such as conservation agriculture, rehabilitation of irrigation schemes, drought-resistant crops and tree planting.
  • Improving smallholder farmers’ post-harvest handling and value addition skills.
  • Introducing farmers to relevant market information on horticulture crops.
  • Increasing knowledge on gender equality and promoting the participation of women and young people in sustainable economic activities.
  • Improving local institutional capacity with gender inclusivity.

When implementing these activities, Farm Africa will involve village, ward and district extension agents who will continue the advisory role when the project ends. This participatory method of involving all relevant actors ensures the project’s activities are sustainable long-term.

Who are we working with?

The project will be implemented by Farm Africa in collaboration with local government authorities in Longido district. Farm Africa is working with the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) under the GEF Small Grants Programme of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

  

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