Belgians in $60,000 Tanzania project

IMPROVE: Farmers will be trained on the best use of farm inputs in onion and garlic farming, cattle and poultry rearing techniques.

ARUSHA, Tanzania - Thousands of farmers and entrepreneurs in Arusha and Manyara regions are to benefit from a Tsh 10 billion( about $ 60,000) project to improve their livelihoods.

The three-year project will be facilitated by TRIAS—a Belgium-based non-governmental organization. Beneficiaries’ farmers will be trained on the best use of farm inputs in onion and garlic farming, cattle and poultry rearing techniques.

Speaking in Arusha at the official launch of the project, Anthony Rottjers TRIAS country director, said: “As TRIAS, we believe in the power of the local economy as a lever to better welfare and as a weapon against poverty.”

In addition, Rottjers said TRIAS focuses on the integrated local economic development of which support to microfinance is an important component, and main focus placed on women, rural communities and the youth development.

“We intend to empower those groups with general business knowledge as well as various valuable life skills and increase their access to loans as well as link them with markets for their produce,” he said.

In this project, TRIAS Tanzania is to work closely with Tanzania’s smallholder farmers’ network (MVIWATA) and Simanjiro Milk Producers. TRIAS’ programme advisor, Francis Shimit said the project is aimed at supporting small-scale farmers step out of extreme poverty.

“Our interest is to work with farmers when they are in groups, rather than in individuals,” he said already the organization has been working with eight groups of about 35,000 Tanzanians.

By Elisha Mayallah, Monday, June 09th, 2014


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