Netherlands to advance smart agriculture in Mbeya, Iringa

EMBASSY of the Kingdom of the Netherlands has partnered with a local non-governmental organization – Earth Frontiers to advance climate-smart agriculture in Iringa and Mbeya regions.

Project to advance climate-smart agriculture in Southern Highlands centred on addressing climate change crisis in the country.

Regions through EcoSave, a community – level climate-smart agriculture intervention project is expected to kick off this month and run up to next September and is expected to impact over 100 extension officers and smallholder farmers across the Southern Highlands Zone.

Earth Frontiers Board Chairperson, Ms Shimimana Ntuyabaliwe said through a press release yesterday that the project seeks to advocate for the adoption of soil health management practices among smallholder farmers through regenerative agriculture.

“We have decided to have a special focus on regenerative agriculture in our first year because agriculture is increasingly becoming a major part of the climate problem despite its importance in food security and contribution to the economy,” Ms Ntuyabaliwe said.

She  expounded that EcoSave is a five-year initiative that aims at addressing ecosystem degradation and other key biodiversity conservation challenges across Tanzania and in its first year it will focus on promoting responsible economic activities that are less damaging to the soil and ecosystem.

The project seeks to promote climate-smart agriculture adoption and enhance knowledge of environmentally friendly agricultural practices that would promote sustainable use of the environment to drive economic development and improvement in human welfare.

Ms Ntuyabaliwe said, soil fertility depletion due to low organic matter, nutrient imbalances and soil acidity is one of the biggest limitations for optimal agricultural productivity in Southern.

Highlands Tanzania, which is a major food basket for producing most of the horticultural crops, potatoes, maize, rice and legumes consumed in Tanzania and contribute significantly to Tanzania’s horticultural exports.

Earth Frontiers is implementing the EcoSave project in collaboration with the Netherlands Development Organisation under its Climate Resilient Agribusiness for Tomorrow (CRAFT) programme which is supporting Tanzanian businesses build their resilience to climate change.