Small-scale farmers praise WorldVeg AID-I project for life-change

ARUSHA: SMALL-SCALE farmers across Tanzania are experiencing significant economic and social transformation, thanks to training provided by the World Vegetable Centre (WorldVeg) under the Accelerated Innovation Delivery Initiative (AID-I) project.

Launched in 2023 in collaboration with various partners, including CIMMYT, the project has been implemented in Arusha, Kilimanjaro, Manyara and Zanzibar.

Its goal is to improve incomes, nutrition and food security in rural communities.

Speaking during the official closing ceremony of the project, beneficiaries shared how the initiative has changed their lives.

Michael Slaa, a farmer from Karatu in Arusha Region, said the training helped him adopt modern farming practices, leading to a dramatic increase in yield and income.

“Before the training, I harvested only 40 bags of onions per acre. Now, I get up to 120 bags. Access to markets has improved and my income has tripled. This has truly transformed my family’s life,” said Mr Slaa.

Maryam Salim from Chake Chake, Pemba, said she gained vital skills in seed production, preservation and proper planting techniques.

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“I didn’t have a steady income before. Through AID-I, I’ve learnt to produce and sell nutrient-rich amaranth seeds. Now I’m financially independent and able to support my family,” she said.

Saidi Mollel from Monduli, Arusha Region, noted that the training enabled him to grow climate-resilient crops and produce high-quality seeds capable of withstanding unpredictable weather.

“We were trained to select quality seeds, use the right fertilisers and plan productive farming. Since then, my harvests have increased by over 200 per cent. I’ve even managed to build a new house and pay for my children’s education,” he said.

A farmer from Kilimanjaro Region, Ms Jackline Mushi highlighted the project’s role in improving family nutrition.

“We now grow vegetables for both home consumption and sale. This has helped reduce malnutrition and provided us with a steady daily income,” she said.

WorldVeg’s Tanzania Programme Manager, Ms Colleta Ndunguru, outlined the project’s broad impact.

“We have empowered over 62,000 farmers and distributed improved vegetable seeds to more than 10,500 households. Additionally, 10,684 seed producers have been trained—52 percent of them women and 29 percent youth. We also helped farmers formalise their businesses for legal recognition,” she said.

Director of the Agricultural and Livestock Research Institute in Zanzibar, Dr Abdallah Ibrahim Ali, praised the wide distribution of seedlings.

“More than 446,000 vegetable seedlings have been distributed across Mainland Tanzania and Zanzibar. This project needs to be scaled up so more Tanzanians can benefit,” he said.

Country Coordinator at CIMMYT Mr Peter Ojukwu emphasised the project’s role in climate resilience.

“Climate change presents major challenges. This project has equipped farmers with improved farming methods, better nutrition knowledge and value chain enhancement for horticultural crops,” he said.

The AID-I project was implemented through partnerships with organisations including RIKOLTO, IDP, World Vision, HollandGreentech, Kilimo Trust, SAIPRO, Froresta, Milele Zanzibar Foundation and the Zanzibar Ministry of Tourism and Heritage.