Summary
· Taha in collaboration with Trias had initiated a revolving fund with seed money amounting to Euro 25,000 (nearly Sh62 million) with an eye to enable small-scale farmers to access soft loans without collateral
Dar es Salaam. A dynamic partnership between local and international
organizations has brought about an innovative idea to close the smallholder
farmers’ financing gap and improve their livelihoods.
Taha in collaboration with Trias had
initiated a revolving fund with seed money amounting to Euro 25,000 (nearly
Sh62 million) with an eye to enable small-scale farmers to access soft loans
without collateral.
“As it happened, Taha approached the
Equity Bank to develop a simple system with the ultimate goal of easing
smallholder farmers’ access to finance and creating pathways out of
poverty," said Taha chief development manager, Mr Anthony Chamanga told a
visiting high profile Trias mission.
Indeed, five years later, the
initiative turned out to be a seed of change, bringing about a paradigm shift
in lending peasants, as it offers a real opportunity to transform the financing
landscape for smallholder farmers.
“The model has worked successfully
in transforming hundreds of small-scale horticultural growers in Arusha to be
eligible for bank loans, prompting Equity bank to see the viability of lending
to them” Mr Chamanga told the delegation.
Indeed, official data shows that the
revolving fund had surged and was able to issue Sh 167 million in loans to over
200 small-scale farmers in Arusha to invest in horticulture farming.
“And Taha through its digital
platforms has been useful in giving small-scale farmers access to locally
tailored information on market and pricing trends and crop advice that assists
farmers in achieving higher yields and getting their crops to the right buyers”
he noted.
Commenting, the Trias Worldwide
Director General, Mr Lode Delbare termed Taha’s achievement in supporting youth
and women to venture into horticulture as remarkable.
“It feels good to see Taha’s
practical intervention in the grassroots. Be assured we will continue
collaboration to improve livelihoods for small-scale farmers. This is our
ambition and conviction” Mr. Delbare said.
Trias boss implored Taha to keep its
members, mostly smallholder farmers at the core of the organization in a bid to
maintain its vibrant status.
For his part, Taha board chairman,
Mr Zebadiah Moshi thanked Trias for its support that brought about real impact
on livelihoods to a critical mass of youth and women in Tanzania mainland and
Zanzibar.
“Taha is your right partner,
fortunately we are in Trias’ DNA. As they say, see is believing, I’m sure this
will help you to make informed decisions on our partnership” Mr Moshi said.
Ms Ritha Tarimo, country Coordinator,
Tanzania Trias underscored the importance of keeping small-scale farmers,
particularly youth and women at the heart of the future partnership.
Trias facilitated the establishment
of Taha’s membership unit to improve services to different member categories,
bankrolled a construction of a horticulture knowledge hub in Zanzibar and its
support marked a massive impact in terms of horticultural crops output and
income for growers in Zanzibar
Thanks to the “Make it Grow!”
Horticulture for Sustainable Economic Growth in Zanzibar project implemented by
Taha in partnership with Trias and AHA under the four years European Union (EU)
funded flagship programme, AGRI-CONNECT.
Indeed, formal statistics indicate
that the Zanzibar horticultural farmers have recorded a 100 percent yield surge
in the period under review, depending on the type of crops, technologies
applied and geographical areas.
The programme implemented in 66
villages, 47 out of them in Unguja and 19 others in Pemba with an eye to reach
10,100 beneficiaries among them 6,600 being farmers comprising 60 percent women
and 40 percent youth, has seen tomato productivity increased to two metric
tonnes in an acre per season, up from one metric tonne, doubling the income for
growers.
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