PFD in Tanzania

Since 2008, through support from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Partners for Development and local Tanzanian partners have embarked on a significant income-diversification and food-security project in several Tanzanian regions over the next three years. PFD’s Jatropha Agriculture & Nutrition Initiative (JANI) program will directly benefit 31,250 small-holder farmers in 11 to 13 regions of Tanzania.

See map of PFD-Tanzania.

Tanzania Country Profile

Tanzania is situated on the Eastern Coast of Africa and regarded as one of Africa’s politically stable countries. Tanzania is categorized as a least developed and low-income, food-deficit country, with almost 80% of its total population dependent on mainly subsistence agriculture for livelihood. Povery remains widespread and recent statistics from the United Nations Food Progarm inidcate that over 58% of the population lives on less than $1 per day.

More than 40% of the population lives in chronic food-deficit regions where irregular rainfall causes recurring food shortages. An estimated 1.4 million people are living with HIV/AIDS; this epidemic is exacerbating the country’s povery level and reducing agricultural productivity and the availability of farm labor. The leading cause of death in children who survive the neonatal period is malaria. For adults, it is HIV/AIDS.

JATROPHA AGRICULTURE & NUTRITION INITIATIVE (JANI)

The project's main objectives  are to diversify and increase the household incomes of targeted small-holder farmer families through training in the cultivation and processing of Jatropha curcas, (commonly referred to as "Jatropha") and by creating market linkages with buyers of Jatropha seed and oil. For an in-depth look at our JANI program, visit the JANI webpage.

STRATEGY

 PFD will strengthen capacities of local partners by promoting the cultivation, processing, and sale of Jatropha oil with small-holder farmers. This will mainstream Jatropha into the economy for industrial uses, contributing to national energy policy and creating income growth along the value-added chain. This will be achieved by training local farmers and partners in program management, work planning, and monitoring and evaluation systems.

PFD will also improve food security and nutrition for Jatropha-farming households.

FOOD SECURITY

Food security and related problems will be addressed through community nutrition education campaigns and technical assistance in household food production. This will entail increasing access to and use of foods with nutritional value, teaching farmers to intercrop appropriate produce depending on soil and climate conditions in the region, and work with families or communities care committees to help them set up small ‘kitchen’ gardens where they will grow vegetables for home consumption.

JATROPHA CURCAS: THE MANY USES

Jatropha is a multi-purpose tropical hedgerow shrub. Drought-hardy Jatropha makes an impenetrable living fence, unpalatable to grazing animals. Jatropha seed produces oil that can be used for various purposes including medicinal soap, cosmetics, biofuel, lubricants, lighting, and cooking. The by-product seedcake is a nitrogen-rich organic fertilizer and fuel for biogas digesters. Jatropha plantings promote soil conservation and help to reclaim degraded land, without taking field space needed for food crops. Hedge rows and mini plantations of Jatropha offer small-holder farmers a perennial cash crop that will diversify and multiply family incomes.

Rural Tanzanian women and men are eager to find new cash crops, as illustrated by positive responses to Jatropha pilot projects. These projects have spread awareness of Jatropha’s uses in two districts of the Arusha region in northeastern Tanzania.

PFD’s current program, building on past success, will:

• Build awareness among rural populations and local government officials about Jatropha’s uses and markets through the development of a training center and educational materials.

• Train individuals and small groups in the cultivation and processing of Jatropha.

• Increase the amount of planting materials available locally by supporting local nurseries.

• Support and train small-holder producer groups to set up and manage community collection and buying points to provide reliable markets for Jatropha growers.

• Create marketing linkages between urban buyers and rural, small-holder suppliers of Jatropha.

• Promote improved cook-stoves and lamps that burn Jatropha oil.

• Promote intercropping of appropriate produce with Jatropha to improve household nutrition and increase access to and use of nutritional foods.

TARGETED DISTRICTS

Potential targeted regions, including specific districts, are: Arusha, Manyara, Kilimanjaro, Singida, and Tanga. Dodoma, Tabora, Coastal, and other regions may be added later.

PFD PARTNERS

PFD is working with several partners, including: Pamoja, Inc.; Jatropha Products Tanzania Limited; Faida MaLi; Global Service Corps; and other local outreach partners (LOP).

Pamoja Inc: An American NGO specializing in institutional capacity building.

Jatropha Products Tanzania Ltd (JPTL): An Arusha-based NGO promoting sustainable smallholder Jatropha production.

Faida MaLi: An Arusha-based NGO that links producer groups with markets.

Global Service Corps Tanzania (GSC-TZ): An international volunteer-based organization promoting sustainable agriculture, nutrition and health.

Local Outreach Partners (LOPs): JANI actively works with grass-roots NGOs and community-based organizations to reach out to communities where the project will not have a physical presence.

Local businesses: JANI also seeks to collaborate with local businesses engaged in Jatropha processing and marketing.