Tanzania, Mbozi
Sustainable coffee from Mbeja Rural
Results
For more than 1,700 farmers and their families in Mbozi life is so much better these days. Where there used to be distrust and selfishness, the farmers now work together in democratic self-managed units. With their newly acquired organisational skills they are able to sell their coffee in larger volumes, independent of middlemen and their low payment.
With the assistance of the project, 52 Producer Organisations and seven secondary structures (Depot Committees) were established. All groups are implementing sustainable agricultural practices, improved their coffee quality and increased their yield by sometimes up to 100%. Many of the beneficiaries now enjoy better living conditions, with improvements in the areas of nutrition, housing and access to health care.
In addition, one of the ICP shareholders, Loefbergs Lila made a donation towards the renovation of four primary schools. With the help of the project, the schools were renovated and equipped with 100 new desks. The schools were previously in very poor condition, with broken roofs, very few desks and overcrowded classrooms. Besides this micro-project, a number of other social conditions have improved through better cropping practices, increased production, higher prices for better quality and in turn higher income.
Challenge
Farmers in Tanzania are often very poor and live in conditions hardly imaginable. They call tiny mud huts home and some die of sicknesses like diarrhoea simply due to low hygiene standards.
Most people do not even know that dirty water makes them sick and few in the region have ever received education beyond the basics. Farmers do not have access to appropriate production know-how and cannot afford basic inputs for their plantations. The results are poor yields and very low income.
Actions Taken
The project helped many farmers to gain access to credit and trained them in improved and sustainable production, as well as processing and marketing practices. They were supported in becoming organised and developing enhanced managerial capacities.
Training also covered aspects such as productive economic growth, social justice and ecological sustainability. Farmers were supported in establishing a Marketing Committee and selling coffee directly to international clients.
