SUCCESS STORY-KAHE HORTICULTURAL COOPERATIVE SOCIETY-MOSHI DISTRICT

Kahe Horticultural Cooperative Society showing how small hold farmers can transform lives and move people out of poverty through market-oriented agriculture. The 138- KAHOCOSO members began working with FASO Tanzania in January 2014 to improve their business skills and diversify into a modern markets opportunity, they were linked and signed impressive contract with Frigoken Export Company to produce French beans and about sixteen acreage were grown. Frigoken provides the farmers

with seeds and guarantees to buy their harvest at an agreed price.

As the first harvest begin in October 2014, with the price of 750 shillings per kilogram, the farmers recognize that French beans bring spanking prosperity to their community. About 14,456 kilograms of French beans were collected and sold within the three months of October, November and December. "We have never grown French beans neither accessing export markets before FASO intervention, we were very worried but now we see the bright future for success." said Nelson Mmanyi

“We can see that it will be a prospective source of revenue for us,” said farmer Dina Saidi, a 50-year-old mother of five children. “It will help me pay school fees, acquire clothes and complete to build my small house. It is something that will raise our living standards.”

The main challenges are including inadequate agronomic techniques, shortage of skilled labour, low awareness of standards (Global GAP etc), lack of infrastructure that complies with the market standards, high cost of inputs and counterfeit inputs which make difficult to control high incidence of diseases and pests. Quality is further compromised by inadequate infrastructure such as grading sheds and cold rooms at farm level, poor and insufficient irrigation infrastructure but we thank FASO now addressing some of the challenges. Said Chaiman, Mr Erasto Mlay.

Through Inclusive Modern Market (IMM) in Fresh Fruits and Vegetables Project (FFV), hundreds of farmers have the potential to capitalize on a similar opportunity, aim to double the fresh fruits and vegetables incomes to more than 500 farmers in  Moshi District. Since launching in January 2014, the program has laid the keystone for a thriving sustainable industry that can help farming families lift themselves out of poverty.

FASO Tanzania, helps farmers to increase their productivity and create new market opportunities for their French beans . This work begins with forming or strengthening Commercial Farmers Organizations (CFOs), which allow many of farmers to sell vegetables collectively and improve their bargaining power. “There was never a market for our vegetables, so we would just eat few vegetables  and the rest were left to rot" Said Erasto Mlay, Chairman of the KAHOCOSO.

Through the Commercial Farmers Organizations (CFOs), FASO Tanzania facilitates training sessions for farmers on key skills. Many of these trainings take place on demo plots, where farmers receive hands-on experience in preparing the land, controlling pests and diseases, managing the soil and harvesting of vegetables. Collaborating with other actors,  also provide business training for the farmer business groups so that they can interact with buyers as equals and create more income for their members.

 “Many farmers just didn’t believe it was possible to all of a sudden sell their French beans in the export company,” Said Catherine Macha “It wasn’t believed until they actually saw, with their own eyes, the company coming here to collect  our French beans, it is  when started believing. Now, farmers thinking to expand their plots" Said Elinami Mtei.

FASO is linking farmers with financial institutions to offer better access to credit and facilitate Village Commercial Bank (VICOBA) in CFOs. The fund can help smallholders to invest in their farms and take advantage of a market opportunity for their vegetables. Also, link them with the certified input dealers to avoid counterfeit inputs and enable collective purchase.

This remarkable success story is proof that smallholder farmers can be part of the solution to global food security, helping to feed the world. But they cannot do it alone. What they need is that rich and poor countries alike invest in and support agricultural and rural development, creating the conditions to move poor rural people out of subsistence farming and into the modern market places.

In my many years of working in agriculture and rural development, two things have become increasingly evident. The first is that farming at any scale is a business, and smallholders and producers must be treated as entrepreneurs. The second is that businesses need clear linkages along the value chain, from production to processing, marketing and, ultimately, to consumption. When these links are in place, wonderful things begin to happen to farmers.

Table:

Months	Kilograms	Price sell
October	4258	1973300
November	5015	3510500
December	5183	27728