GOOD AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES
In 2021, as part of its VICOBA programme, DSI established five demo plots in the Nyakahama area.
Over its first year, the project gave rise to 10 well-trained prominent maize farmers, each of whom has a one-acre farm with the capacity to yield 20 bags of maize per season.
These 10 farmers have managed to increase their income from 100,000 TZS to 1,200,000 TZS per acre after the sale of their produce. The purpose of the money is to start new businesses and pay for hospital bills, school fees, and household expenses.
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Two groups managed to start a collective farming business and have replicated the training on their farms. The revenue from farming is used to increase group capital, which is in turn used to provide loans for fellow members to start their own small businesses. The enterprises financed include poultry keeping, tomato farming and gardening.
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DSI is proud to have enabled members of the community to build financial capital and fundraise by themselves. They have demonstrated the ability to make collective decisions and take ownership of group development.
ENVIRONMENTALLY-FRIENDLY FARMING
In 2023, as part of its Good Agricultural Practices scheme, DSI launched a pilot project with the purpose of promoting environmentally-friendly farming and diversifying nutrition to improve health and wellbeing.
This project, generously supported by Mondo Foundation, set up 20 demo plots to grow maize and beans with environmentally-sensitive farming methods. 60 members of existing Village Community Banks (VICOBAs) were trained on good agricultural practices.
Once they had passed on the knowledge to their fellow VICOBA members, a total of 416 people were able to benefit from the project.
With DSI's support, participants have gained skills in different compost manure making and pest and disease control techniques. These new skills have enabled them to improve soil structure in the area, generate an income to improve their economic situation, and cultivate diversified crops for better nutrition.
Participants during a training session on environmentally-friendly agriculture organised by DSI in partnership with Mondo Foundation.
Nutrition is part of DSI's strategy to ensure community resilience, so we provide meals for all community members involved in training sessions.
Members of Tuinuane VICOBA working on their farming plot.
Participants during a training session on environmentally-friendly agriculture organised by DSI in partnership with Mondo Foundation.
Here you can see how the community's maize and bean demo plots are coming along:
First Quarter:
Second Quarter:
