Conservation agriculture Tanzania_casestudy.pdf - Sokoine ...

Tanzania Association of ForestersAchievements: The Tanzania Association of Foresters (TAF), formed in 1976, isa professional non-profit NGO, which unites foresters in Tanzania and elsewhere.The association facilitates tree planting and environmental conservation in KaratuDistrict. TAF has been supported financially by Byskogsinsamligen (BSI) of Sweden.The project’s achievements include raising about 2.8 million seedlings and creatingawareness of the importance of tree planting. Communities became tired of treeplanting, however, no longer seeing it as a priority, so TAF switched to agriculturaldevelopment by providing farmers with improved seed varieties and with training.Gap and challenges: TAF project interventions in Karatu focused on treeplanting but with time the community changed its priorities, and TAF was forcedto reorient itself to suit the new interests.National Livestock Extension ProjectAchievements: Administered through the Ministry of Agriculture and sponsoredby the World Bank, the National Livestock Extension Project (NALEP-I and NALEP-II) was a government project that aimed to enhance agricultural activities in KaratuDistrict by improving agricultural practices and building the capacity of extensionists(URT 2004b). It operated between 1995 and 2001. Some of the achievements: 15village agricultural extension officers (VAEOs) were trained on various technologies,4 VAEOs obtained diplomas in general agriculture, 25 farmers were trained invarious skills. It also provided the following support: a vehicle, 2 motorcycles, 20bicycles, 5 extension kits, 1 computer set, 1 photocopier, 1 soil kit, and furniture.There was also good achievement in disseminating agricultural technologies tofarmers and increasing the number of farmers who adopted new skills.Gap and challenges: The approach was more top down, planned andimplemented by government. Little attention was given to sustainable agriculturethrough maintaining soil productivity. The focus was purely on conventionalagriculture. Most of the working instruments provided to extensionists were notdurable—for example, the bicycles were of low quality (URT 2004b).Selian Agricultural Research InstituteAchievements: Selian Agricultural Research Institute (SARI) is one of the mainagricultural research institutes in Tanzania. It is a leading player in promotingconservation agriculture in the Northern Zone of Tanzania including KaratuDistrict. SARI officers have been pioneering and spearheading experiments andfield testing use of indigenous cover crops such as Dolichos lablab, pigeon pea andmucuna. Most of the conservation agriculture-related activities are either directlyor indirectly supervised and supported by SARI. SARI is also the main supplier ofcover crop seeds in Tanzania and it coordinates subsoiling services in collaborationwith TFSC. Almost 30 demonstration plots on smallholder farms were subsoiledfree of charge by TFSC (with support from GTZ). Participating farmers wereexpected to shift to minimum tillage using the chisel plough or ox plough, and toleave crop residue on the field. Cover crop trials were established under TFSC/GTZ sponsorship to examine the effects of lablab and mucuna on soils and yields74 Ringo et al.