Hortifresh Nov__December 2012.indd - Hortfresh Journal

David Ruchiu, FCI Regional Director shares point with Koffi Annan during the visit to thecassava processing unit in MbuguniMbuguni Commercial Villagewhere Kofi Annan andMelinda Gates visited issituated in Mbuguni WardMeru district, Arusha regionTanzania. It is about 59kmfrom Arusha town. The majorfoods crops grown withinthe village include Cassava,Maize, Beans, Pigeon peas,Green beans, Cowpeas andSweet potatoes. The Cassavavariety grown is KigomaRed, predominantly resistantto Cassava Brown StreakDisease, Cassava MosaicVirus and Cassava green Mite.The variety has a maturityperiod of 6-8 months with aproduction capacity of 37-64MT per hectare. Village basedmultiplication of this varietyhas been done in partnershipwith Horti Tengeru Researchinstitute in Arusha.Mbuguni is one of sixCommercial Villagesimplementing the CassavaVillage Processing Programme(CVPP) with Farm ConcernInternational, with thesupport of the Alliance fora Green Revolution in Africa(AGRA). The project involves5,500 households and over30,000 beneficiaries.Africa’s Green Revolution will be led by smallholder farmers like Joyce MeenaJoyce Meena tends her cassavafarm in Mbuguni Commercial Village,Arusha TanzaniaJoyce Meena and herhusband Elia aresmallholder farmers inMbuguni CommercialVillage, Arusha Tanzaniawhich is also a FarmConcern International Sitefor the Cassava VillageProcessing Programme(CVPP) supported bythe Alliance for a GreenRevolution in Africa(AGRA). In the wordsof AGRA President, MrsJane Karuku, smallholderfarmers, most of whomare women, account forover 80 percent of Africa’sstaple food productionand hold the key tounlocking the continent’sagricultural potential.Feted by keynote speakersincluding Mr Kofi Annanand Melinda Gates at theAfrican Green RevolutionElia and Joyce plan, work and invest together on their farm.Forum 2012, in Arusharecently, Joyce and Elia farmmainly maize, banana andcassava on 1.5 acres offamily land for their ownconsumption and leasea further 11.5 acres ofland to grow cassava forcommercial purposes.Having invested in improveddrought and pest resistantseeds for maize, bananaand cassava, the couplereport that their incomeshave vastly improved whichenables them to supporttheir own three children andthree orphans, the childrenof Elias deceased brother.2For leads in HorticultureNovember- December 2012