cases from tanzania - Sustainet

3 Cases from Tanzania
and outside PELUM-Tanzania’s constituency. Most member and partner organizations have
email and internet facilities, so it is easy and quick to share information and get responses.
Although PELUM-Tanzania has produced various publications, the need is still great. Ironically,
the organization has done relatively little to document its own work.
promoting farmers’ networks
Many farmers in Tanzania traditionally work in groups so they can achieve a common goal
that they cannot achieve individually. Groups have many purposes: get better prices for their
produce, manage irrigation systems, secure access to land, obtain technical support from the
government, and many others. Farmers need information, goods and services if they are
to improve their farm production and become better off. Groups of farmers have much to
learn from each other, and collectively they are strong enough to lobby the government and
attract the attention of the private sector.
PELUM-Tanzania and its member organizations facilitate networking among farmers and
their organizations so they achieve these goals.
Activities
PELUM-Tanzania facilitates the networking of farmer organizations. It does this by working
with its member organizations to promote self-help farmer groups and local farmer
networks. It then encourages these networks to join a national network of farmers’ groups,
known as MVIWATA. This is the only independent national farmer network in Tanzania,
and is controlled by small-scale farmers themselves.
MVIWATA has initiated intermediate, regional networks to ensure that farmer representation
at the district and national level is transparent and accountable to members. It facilitates
partnerships with local authorities, NGOs and other support organizations.
Every year, PELUM-Tanzania organizes and facilitates three 5-day events, known as “networking
days”. These are held in turn in different parts of the country. They allow farmers
to come together to share experiences, show off their best practices, and discuss marketing
information and trade challenges.
PELUM-Tanzania invites farmers from throughout East Africa and neighbouring countries
to participate in the government’s National Farmers’ Week and to go on exchange visits to
farms in Tanzania.
At the regional level, the Africa-wide PELUM Association and its national members (including
PELUM-Tanzania) have facilitated the formation of the East and Southern Africa Farmers’
Forum. This is a regional network of small-scale farmers that enables them to discuss
issues of common concern and to develop recommendations for national and international
policies and practices.
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