cases from tanzania - Sustainet

Sustainable agriculture: A pathway out of poverty for East Africa’s rural poor
Similarly, traders are unable to reach out to rural areas without appropriate infrastructure.
Promoting storage facilities and processing industries can curb the problem of seasonal
fluctuations in prices and food availability, and induce the development of agro-industrial
linkages. Improved storage facilities also help reduce post-harvest losses, so increasing farm
returns and food security.
Services such as agricultural research, extension and credit are vital if farmers are to be able
to learn of, use and profit from improved agricultural techniques. But such services are weak,
under-funded, and fail to focus on sustainable agriculture solutions.
Roads and storage facilities in Kenya
Cases: CCS–Eldoret (p.21), Diocese of Embu (p. 28), Baraka (p.38), Homa Bay (p. 48)
The problem Most roads in rural areas are made of earth and become impassable when
it rains. Maintenance is poor. This makes it difficult for farmers to take their products even
to local markets. Farmers harvest crops such as maize during the dry season, and would like
to store at least part of their output until the rainy season, when prices are higher. But they
cannot get them to market at this time.
Poor roads affect the quality and frequency of services. Remote areas are more difficult to
reach for agricultural extension officers, credit agents, shopkeepers and traders, medical and
veterinary staff, and development workers. Poor storage facilities and bumpy roads result in
high post-harvest losses. Perishable crops like vegetables and fruits have a short shelf-life
and are easily damaged in transit.
Current policies “The main constraints of domestic marketing include high transport
costs arising from poor state of roads, poor handling, poor storage and wastage. … In order
to promote domestic marketing, infrastructural development and capacity building will be
given priority in the following areas: (e.g.)
• Development of rural market centres and storage facilities by local authorities and or in
partnership with private investors for hire
• Provision of all-weather access roads
• Provision of communication facilities and market information systems”
(KSRA, short version, Feb. 2005, p. 12f).
“A key challenge in agriculture is the inadequate and poor state of physical infrastructure
in agricultural production areas. The conditions of roads in major farming areas are poor,
as are communication and utility infrastructure. The Ministry will work with the relevant
ministries to improve the conditions of infrastructure in all agricultural production areas of
the country” (KSP, p. 26).
Sustainable agriculture solutions One principle of sustainable agriculture is crop
diversification. Manure and mulch are used especially for vegetables and fruits grown in
kitchen gardens. Those crops attract higher prices at local markets than staple foods such
as maize, beans, cassava and potatoes. Thus sustainable agriculture helps diversify income
and minimize risk.
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