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PRESENTED AT SAFE PROJECT CONFERENCE AND BOOK LAUNCHING CEREMONY MAY 31 ST TO JUNE 2 ND , 2010

Challenges and Opportunities of Organic Agriculture in Tanzania (Book Chapter 5 by E.R. Mbiha & G.C. Ashimogo ). PRESENTED AT SAFE PROJECT CONFERENCE AND BOOK LAUNCHING CEREMONY MAY 31 ST TO JUNE 2 ND , 2010 OCEAN PARADISE HOTEL, ZANZIBAR BY E. R. MBIHA. STRUCTURE OF THE PRESENTATION.

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PRESENTED AT SAFE PROJECT CONFERENCE AND BOOK LAUNCHING CEREMONY MAY 31 ST TO JUNE 2 ND , 2010

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  1. Challenges and Opportunities of Organic Agriculture in Tanzania(Book Chapter 5 by E.R. Mbiha & G.C. Ashimogo) PRESENTED AT SAFE PROJECT CONFERENCE AND BOOK LAUNCHING CEREMONY MAY 31ST TO JUNE 2ND , 2010 OCEAN PARADISE HOTEL, ZANZIBAR BY E. R. MBIHA

  2. STRUCTURE OF THE PRESENTATION • Introduction • Expected benefits/Awareness • Initiatives by stakeholders to develop organic agriculture in Tanzania • Case Studies • Key constraints and challenges as related to: • Consumer demand • Market access • Contracts • Value addition and processing • Farmers • Conclusion and recommendations

  3. INTRODUCTION • Farmers in Tanzania generally practice low input agriculture – ‘organic by default’ • Organic Agriculture (OA) generally means a sustainable and environmentally friendly agriculture production system • It also provides interesting marketing opportunities • Codex Alimentarius Commission “… a holistic production management system which promotes and enhances agro-ecosystem health, including biodiversity, biological cycles and soil bilogical activity …..”

  4. Awareness and expected benefits of OA • Increasing yields in low input agriculture • Conserving biodiversity and natural resources on the farm and neighborhood • Increasing income or reducing costs • Producing “safe” food • Long term sustainability Awareness: Many producers and consumers are not aware of these benefits

  5. INSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT • 1990s government lead campaign – stimulated donor’s , NGOs support and projects like EPOPA. • A number of organizations and programmes promoted OA • REGULATORS, PROMOTERS, CERTIFIERS • 2002 PELUM initiated process of setting up standards and certification • 2004 establishment of TanCert (certification) • 2005 establishment of TOAM (leadership & coordination) • EPOPA (promoted access to international markets, played part in establishment of TanCert, TOAM and East African Organic Standard)

  6. INSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT Government Role: • ASDS mentions OA • A few clauses in policy statements support OA but a number do not explicitly mention OA • Government policies and strategies for agriculture development are developed in several ministries (about 8). Five of these are referred to in the ASDS as the Agriculture Sector Lead Ministries (ASLMs). These 5 exclude the Environment Division in VPO, Ministry of Health and Social Welfare and Ministry of Lands and Human Settlement

  7. INSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT • Challenges to policy development • Inadequate capacity in OA research, extension and training • Limited understanding and awareness • Limited promotion, supply, research on OA • Access and affordability of certification services • Continued promotion of synthetic agro-chemicals

  8. CASE STUDIES Organic Cashew nut • Organic cashew nut production declined in Kerekese village due to unstable prices, unreliable supply of sulphur and credit delivery conditions. • Prices decline from one season to the next • Premier Cashew Industries Company Ltd was the sole buyer • Farmers were compelled to sell to PCI as a strategy to make farmers repay the loan

  9. Case Studies Organic cashew nut • Credit amount not meeting requirements • Lack of credit facilities in the neighboring villages – temptation to sell sulphur to non-project farmers • The amount of credit provided to buy sulphur too small. The credit is also insufficient to cover other costs like weeding, spraying and harvesting. Low productivity is inevitable.

  10. Case Studies • Changes in market organization: Introduction of Warehouse Receipt System • Premier Cashew Industries stopped to buy from Kerekese Village. Reasons: Low supplies, Change in buying system (dealing with farmers’ coop society managing the warehouses) • The above listed problems restrict transmission of premium prices obtained in the world market to farmers

  11. CONSTRAINTS AND CHALLENGES • Challenges/Issues for OA development in Tanzania • Inadequate capacity to carry out OA initiatives such as research, training and extension services • Limited understanding and awareness of opportunities and potentials of OA system

  12. CONSTRAINTS AND CHALLENGES • Limited accessibility and affordability of certification services by small holder farmers as a marketing requirement • Potential conflict on use of organic inputs vs promotion of inorganic chemical inputs • Uncoordinated planning • Perceptions that OA leads to low productivity

  13. RECOMMENDATIONS • INSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT • Simplification of accreditation • Incorporate directly OA issues in policies • Sensitize, build capacity of producers and marketing associations • ECONOMIC CONSIDERATIONS • Ensure price transmission mechanisms that benefit the primary producer • Improve access to credit • Improve availability of inputs • ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES • Publicize environmental rationale of OA

  14. The End Thank you

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