Agriculture represents almost 60% of employment in Tanzania. Most of the farmers in Ifakara are subsistence farmers using old tactics that are inefficient and labour intensive. The land, except for the shores of the river, are often dry not good for growing high yielding crops.
In 2015, Valenova Foundation through the help of Ifakara Bakery Project, UK, bought a tractor to help the local farmers work their fields. It allows them to grow more crops with fewer efforts. Said Fadhili Akilimali, our Farming Officer, manages the work done by the tractor, making sure it is scheduled to help as many farmers as possible.
It has been a very successful project. Said has maximized the impact of the tractor by successively scheduling farms to complete their work. The income from the tractor has been used to supports some students in school fees.
The harsh environment of the farming areas makes it difficult to grow high yielding crops. The Ifakara area at large has been experiencing a drought for almost ten years leaving villagers with not enough crops to support themselves.
The Valenova Foundation with the help of donors, purchased a water pump in 2013 that irrigates the maize and vegetables. They pump water from large ponds and the rivers Lumemo and Kilombero. This irrigation project has made a significant improvement in the harvests.
