ICP project in Tanzania inspires coffee-growers to work together

In Tanzania, ICP is doing practical work among coffee-growers operating in the Mbeya and Mbozi regions. The goal of the partnership is to enhance coffee-growers’ skills and business, and to support their families’ lives.

“Coffee-growers’ eagerness to join the Coffee Farmer Alliance Tanzania (CFAT) project has exceeded all our expectations. Already almost 7,000 growers are involved, and by the end of 2015 we are aiming to boost this number to 12,000,” says Ina Wengrzyk, who is coordinating the project in Tanzania. Read on.

In the Tanzanian project, which began in 2006, ICP, its partners and the growers jointly develop new coffee cultivation methods, seek additional sources of income for growers, and create more efficient channels for selling products and marketing. In addition to cultivation training, growers are told about the opportunities in forming communities.

“When we launched the project, the growers were suspicious about unionising. Many unions and organisations broke up in the late 1960s due to problems like corruption and bad management practices. However, communality has been an empowering experience for coffee-growers who used to work alone.

They have been heard and they have been able to have a say in things affecting their business, for example by taking part in price negotiations,” says Ina Wengrzyk in Moshi, who works on location through one ICP member, Hanns R. Neumann Stiftung.

The work being done on the project is highly practical in nature. “To boost earnings, we have coached coffee-growers in managing their own organisations and in coffee marketing. As a result of unionising, the growers are able to handle their money affairs independently and bank accounts have been opened for them. Networking has also made dependable partners accessible to growers,” Ina reports.

Coffee cultivation is now even attracting youngsters

Collaboration between the parties working on the project successfully supports the improvement of Tanzanian coffee cultivation. The project has helped to promote the Tanzanian government’s targets set for coffee production. Because of this, also young people and women have won a more prominent role in the cultivation business.

“The project has given coffee cultivation new vigour and it is now considered more attractive for a living. Many producers have as much as tripled their income thanks to improved productivity, better quality coffee, and market links. In addition to actual cultivation, women have been able to take part in things like marketing, which was formerly entirely in men’s hands. Young people have also become involved, and many of them see a future in coffee cultivation as a way of making a living,” Ina says of the project’s results.

A successful pilot project has led to a broader continuation which will last until spring 2015. In addition to Mbozi and Mbeya, the Rungwe and Ileje districts have also been included.

 

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