Food Insecurity

Kilimo cha makingamaji’ [conservation agriculture] was introduced to our farming group called ANGAZIA…we were very happy to see increased yield to suffice household food needs throughout the year. In the past, maize harvests could only feed the families hardly for one month. Before I adopted this technique, I was not able to do mixed farming as some crops require enough moisture to grow. Nowadays I mix maize with banana, spices and cassava and they grow up very well! My family is now food-secured. I have helped, for free, many villagers to adopt this technique, I go and teach them for free – I feel so happy indeed!

Before I started practicing conservation agriculture my harvest was not more than 2 sacks [200kg], but it’s amazing to see 7 sacks of maize coming from the same farm. I had plenty of food last year [2016], I sold the excess and bought cows.

Through this technique, it is now possible to grow vegetables on my farm. In 2016 for example, I harvested up to 500kg of vegetables. After selling, I got TZS. 800,000 and used the money to expand my farm from 1 acre to 4 acres, but also dug a water well which I am planning to use it for irrigation.

Through this technique, I have managed to start up another small business…I bought chicken and can now sell eggs. I get enough money to pay for school fees.

Before I adopted this technique, farming was just a waste of time, but now it is a profitable undertaking. Before, I used to harvest 10kgs of beans, but last year [in 2016] I harvested 80Kgs on the same land area.