Press Release

"Farmers should first start at the market before production, because in the market, they will know popular varieties, quality and volume traded, competitors and peak demand (high price) seasons. I was farming without knowing the actual cost of production because I did not keep records of farming activities , but through the project I have been able to know the costs of farming activities including calculation of profit and losses" - Mr. Joel Jackson Ikera, Umoja A Farmers Group, Lushoto District, Tanga Region

Mr. Joel Ikera trebled his production through the SHEP approach knowledge he acquired from the JICA-supported TANSHEP project. For instance, through that knowledge he managed to increase the production of various crops per plot (0.125 acres) as follows:

• "zucchini" - from 320 kg to 940 kg (nearly three times)
• "broccoli" - from 210 kg to 520 kg (2.5 times)
• "cauliflower" - from 420 kg to 900 kg (2.1 times)

In addition to registering the remarkable increase of production described above, Mr. Joel Ikera has managed to properly apply the field management skills, marketing and record keeping practices which he obtained from the JICA project mentioned above. These were the key factors which made him to be selected as the "Annual Regional Best Farmer in the Eastern Zone of Tanzania" at the occasion of this years' Nane - Nane Celebrations.

Mr. Ikera is no doubt one of those farmers who are fast learning how to change their farming mindsets from the conventional "Grow and Sell" towards "Grow to Sell" approach through JICA's technical cooperation project (TANSHEP), namely, the "Project for Strengthening District Agriculture Development Plans (DADPs) Planning and Implementation Capacity through the Use of Smallholder Horticulture Empowerment and Promotion (SHEP) Approach".

TANSHEP is a five-year project which commenced in January 2019 and is being implemented by the Ministry of Agriculture and President's Office - Regional Administration and Local Government (PO-RALG) in collaboration with Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). The Project started with six target districts in three northern regions (Kilimanjaro, Arusha, and Tanga) while aiming at introducing the Approach gradually over the whole country.

TANSHEP focuses on promoting market oriented horticulture development by applying "SHEP" (Smallholder Horticulture Empowerment and Promotion) approach initiated by JICA, which realizes "Market-Oriented Agriculture". The approach encourages horticulture producers to conduct market survey first before engaging in production. Further, the approach encourages collaboration with relevant stakeholders, e.g. buyers, input suppliers, and even intermediaries, to improve production and marketability and to realize the increase of income for the betterment of rural livelihoods in Tanzania.

The horticultural producers in the target districts are proactively applying SHEP approach based on the lessons learnt and confidence gained through the 1st trial cycle under TANSHEP. From this month (September 2020), the second cycle of application of SHEP approach starts. Following the training for extension officers, selected farmers' groups will make field visits to successful farmers' groups to learn the good practices which resulted from "Grow to Sell" mindset change.

The series of project activities (i.e. Baseline survey, Market Survey, and Match Making) by TANSHEP has reached many farmers (about 56 farmers' groups) and extension officers in the three target regions.

Through such activities, farmers' mindsets are visibly changing from the "Grow and Sell" mentality to "Grow to Sell" mentality as evidenced by the experience of Mr. Joel Ikera above.

For more information please contact:
JICA Tanzania Office, P.O. Box 9450, Dar es Salaam,
Tel: 022-211327/30 Fax: 022-2112976
Ms. YAMADA Namiko / 0682215969 / Yamada.Namiko@jica.go.jp
Ms. Veronica Balua / 0682216 080 / BaluaVeronica.TZ@jica.go.jp

Mr. Joel Jackson Ikera, a member of Umoja A Farmers Group, Lushoto District. He was awarded as the "Annual Regional Best Farmer in the Eastern Zone of Tanzania" at the occasion of this years' Nane Nane Celebrations.

Planning the market survey in Lushoto: Before going to the market, farmers group will decide which crop information they collect. Based on the planning, sometimes representatives of the farmers group bring product sample to the market for sales promotion.

Market Survey in Arusha: Checking detailed requirements of what wholesellers want such as variety, quality, quantity, price peak season and so on.