Enable 500 Tanzanian youth to feed their families

We help our local poor farmers produce, process and store enough food for their families. Every week, month and year, we have impacts and lovely stories of success which we love to share with our donors, supporters and champions.

In July 2024, Mboni ya Vijana hosted bio-organic fertilizers with farmers, the training imparted skills of making and application of local made fertilizers to improve soil fertility and crop yields per area. Since training, Mboni ya Vijana has been following supported farmers on the make, use and impacts of the fertilizers on crops. Despite that the current season does not support agriculture, we managed to work with some youth who own plots of land alongside the stream where plants watering is possible. Niyimenya is one of our clients who has used our introduced fertilizer on tomato farming near the stream. During the monitoring period, we found that the bio-fertilizers used which is Fish hydrolysate fertilizer has improved plant health and productivity at the promising result. Niyimenya says; “Before learning the make and use of Fish hydrolysate fertilizer, I used industrial fertilizers. It was very expensive to afford and I was needed to apply boosters to ensure my farm is better. After learning and applying fish hydrolysate organic fertilizer, I have seen wonderful results on my garden. Fish hydrolysate improved tomatoes leaves green, flowering and fruits bearing. No much flowing or fruits dropping/felling down the experience which is exceptional to my farming career. The fruits have begun getting ripe and I expect to gain not less than 2 million Tanzanian Shillings from only this small plot, the income I have never got in the past. This increase is associated with the low-cost fertilizers which makes me expand the size of farm area” he substantiates. Fish hydrolysate is cheap and easy to make and use with the potential to scale to many farmers and increase yields by 50% from the time before.

Palm oil is the major source of cooking oil in Kigoma region and the most common oil plants grown in Kigoma than anywhere in Tanzania. The government of Tanzania has declared Kigoma the special Palm Oil production Zone promoting investment in palm tree planting and palm oil pressing region in Tanzania. Palm trees products are potential for cooking oil, source of industrial raw material (petroleum jelly, soap and animal fodders) and potential income to the farmers and businesses men. Mboni ya Vijana continued to raise aware, supporting farmers and managing in palm tree planting in Kasulu rural especially in Zeze. The first planted palm trees in five years ago, are now benefiting farmers by giving them fruits, oil, fuel wood and income for family use but as well input to the national economic growth. Those who planted and those who are planting palm trees are completely getting us out of extreme poverty the dream that Mboni ya Vijana has been for over its life. On 6^th September 2024, Mboni ya Vijana hosted local government leaders meet-up to sharing the successes and the participant were plenty of appreciations to what Mboni ya Vijana has been doing to rural poor families and specially Yavan Njia who is the Village Chairman to Zeze says; “I have no doubt with the impact made by Mboni ya Vijana to the community but in favor to the government priority to Kigoma and the results which I have seen to the majority you supported with palm trees five years ago, I take this time on stage to request you to keep more support in palm trees farming. If we plant and manage this scheme, after 10 years, there will not be a poor family since is is a permanent crop” he finished. Mboni ya Vijana found a blessing story for Furaha, the form four graduate and a daughter to Jumanne who has directly employed by his father’s palm farm which was planted in 2018 by the support of Mboni ya Vijana. When she was reached at the farm, she says; “I finished form four in November 2023 but I was unluck to progress to other education levels however; I am happy because already my parent created employment for me and my blood relative. I work on monitoring, harvesting and keeping records of what comes from Palm Trees farm. We earn income and oil for food cooking; I don’t need to go away for job searching because this is enough for me” she presented.

Tropical regions are prone to high hotness, pests and diseases which all are the threat to tropical crops causing seasonal and low productivities of food and cash crops. In 2021/2022 farming season in Tanzania, we established improved cassava farming with the interest of adapting small holder farmers to cassava varieties which are drought, pests and diseases tolerant, short time to harvest with high yields per area. The scheme started in collaboration with PlantVillage involving AI management which later was joined by Tanzania Agricultural Research Institute (TARI) and International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) and Tanzania Official Seeds Certification Institute (TOSCI) with the support of the local government authority. The scheme started with research, seeds production and demo plots to ensure the local farmers access to information and seeds at local level. Up 2024, 174 farmers have supported and planted with improved cassava seeds while more than 16000 farmers have already had the information and willing to involve despite that the access to seeds are still limited to reach everyone. The results observed includes; increased cassava yield by 125% from the past used varieties, 100% unaffected by cassava diseases and pests, complement to drought by 100% and time reliable as they can be harvested after 8 months compared to local varieties which are commonly harvested after 18 months since planted. Economically and socially, these cassava varieties are very potential as they produce high yield in a short time from planting date. There are many stories following the improved cassava varieties performance in Kasulu Rural. Deus if a farmer at Zeze Village and he first planted cassava in 2023. In 2024, he harvested his farm and he was amazed by finding cassava with 1m long and 7kg per one cassava tuber. He says, “I cannot think of another crop to plan in the forthcoming years than this variety of cassava (TARICAS4) because it has offered me something I never experienced in life. Not only me but also everyone who have seen my cassava yields in interested to adapt. Honestly, it answers the poverty questions and we can make it a history by following the instructions and assistance conditions from Mboni ya Vijana” he said. Dulla from Dar Es Salaam and Patric from Dodoma visited Mboni ya Vijana and they were surprised to find cassava which they never seen everywhere they been before. Patric says, “I have never seen such a miracle. The things which I must do, is to collect the cassava to Dodoma to show other about this miracle and I must carry with me seeds to my farm at Anglican Central Diocese of Dodoma” Patric said.

Banana crop used to be a staple fruit food in Kigoma, however; there have been tropical banana bunchy top virus (BBTV) Killing everything about banana in Kigoma. We are delighted to have revived the new banana varieties in Kigoma with the support from PlantVillage planting disease free seedlings from Maua Mazuri in Moshi. Donations and supports from our donors and supporters are making difference to us supporting our agricultural movement. Steria is a girl loving eating banana. She has involved in planting and she is managing banana. Here she says, “It is my priority to make these seedlings bear and produce bananas. I will keep my time maintaining my farm until I harvest and beyond”. She uses biochar fertilize to maintain her farm and it is showing great results through a dry season.

Crops processing and preservation is one of the other activities we are dealing with to enable the community with post-harvest loss reduction. This strategy is to enable farmers add values to their agricultural products/yields before the market and can be stored over a long time without loosing anything. The processing involves of removing possible poison and unwanted contents in food from crops and add nutrition to processed food so it become potential to every group of users i.e diabetic and blood pressure survivors. Rukia is agricultural extension officer to dealing with the farmers in fields. She explains why farmers have instructed to soak cassava into water for three days before drying it. Here she says, “Cassava is reach of starch and cyanides which are not good for health especially to people living with diabetes and blood pressure. We soak cassava to reduce or remove cyanides from it so it is edible to anyone regardless health complications”. Due to high harvest expectations, Dr. Kiddo from International Institute of Tropical Agriculture says, “Mboni ya Vijana you have been exceptional implementer of Muhogo Bora mission. IITA is thrilled to support further facilities for cassava preservation facilities to you motivated to lead changes you are doing to Kasulu Rural community. Your effort is a catalyst to your community future and the nation at large, that we can’t wait to support” she stated during her visit to Mboni ya Vijana projects.

Mboni ya Vijana supports small farmers in animals and poultry keeping as part of increasing nutrition and income to their families. It has been expensive to feed the chickens and animals kept by small poor farmers hence Mboni has launched farmers training in locally ways of producing chicken foods which foster fast and healthier growth of the chicken. Ben is the chicken keeper and has learned and trains other farmers and youth in production of black soldiers and worms for chickens. These initiative uses food wastes to attract flies which laying eggs for worm development. These black soldiers are very rich in nutrients which promote chicken growth and development. Ben explains; “Black soldiers are easy to capture and for almost free just need fresh foods wastes. After 14 days, there are enough worms for chicken feeding almost by 0 Shilling except time and efforts to collect the needs. I have been using this method since I learned it and my chicken farming is developing very quickly and I want to make it the source of income by selling worms to chicken keepers and animal fodders manufacturers” Ben finished.

Mboni ya Vijana continued to strengthening it administration capacity and outreach services improving its community supporting efficient through collaboration with other partners including Segal Family Foundation (SFF), Tanzania Development Trust (TDT), Lifework global, IITA, TARI and other individual and organizations donors through GlobalGiving and Tanzania Development trust. We value all the contribution making Mboni ya Vijana reaching a large population in making sure agriculture is providing food, nutrition, income and environmental impacts in Tanzania. We are active keeping more efforts to reach more families and communities to enable them strive out of extreme poverty. Heading to farming season in Tanzania especially in Kigoma, Mboni ya Vijana welcome development supporters to support us reaching a goal of 26000 by 2024/2025 farming calendar.              

Thank you again for your support!

Mboni ya Vijana is celebrating 10 years since its foundation on 22^nd of September 2024 with remarkable transformations and growth in income, food, environments and social aspects to Kasulu rural community. The transformation and growth achieved, have not been only the strength of Mboni ya Vijana but with the support from our partners and donors.

Water

Since we commenced implementing our vision, mission and functions, we have learnt a great deal about water surveying, drilling and installation of rope hand pumps to ensure community members have access to abundant clean water for farming and domestic use. We have so far managed to drill and build 142 successfully boreholes providing water to more than 85,000 persons from which 80% of them being the students in primary and secondary schools benefiting with water every year. Water achievements have brought improved education as shown by National examinations form four and primary education result increase from 50% to 88%improved health and working time by 20% and reduced drought effects by 60% to villages in Kasulu.

Food Security

We are proud of our community which has put into practice the improved and sustainable farming methods we have delivered to increase their food security. Previously farmers in rural areas like ours used local poor farming methods with limited yields. For example, one acre was yielding a maximum of 300kg of maize but now yields in cassava, maize, sunflower and other crops have improved by more than 150%. One acre farms which produced up to 3 bags of maize, now harvest 18 – 28 bags, sunflower increased by up to 8 bags per acre, cassava increased from 8 to 30 bags per acre. All these increases have huge impacts on living conditions to the smallholder farmers in Kasulu rural. Up to 31^st May 2024, more than 18900 farmers have reached and benefited with our food system services. We have now become a certified crop seed producer which will allow us to provide better quality seeds enabling us to help many more people going forwards.

Income Security

Many families have benefited from our entrepreneurship training. This scheme has been running since 2015 reaching 2674 clients by 31^st May 2024. The clients have been receiving training in starting small businesses and can access micro loans through our microfinance scheme. Clients have been able to reroof their houses, buy schools uniforms and books for their children, afford medicine and buy foods for their families from the profit generated from the businesses. The average increase in income is between 30 and 60%.  

Youth Education and Training

Youth in rural areas like Kasulu, youth tend to be conservative and risk averse which hampers community development. We have been working hard to build up their confidence, creativity, innovation to overcome this. Since 2014 we have trained more than 620 youth in various skills such as welding, carpentry, soap making, biochar making, starting small businesses and other skills to contribute to local and global development and combat climate change.

In 2024 we initiated our Hope Rising Scheme which is mobilizing, training and supporting youth between 13 and 20 years old who failed to continue with formal education. These youth had lost hope in their dreams but we help them to be able to create jobs and employment for others. So far we have 28 youth in the course which runs for six months who then will be financed to start their small businesses. We hope to greatly expand this next year.

Environmental actions

We are celebrating planting of more than 200,000 trees, most of which are indigenous and fast growing for carbon sinks, biodiversity habitats and shade, with some to provide nutritious fruits. We have made 28 tons of biochar from agricultural waste and used it to improve yields, and trained more than 20,000 people in how to mitigate the effects of climate change. We have also provided water to over 140 sites to enable agriculture to continue year round.

Strengthened organization administration

Since 2014 when Mboni ya Vijana was founded, we have managed to secure land for our headquarters via a donation from our village; constructed the an administration block, storage facility, workshop, training classrooms, a food processing factory, two greenhouses, a cafeteria, a football playing ground, 3 3 fish ponds and 68 beehives. These facilities are essential for our sustainability as they bring in income to support our work, bring services to the community and enhance our reputation. We have installed network connectivity booster to enable WIFI, increased our staff from 3 to 11.

None of this would have been possible without your support, so thank you again for your generosity.

Benedicto