1: JATROPHA AGRICULTURE & NUTRITION INITIATIVE (JANI) PROGRAM

Since 2008, Faida MaLi has been involved with Jatropha Agriculture & Nutrition Initiative (JANI) program. This is a significant income-diversification and food- security project in several Tanzanian regions. The project is done in collaboration with other partners with support from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Partners for Development. The project implementation started out in 2009. The project’s primary objective is to increase and diversify the incomes of up to 35,000 small-holder farmers in five districts namely Babati, Kiteto (Manyara), Singida Rural, Iramba (Singida) and Kondoa (Dodoma)

JANI promotes utilization, processing and marketing of Jatropha products which are oil, medicinal soap, cook stove, lanterns and seed cake. JANI also promotes initiatives to imkprove the food security and nutrition of Jatropha farmer households.

The roles of Faida MaLi in JANI program are to:
• Facilitate establishment of collection/ selling points in areas where lots of Jatropha exists.
• Conduct training for leaders of farmer producer group on management of Jatropha seeds         collection centers and use of tools for seed collection.
• Conduct value chain study on Jatropha by Jatropha producers.
• Conduct business platform in Singida with buyers and producers to create contract engagements.
• Give backup support to established Jatropha collection/ buying points.
• Develop market for Jatropha lamps and soaps
• Identification of buyers and creation of market linkages

2: EMPOWERING BEE KEEPERS IN TABORA

The project involves poor communities in the rural and isolated region of Tabora. These communities are marginalised by a myriad of factors, most notably their lack of access to markets and important public services (such as education, health care, and financial resources). Their situation is made worse by the fact that they have relatively few income-generating opportunities available to them and of those some, such as tobacco farming and logging, are highly destructive to their environment. Together, the result is a high incidence of poverty in the region and the use of natural resources for short-term gain, rather than sustainable development over the longer term.

The project objective is to enable small-scale farmers in Urambo and Sikonge Districts in Tabora to earn increased income from trade in honey and beeswax products. Faida's roles include:
• Training local service providers in business and technical skills
• Establishing beekeeper groups and provide training in group governance, financial management,    accessing credit, and contracting
• Establishing an umbrella body to market Tabora honey and advocate on behalf of beekeepers
• Training groups in improved beekeeping practices and quality control
• Establishing honey centres and facilitate relationships with buyers
• Facilitating Fairtrade and organic certification for value addition

3: ALANBLACKIA NUTS VALUE CHAIN DEVELOPMENT

The intervention of Faida MaLi in facilitating market linkage of Allanblankia (AB) nuts to UNILEVER was initiated in 2004. The AB nut trees are spread scantly in the farms and natural forest in Amani Tanga. The market linkage facilitation improved sales of the crop because before the intervention there was no any buyer for the crop. AB Nut interventions have created employment of about 2,880 people including farmers, transporters and processors. In four year (2004 – 2008), a total income of Tshs 156,341,209 has been raised through the sales of the crop to UNILIVER Company on contract basis. Unilever rediscovered healthy characteristic in AB oil for use in margarine and other food products. The tree has a potential to create new income for rural population (poor) and conserve biodiversity.

The commercialization of AB Nuts has enhanced the establishment of strong collaboration among partners and therefore enhanced effective coordination of implementation of activities and sharing of information. The Novella Project has a forum that includes Faida Mali, Unilever, Amani Nature Reserve, ICRAF and Tanzania Forest Conservation Group, which facilitate joint planning and sharing of progress of the Project.       

4: GINGER PROJECT IN SAME DISTRICT

FAIDA MaLi believes that capacity building to Farmers is one of the important tools for farmers’ management capacity, decision-making and negotiating power through formation and establishment of strong farmer-producer groups.

FAIDA MaLi facilitated formation of Mamba Miamba Rural Ginger Cooperative Society which is an umbrella organization of gingers growers in Same District.   This has enhanced lobbying and advocacy, increase negotiation power and carry out collective marketing. The formation of umbrella organization is one of the important aspects in organizational capacity building for sustainability.

5: LOCAL EMPOWERMENT AND DEVELOPMENT (LED) IN BAHATI AND MONDULI DISTRICTS

Faida MaLi is also involved in the LED project that aims to improve the livelihood security of small-scale farm families and small entrepreneurs, and their active participation in local economic development processes.   Farmers in the selected locations of Babati and Monduli Districts are involved in producing sunflower, beans, maize and indigenous chicken commercially.

Development of these selected agricultural sectors takes place within the frame work of value chain development where producer groups are linked to buyers and processors in Babati and Monduli and other lucrative markets outside these districts.