Tanga, a serene town of nearly 400,000 on the eastern coast of Tanzania boasts a youthful population, re-emerging harbour and the East African Pipeline to Uganda. Arable land envelops the city, but it has not been fully put to work. Farmers grow fruits and food crops on small farms, mingled with patches of vegetable growers.

In Tanzania most small and medium scale enterprises are in agriculture and they contribute 27percent to the DGP, according to the The Tanzania Development Vision (TDV) 2025. But they contend with weak business development services, limited access to capital and high informality.  

“I’m a health professional that love farming, but I have struggled all along,” says Modest Massawe, vegetable grower in Pongwe ward in Tanga city.

Like many farmers, he used to invest inputs in the field, without proper insight of market dynamics. Additionally, limited knowledge of proper inputs such as seed varieties, pests and diseases led to recurring low returns.

For instance, he used to water his tomatoes by carrying pails of water; upgrading to a diesel pump relieved him from carrying water with his hands, but the pump gushed the expensively pumped water excessively, depleting the water source prematurely and helping weeds to sprout. “I had to spend up to 10,000/- a day on fuel,” he recalls.

This is bound to change, as farming, especially vegetable growing in urban Tanga orient itself to profit making, and become attractive to youthful farmers, thirsting progress.

Under its SASA Program, the European Union, funds the Inclu-cities project that is catalysing growth of businesses in the food systems in Tanga. Enabel Tanzania, the main implementor of the Inclu-cities collaborates with Rikolto East Africa to execute the food system initiative.

In collaboration with the Tanga city, Inclu-cities spearheaded   collaboration of the stakeholders in the food system to transform subsistence small holders into commercial vegetable growers, mindful of the environment and food safety. Early results foretell lasting impact.

“Inclucities business-oriented approach to development initiative is proving impactful because each stakeholder involved has seen an opportunity to make profit,” says Kikolo Mwakasungula, Inclu-cities Project Manager.

Farmers from Pongwe, Maweni and Amboni wards participated in a training that Inclu-cities organised to impart knowledge and skills about looking for markets, networking with input suppliers and improving productivity in growing vegetables.

“We designated a number of farmers as lead farmer that will be coaching their fellows and facilitate collaboration, learning and networking with other stakeholders for the interest of farmers,” said Eliud Dotto, Rikolto’s Field Officer in Tanga.

The lead farmers, including Massawe and James Kapalata in Pongwe and Maweni wards respectively actively work with more than 300 farmers, helping them benefit from growing vegetables.

In Maweni ward for example, Chote Vegetable Producers Association started after the Inclu-cities training. With more than 40 active members, the group organises learning events in their plots where up to 70 farmers participate.

Kange Mchicha, another group in Maweni was strengthened with a leadership, training and networking with input suppliers through the project. Personally, Massawe has evolved and transformed from an ambitious less informed farmer contending with losses to an informed and visionary who now understands how farming can be profitable.

The solar pump and drip irrigation system that Inclucities has provided to the model farmer has flipped the outlook of many farmers. The once insufficient source of water for 2,000 or less tomato plants now suffices 4,000 plants and can cater for more.  

Besides, drip irrigation targets plants, depriving moisture to weeds, delaying their sprouting. “We also apply least amounts of chemicals directly on our plants to control pests and diseases,” says James Kapalata. Instead, industrial made and plant’s scents are used to drive pests.

These groups have become magnets for farm input suppliers. Kapatala and his fellow farmers grow tomato, watermelons, pepper and leafy vegetables.

“What sets this initiative apart is the emphasis on safety of the produce to the consumers and caring for the environment during the production,” says the Agricultural Extension Officer in Pongwe ward, Mwanahawa Mwalimu.

“When farmers see by evidence that there is proven way to rise productivity and suppress costs in vegetable growing, they happily adopt because, vegetable is a fast-moving farm produce.” Equipped with information, Kapalata and fellows negotiated with the sole buyer in Tanga for gainful prices for their pepper.

“We reasoned with the buyer that offering low prices will discourage farmer from growing pepper and deprive the buyer a source of produce,” said Kapalata. Additionally, they have now secured sale contracts for their pepper from a buyer elsewhere.

This EU funded initiative to catalyse food system economy in Tanga started in December 2024 and may last until 2027.  Because the initiative hinges on local collaborations, its impact is likely to snowball.

“We have an abundant market for vegetables in Tanga and we are only 400kms from the insatiable market in Dar es Salaam; we only need to keep the promise profitability real among the vegetable growers,” said Mwalimu.

The Tanzania Irrigation Commission has earmarked 20 acres near Massawe plot to establish a vegetable growing block. A deep well will be drilled. (need confirmation)

“The ultimate goals is an ecosystem of profitable and bankable businesses where farmers, input suppliers, buyers and farmers, each can engage profitably,” said Dotto.

Ends    

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