How EFF is Empowering Smallholder Farmers in Tanzania to Adopt Sustainable Farming Practices

The Manyara Pulses Trade Improvement Project (MPTIP), implemented by the Empowering Farmers Foundation (EFF) in partnership with Rikolto and the East African Grain Council, has left a lasting impact on smallholder farmers in the Manyara Region of Tanzania. Building on the foundation of the Babati Productivity Project (BPP), which focused on improving agricultural practices for pigeon pea farmers, MPTIP aimed to expand the market potential of pulses specifically pigeon pea and chickpea for both domestic and international markets. The project, which began in September 2018 and concluded in September 2020, benefited over 1,000 smallholder farmers in Babati District.

Key Achievements of the Project

Significant yield increases: Farmers have reported a substantial increase in pigeon pea yields, from an average of 200kg to 350kg per acre.
Improved post-harvest handling: The adoption of post-harvest handling tools has led to a reduction in produce rejection rates, ensuring higher returns for farmers.
Enhanced market access: The project facilitated stronger market linkages for farmers, with 64% of participants securing buyers in 2023.
Adoption of climate-smart practices: The promotion of climate-smart agricultural practices helped farmers mitigate the impacts of climate change, including irregular rainfall and prolonged droughts. By teaching techniques such as intercropping the project empowered farmers to reduce climate-related risks while increasing production.



I am a farmer here in Babati, growing chickpeas and pigeon peas. Through the EFF project, I learned proper field preparation techniques, how to plant at the right time, and how to select the best seeds. We were also taught how to space plants using a rope and apply the correct pesticides. The project also provided us with pumps to spray our fields. After the training, I started practicing better farming methods, and now, instead of one sack per acre, I am harvesting more than four sacks.
Irene Simon Peter



Through the EFF project, I have learned new technologies for planting pigeon peas in Babati. The program taught me the correct measurements for planting and the appropriate fertilizers to use, which has greatly improved my harvest. I used to produce around 120 kgs of pigeon peas, but now I harvest up to 600 kgs. EFF also connected us to markets through ETG, where we were able to get great prices for our produce.
Adalah Sumai, Lead Farmer

Under the Manyara Pulses Trade Improvement Project (MPTIP), EFF trained and supported approximately 700 farmers from five AMCOS (Agricultural Marketing Cooperative Societies) in adopting climate-smart agricultural practices. To reinforce these efforts, the EFF team developed and distributed farmer booklets in Kiswahili, detailing essential cultivation methods, pest management strategies, and post-harvest handling techniques specific to pigeon peas, chickpeas, and common beans value chains. By equipping farmers with practical knowledge throughout the production cycle and promoting best practices for both pre- and post-harvest stages, yields saw a marked improvement.

The lessons learned and the successes achieved through this initiative highlight the critical role that continuous farmer education, capacity building, and market access support play in driving sustainable agriculture. As climate change presents increasing challenges, programs like MPTIP are pivotal in enhancing the resilience of agriculture and improving the livelihoods of rural communities.

Agricultural Productivity: Enhance agricultural productivity through sustainable and climate-smart practices, improved access to quality seeds, fertilisers, and modern technologies, and training for small-scale farmers. b. Irrigation and Water Management: Promote water conservation techniques, efficient irrigation systems, and integrated water resource management to ensure a reliable water supply for agriculture. c. Diversification: Encourage crop diversification to enhance food availability and household nutrition by promoting the cultivation of smart food crops and high-value crops for increased income generation. d. Storage and Distribution: Strengthen post-harvest management and improve storage infrastructure to reduce household food losses; and promote efficient aggregation systems for improved inputs distribution and access to markets. e. Market Linkages & Financial Services: Support the establishment or farmer cooperatives/ organisations for effective produce aggregation and market linkages, and provide technical assistance to enable small-scale producers to access domestic and international markets and financial services, fostering income generation and economic growth. f. Skills Training and Capacity Building: Facilitate agronomic training, entrepreneurship development, and business management skills to enhance the capacity of smallholder farmers and communities to generate sustainable incomes.
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