IVS Kagera Coffee Project (IVS)

GOAL

To increase access to productive inputs, knowledge of good agronomic practices, markets and finance; and to strengthen grower groups to operate more efficiently and become active participants in the Robusta coffee value chain.

LOCATION

Karagwe, Kyerwa, Muleba Districts in Kagera Region, Tanzania

DURATION-

2016

-

2018

FARMERS

1,800

VALUE CHAINS

Coffee, Green Gram, Pigeon Pea

PARTNERS

ETC Group (ETG), Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, DEG (German Investment & Development Corporation), Café Africa

FUNDING

USD 30000

IVS Kagera Coffee Project (IVS)

The IVS Kagera Coffee Project, was developed through a grant from the Coffee Partnership Tanzania Innovation Voucher Scheme, funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and managed by DEG, a German development organisation. The overall aim of the intervention was to improve livelihoods by increasing the net-income of smallholder coffee farmers across Tanzania, largely by doubling their yields. EFF was awarded the grant to support Robusta coffee farmers specifically in three districts in northern Tanzania, namely Karagwe, Kyerwa, Muleba Districts in Kagera Region.

The project addressed the challenges faced by smallholders cultivating old and poor yielding coffee trees, exacerbated by unpredictable weather conditions. In total, 1,800 farmers were impacted by reviving smallholder coffee plantations, and by introducing pulses as an alternative income source and for soil enhancements. EFF's young and dynamic field extension staff played a pivotal role in training farmers using modules from the National Sustainability Curriculum for coffee, developed by the Tanzania Coffee Boad and coffee stakeholders in Tanzania. EFF facilitated the access to high quality pulses seeds and free coffee seedlings from the Selian and TaCRI Agricultural Research Institutes respectively, and set up demonstration plots for coffee, green gram, and pigeon pea, that were managed by the groups themselves. Furthermore, one of the groups established a commercial coffee nursery to ensure regular access to affordable coffee seedlings.

The project has demonstrated that by equipping farmers with knowledge and skills and by strengthening their grower groups, they can optimise their yields in a sustainable manner and increase household income.

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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