A Multi-Sector Partnership Committed to Tackling Malnutrition in Tanzania

In Tanzania, approximately 35% of children under 5 are chronically malnourished. One of the primary causes of this malnutrition problem is the monotonous diets consumed by many households which lack the necessary micro-nutrients to fulfil their daily requirements. 

Vegetable consumption is also highly uneven over the course of the year in Tanzania. Despite a relative abundance in the wet season, vegetables are scarce in the dry season. This problem is exacerbated by post-harvest loss and a lack of awareness among the population about the need to include vegetables in their daily diets.  

Rijk Zwaan is a family-owned, Dutch seed company, with operations in 30 countries around the world, who is working towards improving this nutrition problem in Tanzania. They are the lead partner in the Vegetables for All project, part of the Amsterdam Initiative against Malnutrition (AIM); a public private partnership committed to tackling malnutrition. AIM is led by GAIN and consists of businesses, knowledge institutes, NGOs and the Dutch government, all working together on a variety of projects to reduce malnutrition.

Vegetables for All is being implemented in Tanzania with the goal of improving the availability, affordability and consumption of nutritious foods by Tanzanian families. We work on the development of the local vegetable sector focusing on production of high quality, nutritious vegetables; providing access to finance for farmer groups; alleviating bottlenecks in the value chain; and driving consumption through marketing and behavioural change communication campaigns.

Such ambitious goals, cannot be accomplished by one organisation alone. We work closely together with our local station Rijk Zwaan Afrisem; the Rabobank Foundation and NMB bank Foundation; AVRDC (The World Vegetable Center); the Tanzanian Horticulture Association (TAHA); Wageningen Centre for Development Innovation, ICCO Cooperation, and GAIN.

Rijk Zwaan is developing new varieties of African vegetables at our breeding station in Arusha called Afrisem. At this location we have a demo plot where new vegetable varieties are demonstrated to local farmers alongside effective growing techniques for greenhouses, tunnels and open fields. This is where we train extension workers, farmers and other professionals in the sector. We have the crops and the equipment on site, so the training is very practical: learning by doing.

Last week we were in Arusha and participated in the first ‘training of trainers’ in the Vegetables for All project, where our colleagues from Afrisem trained field workers who work with farmers groups in their localities to disseminate knowledge to enhance good agricultural practices (GAP).

In the pictures you see the first 19 field workers (local government extension officers and NGO staff) who participated in the training on vegetable production. A total of 80 extension officers will be trained who will take what they have learnt and distribute this knowledge to a total of 4,000 farmers in 4 regions of northern Tanzania. Demo-plots will then be established in the localities in these 4 regions. Establishing practical training sites close to farmers plays a crucial role in supporting their vegetable production and ultimately the nutrition of the local population. Being able to produce higher quality crops, with higher yield; improving financial literacy; and connecting farmer groups more directly to markets, (thus improving the price they receive for their produce) all significantly contributes to supporting farmers’ businesses.

Through the Vegetables for All project, Rijk Zwaan wants to contribute to the development of the vegetable value chain. We aim at improving the vegetable production, and in collaboration with the other partners, focus on reducing post-harvest loss, more effective transport and marketing, drying and processing of vegetables (for peak production periods) and behavioural change communication campaigns directed towards base of pyramid consumers to illustrate the nutritious value of vegetables for their families. For Rijk Zwaan, the Vegetables for All project is an excellent tool to contribute to the development of the vegetable value chain and increase the availability, affordability and consumption of nutritious food for Tanzanian families.

On the training day, the participants exchanged their experiences and learning on pests and diseases, and their control of them, emphasising timely measures to prevent pests ruining crops. The trainers’ emphasised wise use of the right products for pest control, something many of the participants were unaware of. The training is very interactive. The participants share the problems they see in the field and even bring pictures of sick plants or malformed fruits to discuss with the trainers and trainees.

As the first in a series of training sessions where participants follow the life of a crop, it was fantastic to see the training being so well appreciated and to hear what the farmers had learnt from the training. Here are some of the comments made by the participants after the first day:

“We have had a fantastic overview of pests and diseases attacking the vegetable crop”

“We reviewed thoroughly how to prevent [pests and diseases] and what measures to take!”

“We have learned so much about seedlings raising and transplanting. I didn't know so much about raising of seedlings!”

It was a great experience to be with this group and to see the enthusiasm for the project among the trainees and our colleagues from Rijk Zwaan Afrisem. Just like the other participants, we look forward to the next training session.

Click here to find out more about Vegetables for All and other AIM projects.

By Heleen Bos (Rijk Zwaan) and Jonathan Porter (GAIN)

Rijk Zwaan is a family-owned vegetable seed company with their head office in the Netherlands. With operations in 30 countries around the world, Rijk Zwaan wants to actively contribute to the world's food supply and stimulate vegetable consumption by laying the foundations for healthy and appealing vegetables.

The Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) is a global, Swiss-based foundation that mobilises public-private partnerships and provides financial and technical support to deliver nutritious foods to those people most at risk of malnutrition. For more information on our programs, visit www.gainhealth.org and follow us on Facebook and Twitter

This blog is part of the December 2016 series on Inclusive Business models delivering nutrition, in partnership with DFID and GAIN. Don’t miss the webinar series in January 2017 on Marketing nutrition to the BOP.