By Joel Mwamponda

More than 65 percent of Tanzanians are employed in the agriculture sector with an estimated eight million households, mostly rural, involved in agricultural activities. But due to changing weather patterns across East Africa, traditional farming methods are no longer working to produce the crop yields that farming families need to survive.

Smallholder farmer Rajabu Kishosha, 43, a father of five children, struggled to harvest enough to provide for his family’s basic needs.

In 2018, Rajabu joined a conservation agriculture training program implemented by World Renew. The program focuses on connecting local farmers who have received training in conservation agriculture practices, implemented what they learned and seen increases in their yields, with farmers still practicing traditional methods. The farmers sharing about their success with conservation agriculture methods are called Champion Farmers.

Rajab visited with Champion Farmer, Lucas Duba, who had managed to harvest 15 bags of maize, 100 kilograms each, from a one-acre farm. Rajab could only harvest 14 bags of maize from 13 acres of land. After learning about Lucas’ success, Rajab was motivated to implement conservation agriculture methods.

In 2020, he dedicated a quarter of an acre of land to growing maize practicing conservation agriculture methods, including using improved seeds, manure, cover crop, and proper spacing. He harvested four bags of maize. He also observed, by applying cover crops, the soil retained more moisture, ensuring the growth of microorganisms and preventing soil erosion.

In 2021, Rajab expanded the area of land on which he practices conservation agriculture methods to three acres and continued to see a significant increase in his crop yields. He plans to implement conservation agriculture methods to even more of his land in the future and says he appreciates the support from World Renew Tanzania.