Seed Change
 
Tanzania
Project Details

Name of The Smallholder Group Supported

Seed Change Tanzania

Type of Smallholders Supported by This Project

Independent

Country & Location of Implementation

Tanzania Kigoma

Project Period

01/09/2013 - Continuing

Status of The Project

Completed Project

Project Certification Status

Not Certified

Co-funded by RSSF

Yes

Co-funded by Other

DANIDA, Agricultural Improvement Fund, AusDAP

Contact Person

Email

Available RSPO Credits for Sale





Brief Project Description / Summary

Seed Change Tanzania is a non-profit organisation working with smallholder farmers in Kigoma, Tanzania. Seed Change’s objectives are threefold:
1. Improve productivity of smallholder oil palm farmers in Kigoma
2. Promote sustainable agricultural practices
3. Lift farmers out of poverty by introducing improved, high-yielding trees and farmer education to the region.

Seed Change aims to invigorate the Kigoma oil palm market, strengthen the palm oil value chain, and catalyse agricultural business throughout Kigoma.

We see the major impediment to development of the palm oil supply chain (and livelihood development of oil palm farmers) as the low-yielding local variety of trees, lack of farmer education, and lack of modern palm oil industry. By focusing on improving tree yields paired with farmer extension services and RSPO certification - the palm oil supply chain can be revolutionized in Tanzania to support sustainable practices while improving the livelihoods of oil palm farmers.

The four outcome KPIs of our project are:
1. Increase incomes and improve livelihoods for smallholder farmers. Farmers currently earn an average of $275 from their less than 1 hectare farms. We want to work with farmers through training and provision of high-yielding seedlings to increase incomes while promoting zero-land use change.
2. Increase oil palm yields in the Kigoma region through better farming practices and introduction of tenera seedlings, this will increase farmer yields by 1,145%.
3. Support the development of strong farmer associations. We currently work with 40 farmer associations and want to continue to support these groups and add other groups to our network.
4. Assist associations to ensure they are using sustainable practices. We currently train 827 farmers on sustainable practices inline with RSPO Principles & Criteria in preparation for future RSPO certification.



Project Impact

Seed Change Tanzania
Total Area Covered by the Project
647 Hectares
Seed Change Tanzania
Number of smallholders benefiting from this project
5,376
smallholders
Seed Change Tanzania
Number/Percentage of Women Supported by this Project
31%
women in program




General Project Information

  • Type of Support Required
  • Additional Project Information
  • Project Information
  • Looking for Project Partners

    Supply Chain Partner

    Seeking Additional Funding and used for

    RSPO Credits

    Selling Certified Volume as RSPO Credit?
    No

    Interested to be Contacted by Potential Buyer?
    No

  • Smallholder Story / Quote

    Mwajuma Hemedi – Smallholder Oil Palm Grower
    After completing lessons on HCVs she stated, “My farming has changed. I can see the palm oil trees are growing very well. I am
    now a tree friend – I do not burn vegetation; I protect the forest. I am now a water friend – I do not dig or plant around our
    water sources.” “HCVs mean life – by having a good environment the people will be happy, disease will be reduced, and we will
    have enough water. Managing HCVs will be the way to maintain our forests and for the land to be regenerated. We will
    experience land that is more fertile and harvests will be good. We will enjoy the land of our childhood.”

    Lessons Learnt

    Relevant Tools used for Project Implementation

    Other Information as Deemed Relevant by the Organisation

    Kigoma Palm Oil Value Chain Assessment, for others to understand the state of the value chain (very undeveloped) and how
    much potential there is (lots!)

    https://www.seedchangetanzania.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Seed-Change-Palm-Oil-Value-Chain-Report.pdf


    Link to videos on our work including:

    a short documentary showcasing our work and specifically our sustainability mission:
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SnUjxgDNqnY

    videos profiling our smallholder farmers: http://www.seedchangetanzania.org/videos

     

     

  • Project Details

    Name of The Smallholder Group Supported
    Seed Change Tanzania

    Type of Smallholders Supported by This Project
    Independent

    Country & Location of Implementation
    Tanzania Kigoma

    Project Period
    01/09/2013 - Continuing

    Status of The Project
    Completed Project

    Project Certification Status
    Not Certified

    Co-funded by RSSF
    Yes

    Average Smallholder Yield (in FFB/ha/year)

    At Project Start: 200-300 L/ha

    At Project End: 3,000-4,000 L/ha (forecast)

    Current Partner Organisations

    Implementing

    Cadasta Foundation:

    Develops and promotes the use of simple digital tools and technology to help partners efficiently document, analyze, store, and share critical land and resource rights information. For Seed Change, they have been an implementing partner in our livelihoods survey collection and GPS mapping of farmers in our training program.
    Contact: www.cadasta.org


    Upendo Honey:

    Supports Seed Change financially across both our seedling and farmer extension programs and additionally provides in-kind logistical and technical support as an implementing partner.
    Contact: www.upendoagri.com


    Proforest/HCV Network/SHARP:

    Supported Seed Change in our pilot of their Simplified HCV Approach for Smallholders and completed land-risk assessment
    maps of our farmers’ land and have given us technical guidance and support on understanding HCV Awareness, methods for training, and ways to assess smallholder HCVs.


    Funding

    Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA)’s Local Investment Climate Project:

    Provided financial support for Seed Change operations.
    Contact: www.lic.or.tz


    Agricultural Improvement Fund:

    An Australian based fundraising group who are financial supporters of our farmer extension, general operations and overheads.
    Contact: www.seedchangetanzania.org/the-agricultural-improvementfund


    Australian Direct Aid Program (AusDAP):

    The Australian Government provided funding for our shamba darasa, farmer resource centre, and farmer training material preparation.

     


    Other

    Tanzania Prime Minister’s Office Regional Administration and Local Government Kigoma:

    The regional government authority supports our farmer extension work with human capital; working with Bwana Shambas – government extension officers who help contribute at lessons.



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