By Matt Kertman | Communications and Marketing Associate, BRAC USA
As the Livelihood Enhancement through Agricultural Development (LEAD) project rounds out its third year, we are excited to share a more in-depth and comprehensive update. As a supporter of this program, we want you to know exactly what you’ve helped achieve.
The ultimate goal of the LEAD project is to improve the lives of more than 100,000 poor Tanzanians – the majority of whom are women – by targeting rural, smallholder farmers and livestock keepers. Here is our progress on that goal.
During the most recent reporting period, BRAC Tanzania found particular success with its strategy of utilizing group-based learning and organizing.
One key tactic has been to form organizations of farmers called producer groups to share technical information and improve the flow of goods to the market. Comprised of 10-15 farmers and led by an experienced farmer, groups determined the roles and responsibilities for their members independently. Besides improving market access, the groups also encouraged better adoption of new farming techniques by meeting each month to discuss challenges and opportunities.
This past quarter alone, a total of 528 poultry producer groups were organized, bringing the cumulative total to 96% against the overall project goal. For corn farmers, BRAC is at 98% of the project goal. In total, a whopping 1,190 producer groups were formed.
In addition, BRAC also relied on workshops to connect farmers with markets. At these workshops, farmers shared information about their product and learned about new farming supplies and services they could engage. Overall, 12 workshops were held.
Finally, LEAD organized Farmer Field Days to help train farmers and encourage the adoption of best practices and new technologies. The 21 separate Field Days included demonstrations by farmers to share information about their own successes with each other. Equally important, the Field Days also created a platform for farmers to buy and sell products at reasonable prices.
During this period, trainings on improved farming and poultry-keeping practices, including the Field Days, were completed for 98,427 farmers. This is 94% against the project goal – with more than a year still to go.
These are some of the successes BRAC has found with the LEAD project in Tanzania. Ultimately, the most important achievement is that, with your continued support, LEAD will meet its goal of increasing the household income of 78,000 corn and poultry farmers this year alone.
That includes farmers like Sophia (pictured). Sophia farms corn in Kikuyu, part of the Dodoma district in Tanzania, and she is one of the thousands of local, rural smallholder farmers who benefits from your donation. As Sophia’s income rises, so too does her access to better health care, education for her family, and so much more.
Thank you for supporting Sophia and thousands of Tanzanian farmers like her. When we all work together, we can achieve so much more.
By Ally Feldman | Communications Intern
By Faiza Haq | Communications Intern
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