ANSAF is working in a consortium with Vi Agroforestry (as the lead organization), TaCRI, BRAC and Cafe Africa to implement a four-year (2020-2024) project named Smallholder Coffee Development Project (CODE-P). The project is financed by the European Development Fund (EDF) through the Ministry of Finance and Planning of the United Republic of Tanzania. The main objective of CODE-P is to contribute towards inclusive and sustainable development of the coffee value chain for enhanced income and improved nutrition status of smallholder farmers in six districts found in three regions namely Ruvuma (Mbinga and Nyasa), Mbeya (Mbeya and Rungwe), and Songwe (Ileje and Mbozi).
The project seeks to achieve; Increased climate resilience, production, and productivity of quality coffee; Increased income from improved postharvest, processing capacities, and market linkages, and; Enhanced competitiveness of coffee value chain with supportive policy and regulatory framework. The project targets to benefit 24,000 smallholder farmers, comprising of 14,400 young women (60% women).
In this project, ANSAF brings experience and expertise in evidence-based advocacy, policy research and analysis, and stakeholders’ coordination and mobilization. ANSAF is specifically responsible for leading implementation of the third outcome- enhanced competitiveness of coffee value chain with supportive policy and regulatory framework. One of the key roles of ANSAF is to strengthen the existing platforms for dialogue among the coffee stakeholders in the project area.
Smallholder farmers, women and youth involvement
The project organized district-level meetings and facilitated zonal and national level stakeholders meetings. At the district level, business forums and district stakeholders meetings were held. In business forums, the discussion focused on identifying the value chain’s systemic challenges and their possible solutions. The district stakeholders meeting involved high-level government officials (District Commissioners, District Executive Directors, Members of Parliaments and Councillors) presenting issues from business forums and discussing the way forward. Some of the challenges were resolved and others were documented for higher-level meetings.
One day pre-meeting with representatives of farmers from the project areas was held to consolidate issues from district meetings. The issues were then presented at the national meetings especially on what to be done to improve the competitiveness of the coffee value chain in the Southern Highlands.
ANSAF prioritises a strong collaboration with public and private partners to enable CODE-P to reach more smallholders directly and indirectly and to help overcome systematic challenges in the value chain. Three business forums, three district platforms, two zonal platforms and one national-level stakeholders’ meeting were facilitated by ANSAF for this reason.
The Government is also a crucial partner in the process of addressing smallholder producer concerns. ANSAF continues to build good relationships through the facilitation of the convening of smallholder producers, policymakers and duty bearers.
Advocacy starting from the local levels is crucial for smallholders to address their concerns with their local leaders. ANSAF is collaborating with Tanzania Coffee Board (TCB) to form and strengthen zonal/regional and districts coffee stakeholders’ platforms. Guidelines have been developed by ANSAF for these district coffee stakeholder platforms to strengthen their performance.
ANSAF this year conducted studies to analyze policy issues affecting sub-sector development in the project areas alongside advocacy meetings with respective ministries and the legislative assembly.
Learnings from studies, forums, and meetings have contributed to the incorporation of CODE-P recommendations at the annual national stakeholder meeting resolutions. Seven resolutions of 10 came from CODE-P recommendations:
- Allocating land for youths to grow coffee
- Enhanced access to quality inputs
- Strengthening TACRI capacity to multiply and distribute seeds and involve private farmers
- Tanzania Coffee Board to strengthen the system of access to raw materials for local roasters
- Need for incentives on importation of processing machines
- Local Government Authorities should allocate revenue from coffee for the crop development
- Enhance local coffee consumption