Feed the Future Tanzania Mboga na Matunda Monthly Update: October 2019

The initiative aims to increase the competitiveness and inclusiveness of the horticulture subsector, while improving the nutritional status of Tanzanians. Mboga na Matunda is scaling improved technologies and practices that lead to increased productivity of smallholders, including large numbers of women and youth, in targeted commodities. The initiative is also scaling market system models that are able to reach large numbers of direct and indirect beneficiaries, including vulnerable populations, while increasing trade for targeted commodities. In October 2019, Mboga na Matunda conducted trainings on proper passion fruit production in Zanzibar, Morogoro, and Iringa to build the capacity of passion fruit producers and extension officers in the commercial production area. The trainings were attended by 200 participants, 18 percent of whom were female and 58 percent youth. The trainings provided knowledge on seedling production, nursery management, proper application of trellising twine, pruning, and stakes to support orchids, fertilizer application, adequate crop protection, and proper irrigation methods. Government extension service providers were also in attendance to update their knowledge on passion fruit production and strengthen their technical skills for more sustainable service delivery to farmers. Mboga na Matunda has worked with 72 Government Extension Officers (GEOs) in various implementation areas. In addition to the trainings, a passion fruit production assessment of four local farmers' plots was conducted to analyze current production and management practices, market systems, and the associated opportunities that would enable a smallholder to improve productivity and profitability along the entire value chain. The assessment cited both positive and negative feedback, including a general lack of knowledge in passion fruits production leading to poor productivity due to poor farming practices and management. However, the weather and soil in Morogoro and Zanzibar have been identified to favor the yellow passion fruit variety, while purple passion fruit can be grown in Iringa, indicating a strong opportunity for farmers to produce good earnings. SAI Energy and Logistics Service Ltd. (SAIEL) was engaged in the program in November 2017 to strengthen and expand its processing capacity and expand production of processed potato products that are directly sourced from 200 smallholder potato growers in Iringa. SAIEL installed new industrial processing equipment for slicing, blanching, frying, and packing of potato products with support from the Mboga na Matunda activity. However, the factory needed additional support to maximize productivity and profitability, including technical assistance in reviewing current operations to create specific recommendations on how to streamline processes, set processing parameters, develop new products, and follow food safety protocols. As a result of this assignment, seven process flows were redefined, 10 new products were developed, six people were trained in the potato processing plant, and four people were trained in the development of fruit and tomato derivatives. These process and plant adjustments will allow SAIEL to increase its processing capacity from 3 tons per day to 10 tons per day.