In recent decades, pastoralist and farmer conflicts in many parts of Tanzania spread violence, loss of property, and massive displacement of people. These conflicts are nurtured by shrinking grazing lands due to pressures from the growing human population, which is accompanied by the need for land for arable crop farming. Many involved people perceive the Government’s response as insufficient, as it has caused segregation instead of bringing the two parties together. 

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Agroecology can solve conflicts

However, conflicts have the potential to be the underlying power of stimulating innovation. And this is the point where agroecology can evolve its strengths in various ways – especially for farmers and pastoralists. For instance, agroecological practices such as getting out as plentiful existing renewable resources as possible can positively impact the value chain of both groups by combining local strengths and focusing on national market opportunities. Furthermore, by thinking and acting in cycles, pastoralists and farmers can benefit from each other. So, agroecology is essential to sustain food production. The fact that the best cases with vital market components are still rare – not only in Tanzania but all over Africa – is yet another argument to rely on collaboration rather than segregation.

Thus, the development goal of the Farmers & Pastoralists Collaborations (FPC) project is to enhance the livelihoods of farmers and pastoralists through sustainable agroecological practices and to develop solutions so that both parties can create local circular economies in Tanzania. As the Morogoro region is a “well-known” conflict zone where pastoralists and farmers clash regarding land use, the FPC project is also a social entrepreneurial project with a strong model character for other regions.

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Where it all began…

The FPC project has been implemented since 2017 in two phases, with several milestones and apparent successes.

Between 2017 and 2019, FPC I successfully established collaborations between farmers and pastoralists in Mvomero, north of the Morogoro region. It emphasized facilitating rainfed agriculture, horticulture, pasture management, livestock management, and agroforestry. Furthermore, it developed and strengthened the milk value chain and improved the value chain for maize, sunflower, and vegetables aiming to build a circular economy where farmers and pastoralists generate mutual benefits.

In addition, farmers and pastoralists benefited from the machinery ring component, which provides services such as plowing with SAT tractors, maize shelling machines, and transporting crops and manure to and from the farm with trailers. Farmers' crops are now taken to the nearby SAT Farmer Training Centre (FTC), where products such as sunflower, sorghum, and maize are processed and marketed at a reasonable price. The residues from food processing, such as sunflower seed cake, can be used as animal feed and offered to livestock farmers. In return for the animal feed, farmers have access to manure. So, the circular and mutually beneficial economy has taken root: The exchange of manure for livestock feed strengthens the advantages for all parties. Fertilized plots result in higher production, which means more available animal feed. And last but not least, fodder has the potential to increase milk production, which goes hand in hand with newly introduced or crossed breeds. 

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Time to expand

FPC II, running from 2020 to 2022, was designed to cement the achievements of the project's first phase and scale it out to other districts. Whereas a peer-to-peer approach was used in the Kilosa District, farmers and pastoralists from other regions got training at the FTC and follow-up visits to improve the capacity of the peer-to-peer Committees. The capacity expansion also included the mobile office days (MOD) training approach to reach farmers and pastoralists in Same, Hanang’, Chamwino, Kiteto, and Kilosa districts.

Phase II furthermore focused on enhancing the sustainable livelihood of farmers and pastoralists through agroecological practices. It aimed to create mutual benefits through reduced conflicts, increased income, strengthened food security, balanced nutrition, and building climate resilience. These interventions contribute to five SDGs: #1: No poverty, #2: Zero hunger, #5: Gender equality, #13: Climate action, and #16: Peace and justice.

Building on enhancing innovation, FPC II has also facilitated participatory action research using the Farmers-Centered Research Program (FCRP). Researchers are supported in participatory action- and solutions-driven research in collaboration with farmers and pastoralists. The results are then adopted by participating farmers, pastoralists, and other stakeholders. It also has to be said that FPC II contributed to improving the FTC in Vianzi, which is now an agroecological center of excellence. Improvements include infrastructure development and established agroforestry demonstration plots for technological replication to the farmers’ farms. Furthermore, the marketing of organic products, including horticulture crops, grains, and oilseeds, could be upgraded. 

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Outcomes FPC Phase II

• Farmers and pastoralists benefit from increased productivity and provide ecosystem services through practicing agroecological methods, and their lessons learned are made accessible to other regions and extension service providers. 
• Strengthened circular economy whereby farmers and pastoralists benefit from increased income from high-quality, value-added organic products, reliable markets, and improved infrastructure. 
• Farmers and pastoralists continuously conduct experiments and research on existing and new challenges. The results are shared with the public, building scientific evidence supporting agroecological agriculture. 

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To be continued…

Currently, the FPC project is going through a bridging year, as in 2024 the third phase will start. 

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Beneficiaries 

The direct beneficiaries are the farmers and pastoralists in the pilot villages in Mvomero, Kilosa, and Same, targeting 3.536 members (2.055 women and 1.481 men) focusing on reduced conflicts, increased income, strengthened food security, balanced nutrition, and building climate resilience. Based on the circular economy approach, farmers benefit from better prices through crop value addition and pastoralists from by-products for animal feed. Farmers utilize available manure by exchanging fodder with the pastoralist community, guaranteeing fodder availability and increasing climate resilience. Improved water access for the semi-dry areas also improves resilience, including reduced migration conflicts and secured milk supply for the milk value chain, particularly benefitting the Maasai women through established milk collection points and linkages to the milk processing industry. Through their associations and cooperatives, including the SAT Saving and Lending Group (SSLG), farmers and pastoralists will enhance access to finance and markets that provide social security.

Indirect beneficiaries include 21.540 family members of farmers and pastoralists (12.924 women and 8.616 men) engaged in the project benefitting through increased household income. These also include other community members indirectly receiving knowledge from the trained farmers and pastoralists through the Farmer-to-Farmer and Pastoralist-to-Pastoralist approaches. Established infrastructure such as water, milk collection, and processing facilities also benefit the broader community members.

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The FPC project is kindly supported by the Biovision Foundation