Individual: Rajab Abdul-rahimsidiq

Chukwani, Tanzania

An Overview Of Our Solution

The importance of preserving the biodiversity in the world especially in the most agricultural productive areas such as Africa has been crucial to ensure ecosystem survival and balance parallel to ensure enough availability of food or food security as suggested by many organizations such as Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO). Lack of awareness of conserving biodiversity being major problem. The case study was conducted in village called Kibugumo. The findings were obtained from the following main objectives which were the basis of this simple research:- Firstly to find out the awareness of many farmers about the biodiversity. Secondly to find out the extent of usage of chemical pesticides and other harmful methods. Thirdly, to find out how they understand by the term known as organic farming and its effectiveness in soil fertility.

Who is this solution impacting?

Community Type

Rural

Organization type

individual

Ecosystem (select all that apply)

Freshwater

Grasslands

Oceans/Coasts

Population impacted

3,000 people

Size of agricultural area

Almost 80 acres of small scale farming areas

Production quantity

There is no actual estimation since the farming depends mostly without forgetting to say only rainfall which has been at scarce this time due to climate change. But the quantity enough for family consumption and to make small amount of money.

People employed

45 people

Describe your solution

Monetary incentives are important, and they can be linked to programs or product labels that highlight biodiversity-friendly farming., for example in Mkuranga areas this has been accomplished. Having national organic standards, regulations and inspection and certification systems that govern the production and sale of foods labelled as “organic”. This has not yet implemented but will help in biodiversity conservation. (FAO/WHO, 1999) I have urged the farmers practicing organic practices that encourage soil biological activity and nutrient cycling include: manipulation of crop rotations and strip cropping; green manuring and organic fertilization (animal manure, compost, crop residues); minimum tillage or zero tillage; and avoidance of pesticide and herbicide use. Research indicates that organic agriculture significantly increases the density of beneficial invertebrates, earthworms, root symbionts and other micro-organisms (fungi, bacteria). (FAO/WHO, 1999) Also, Organic practices that encourage soil biological activity and nutrient cycling such manipulation of crop rotations and strip cropping; green manuring and organic fertilization (animal manure, compost, crop residues); minimum tillage or zero tillage; and avoidance of pesticide and herbicide use should be used to solve loss of fertility and other problems.

Describe your implementation

Farmers experience some loss in yields after discarding synthetic inputs and converting their operations from conventional, intensive systems to organic production. Before restoration of full biological activity (e.g. growth of soil biota, improved nitrogen fixation and establishment of natural pest predators), pest suppression and fertility problems are common. (FAO/WHO, 1999). But eventually fertility will be improved. Government has to formulate specific rules in production of organic products in Tanzania. Tried to talk with some local authorities. The main condition is having action plans for the development of organic agriculture. Targets are set for the sector’s growth and resources are allocated to compensate farmers during, and sometimes after, the conversion period, and to support research and extension in organic agriculture. This has been implemented in developed countries such as United Kingdom. (World agriculture: towards 2015/2030 AN FAO PERSPECTIVE). Policy measures are key success instruments in persuading small farmers to convert to organic farming by providing financial compensation for any losses incurred during conversion. Implementation of measures and enforcement by setting the standards will hugely be the key to success also. Obstacles were poor responding of questions since awareness was poor also, but also subjectivity of farmers as they were thinking that saying that they were using chemical pesticides will harm them. Many farmers also were not available at the time of interview. Failure to suggest alternative pesticides killer since there is no availability of those killers in agro shops like extract of neem (Azadirachta indica) leaves, which have biocidal properties, which is currently allowed. Absence of promotion and marketing strategies of retailers and supermarkets, in particular of major food-retailing chains, have created rigidity in farmers’ behaviours and market opportunities for organic agriculture in Tanzania.

External connections

Ministry of agriculture and natural resources: the above solutions must be implemented by government as global warming has dried some of lakes and reduce quantity of food and fishing industries, due to deforestation led by cutting natural vegetation for farming. International funding donors: must abstain to fund other programs and projects as compulsion or subsidize Farmers and government to use organic techniques as a solution to nitrate contamination in groundwater and other problems. Investment on Genetic Modified seeds technology should be developed and implemented considering purchasing power of farmers, agricultural partners to developing countries like FAO should use some of this findings in financing those technologies

What is the environmental or ecological challenge you are targeting with your solution?

The environmental challenge is loss of potential sand soil due to excessive soil extraction for construction, about 500 tons of sand soils were extracted in 5 years. Continuation of usage of pesticides has decreased from 120 buckets of maize (corn) to 80 buckets within 3 years as stipulated by the respondents as they used chemical pesticides which lost soil fertility. Due to prolonged drought, earthworms were hardly present and could not be evaluated (World agriculture: towards 2015/2030 AN FAO PERSPECTIVE), and hence formation of humus (organic layer) has not taken place but what is done is using of organic manures as many of interviewed have answered. Sadly I couldn’t afford to run BioBio indicator due to scarcity of fund.

Describe the context in which you are operating

A total of 11,287,822 operators engaged in agriculture during 2014/15 annual agriculture sample survey, of which 11,095,830 (98 percent) were in the Tanzania Mainland and 191,992 (2 percent) were in Zanzibar. Dar es Salaam region had the least number of operators (21,855) engaged in agriculture. Tanzania experiences two types of rainy seasons, the short and long rainy season. Short rain season begin months of October through January of following year while long rainy season begin months of February through May, same year. During the 2014/15 agriculture year, main cereal crops grown during the short rainy season included maize. Among the crops, maize was the dominant cereal crop with 5,022,752 tonnes followed by paddy 1,689,873 tonnes, sorghum 389,507 tonnes, finger millet 46,683 tonnes and wheat 45,279 tonnes (The United Republic Of Tanzania 2014/15 Annual Agricultural Sample Survey Report).
There is no actual survey conducted in Kigamboni According to some farmers estimation Kibugumo provides about 3% of all fruits and crops to Kigamboni markets of temporary crops such as water melons and permanent crops such as mangoes. And about 100 tons of rice produced in Kibugumo and near areas.

How did you impact natural resource use and greenhouse gas emissions?

Farmers have started recycling wastes of plant and animal origin in order to return nutrients to the land, thus minimizing the use of non-renewable resources, this has started soon after urging them. Enhance biological diversity within the whole system this has been achieved by using organic manure such as green manuring process for instance one farmer who farms cucumber. Most of farmers became to be able on relying on renewable resources in locally organized agricultural systems. Especially those their lands have been harmed by chemical pesticides. By above result portion of plants and microorganisms have been restored eventually and will fully recovered in the future. These are essential also in restoring soil fertility and properties suitable for organic agriculture.

Language(s)

Swahili, English

Water

Some of coastal areas have been degraded due to salt local cultivation and hence cutting of mangroves and other beach and shore vegetation, stopping local salt cultivation will improve and restore this vegetation essential for oceanic sustainability. Dried wells can be cured by reforestation to restore evapotranspiration as among sources of groundwater. Avoidance of construction near water sources must be enforced by authorities since scarcity has been noticed due to water blocking and contamina

Food Security/Nutrition

Production of “biological” or “ecological”. “Biodynamic” commodities that are produced according to organic and other additional requirements. This will improve not only people health but also awareness of many buyers importance of consumption organic food.

Economic/Sustainable Development

Economically formation of new markets of organic goods and plantations will be formed and implemented and hence result to new emergence of employment opportunities, this market will also increase GDP hence development at all. Consumption and production by many food shops of organic foods has been observed nowadays.

Climate

Promoting the healthy use of soil, water and air as well as minimize all forms of pollution that may result from agricultural practices, this pollution may lead to loss of rainfall or global warming which are the major source of climatic change. Properly managed organic agriculture reduces or eliminates water pollution and helps conserve water and soil on the farm which in turn water acts as cooling mechanism for soil temperature suitable for biodiversity growth and development..

Sustainability

Government subsidies: the government must set aside particular percent of budget in funding awareness programs also providing green manuring subsidies and other mechanisms to help farmers perform organic farming and to compensate farmers during, and sometimes after, the conversion period, and to support research and extension in organic agriculture, this will slice portion of until 10% of total Growth Development Product (GDP).
Grant funding: FAO and WFP should set requirement to use some of their loans or grants to finance organic technology, since a large per cent of budget of Tanzania depends on grants.
Market should only be intervened by the government to result organic food consumption.

Return on investment

It was self-financially to cover transport expenses and residing at case study areas ( guest house costs and meals, and payment of a local assistant) of about 450 US$ for about 14 days of staying. In particular, areas where economic growth is lagging (e.g. sub-Saharan Africa) and external inputs are unavailable or unaffordable, non-market organic agriculture could contribute to achieving local food security. (World agriculture: towards 2015/2030 AN FAO PERSPECTIVE) This will be used in sustainable technology innovation planning, development, and finally to be tested and delivered within a broad-based agricultural and rural development framework.

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How could we successfully replicate this solution elsewhere?

Anobah (2000) estimates that over one-third of West African agricultural produce is produced organically. Transition to organic management is difficult for farmers to survive without financial compensation, this has been done in A study from Kenya indicates that, contrary to general belief, organic agriculture in the tropics is not constrained by insufficient organic material (to compensate for the non-use or reduced use of external inputs), but instead shows a good performance (ETC/KIOF, 1998). Market intervention. The size of domestic organic production is not necessarily related to the importance of organic markets but seriousness of government, farmers and market retailers. The UNCTAD/WTO International Trade Centre (ITC, 1999) estimated retail sales of organic foods in the largest markets at US$20 billion in 2000, of which US$8 billion in Europe and the United States each, and US$2.5 billion in Japan in spite of having small land used compared to Australia.

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Chemical pesticides and organic farming

Overview