Supporting Spice Farmers on Pemba Island, Tanzania:

Gando Farmers Association Access to Jobs Enhances Quality of Life

Gando Farmers Association (GAFA) is an association of 3,000 farmers based on Pemba Island, Tanzania, one of the poorest and most under-developed areas in Tanzania.  GAFA works with farmers to produce organic spices such as cinnamon, cardamom, turmeric, and black pepper for domestic and export markets.   The Association plans to expand membership to an additional 2,000 members.

USADF assistance will enable GAFA to improve systems that will provide access to more current market information and better share best practices and production resources in order to achieve higher production volumes and increased incomes. Higher incomes in turn help farmers and their families improve the quality of life by providing cash for school fees, better healthcare and improved living conditions.

Specifically, the USADF grant will be used to train farmers in organic farming methods; improve the association’s internal management capability and financial management systems; develop a business plan and a comprehensive market study; conduct an internal and external inspection; reinstitute a crop purchase fund to expand direct purchases from farmers for organic essential oil inputs; and purchase two motorcycles for organic inspections, organic training, and agricultural extension support. The greater emphasis on organic practices will also help prevent environmental degradation to the surrounding villages.                                    

The USADF Difference:

The Foundation is one of the few, if not the only, provider of foreign assistance active on the island.  The Island’s infrastructure is nearly non-existent and employment opportunities are rare, making residents some of the most marginalized people in Tanzania.  The project works with an initial 3,000 farmers to help them produce more spices for exports which will raise members’ incomes.  With increased productivity, the Association will be able to expand, creating more jobs on the Island.

..........For more information about USADF projects in Tanzania, click here.

The United States African Development Foundation (USADF) is a United States Government agency dedicated to expanding access to economic opportunity in Africa. Currently USADF operates in 20 African nations. Over the past 25 years, USADF has directly funded nearly 1,500 African projects representing in excess of $150 million in support of African enterprises and local African communities.

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