2017: Sustainable Farming Project, Tanzania

Sustainable farming in Tanzania

Haddenham and District Rotary has undertaken humanitarian projects in Tanzania since 2005 and our international team return regularly to continue this work. 

Our original project was in support of special needs schools near Moshi, Tanzania, in the foothills of Mount Kilamanjaro, where we implemented several building projects and improvement of school facilities. 

Now we are working with Childreach Tanzania to establish vegetable gardens and poultry farms. The objective is to establish and develop self-sustaining resources that create food and produce for school meals, and enable the schools to generate income by selling produce in the local community. 

Through our transferable skills programme we are enabling schools to continue to manage and develop the gardens and chicken stock without the need for external support or funding.

Nijapand School for Deaf Children, Tanzania
School Garden and Poultry Project
September 2017

Summary from The Childreach Tanzania Progress Report, September 2017

GARDEN PROJECT

The 6000ltr water tanks installed in April have been very helpful to the garden project.

With both tanks filled with rainwater or from the service line, we can irrigate the whole garden twice a week, so even when the school is without water (frequently), the garden can survive.

Matron and student working to school garden

This has given the school confidence to plant a full ½ acre with different kinds of vegetables and fruits including spinach, cucumber, water melon and tomatoes. Early April the school started to harvest vegetables and fruits, and sell surplus to the surrounding community.

At the end of August 2017, the head teacher said:

“We’ve generated TS383,500 (£130) income from school garden.

The water tanks and other garden facilities like the water pump brought by Rotary club members has had a great impact.

We never generated such amount before and we’ve borrowed TS30,000 (£10) from the garden project to replace 3 broken water facilities for the poultry project, which will be paid back after poultry project starts to lay eggs.”

The school continues to harvest vegetables like spinach, egg-plant, sukuma, nightshade and pars for school use and some produce is also sold to the surrounding community and we are making good progress preparing the garden with new vegetables and seeds for the next season.

The garden also was planted with 4 different kinds of fruits trees, including 2 Mangoes, 3 Oranges and 3 avocado which was donated by Childreach Tanzania and 20 bananas bought by the school.

All trees are in good progress only one banana tree died

School Matron is also working for the school garden supported by deaf children.

In the evening after school at least three times a week, students work in the garden with the Matron to learn gardening skills.

Installed drip irrigation kits also have been very helpful to the gardener to simplify her work, now she only needs to spend few hours a day to work in the garden.

POULTRY PROJECT

197 Chicks have survived from the original 200 from Rotary, and the school matron with support from our poultry consultant, has been working very well with this project by making sure chicks fed on time and cleaning the poultry shed.

Matron has been in frequent communication with Childreach Tanzania Project Officer on the general progress of the project.

Chicks fed twice a day (12.5kgs each meal) and a 50Kg bag is consumed within two days. Water is now always available at the shed.

Haddenham Rotary, through Childreach Tanzania helps the school to buy and deliver chick’s food and medication and vaccination for Njiapanda poultry project.

Food we buy is best quality from a trusted supplier suggested by our poultry consultant.

We started in April and in the first month, chicks started with starter feed then 2nd and 3rd month started feeding with chick mash.

In the 4th month we use mixed chick mash and layers feed, to prepare them for laying eggs.

Project teacher, Matron and students working on poultry project

Photos: Childreach Tanzania

The chickens started laying mid-September 2017.

Children continue learning poultry keeping skills from their Matron as they participate in feeding chicks during evening after class sessions.

According to the consultant most of chicks start laying eggs from 5th to 6th month and will continue laying eggs for up to two years laying approximately to 175 eggs (5 trays) every day. Currently, the price of eggs per tray is TS7500 (£2.50), so the school will generate an income of TS37500 (£12.50) every day.

The school uses this to buy chicken food and the rest is saved in the school bank account for future regeneration of the project. The fluctuations in price of poultry food and eggs depending on supply and demand is a challenge and the Childreach Tanzania Project Officer is helping us to monitor the project. 

The Childreach team has had a poultry project meeting with school management and are satisfied with the progress of the project and experience of the school management and farm keeper to run this project, so it was agreed to handover the project for the school to manage.

Njiapanda School Management has agreed to the following Terms of Handover:

- School Project representatives are required to ensure financial saving in each month for the future reinvestment

- To purchase items and vaccinate chicks on time as it was directed by the consultant

- To include at least one boiled egg in student’s meals at least once per week

- To be responsible and accountable for the failure and under performance of the project

- To report to Childreach Tanzania any major issues that threaten the life of the project

- To allow the Programme Officer from Childreach Tanzania to have access to any information concerning the  project performance when needed

- To allow occasional visit to the school by Childreach Tanzania or Haddenham District Rotary representative to see the project progress 

The following was the project status at handover:

- A total of 197 chickens are being prepared for egg laying

- A starter stock of 8 bags of layers feed, and ESB3 medication has been supplied

- According to the consultant the number of chickens should produce minimum of 150 eggs every day

- So far, an average of 130 eggs obtained per day and a total of 1650 eggs (55 trays) have been produced since chicken started to lay eggs in September 2017

- TS385,000 (£130) has been reported as income from sales eggs

End of Report by CHILDREACH TANZANIA

photos: Haddenham Rotary and Childreach Tanzania

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