Over 100,000 smallholder farmers to benefit from new Agroforestry Initiative

Musoma. More than 100,000 smallholder farmers across the regions of Mara, Mwanza and Pwani are set to benefit from a pioneering agroforestry programme aimed at improving agricultural practices and boosting household, community and national incomes.

The initiative, scheduled to run from 2026 to 2028, will be implemented by the non-governmental organisation Vi Agroforestry in collaboration with multiple development partners.

Speaking at an agricultural forum in Musoma on November 14, 2025 Vi Agroforestry’s East Africa Regional Representative, Dr Monica Nderuti, explained that the programme also seeks to mitigate the impacts of climate change.

Dr Nderuti emphasised that the initiative will strengthen agribusiness among smallholder farmers, encouraging them to move beyond traditional subsistence farming.

“They will receive training in agribusiness, with a focus on food security and improved nutrition.

Our goal is to shift farmers away from routine subsistence cultivation towards treating agriculture as an economic opportunity, despite the challenges posed by climate change,” she said.

Dr Nderuti noted that many farmers face difficulties due to limited knowledge on how to transition from crop-only farming to agroforestry.

“Agroforestry offers multiple benefits, including environmental conservation, biodiversity protection, and a significant source of income.

We aim to ensure that farmers and communities fully understand this approach so that its advantages can reach as many people as possible,” she added.

The forum, organised by Vi Agroforestry, is designed to equip participants with the knowledge to use agriculture as a tool for poverty alleviation.

“There will be various agricultural training sessions, with a particular focus this year on agroforestry. We want participants to understand how farming can drive economic transformation,” Dr Nderuti said.

Opening the forum, the Director of Crop Development at the Ministry of Agriculture, Yasintha Nzogera, urged stakeholders to work closely with the government to implement both national and international agroforestry strategies.

He highlighted the government’s aim to reach 15,000 households by 2031 through investments in agroforestry, as part of efforts to foster inclusive and sustainable growth.

“Sustainable agroforestry will enhance productivity and uplift communities through inclusive development.

The government continues to create an enabling environment for farmers to access knowledge and improved technologies that promote economic growth, decent employment, and a sustainable agricultural sector,” Nzogera said.

He stressed that the future of agriculture in the country is closely linked to agroforestry, which supports the production of high-value, competitive crops for both local and international markets.

“The government has developed a policy on agroforestry in response to current realities and is committed to ensuring that agriculture becomes a key driver of national economic growth,” he added.

Participants at the forum also proposed establishing a National Agroforestry Platform to coordinate the implementation of strategies more effectively.

Juma Mbeba said the platform would unify the efforts of stakeholders and the government, coordinate information, facilitate experience-sharing, and monitor the progress of agroforestry programmes for both economic and environmental benefits.

Maige Wambura emphasised that joint implementation of these strategies would strengthen national food security, as farmers acquire the knowledge and capacity to adopt climate-resilient agricultural practices