Iringa soybean farmers seek solutions amidst market dilemma

Iringa. Soybean farmers in Iringa region, particularly in Wangama Village, Luhota Ward, have shed light on the persistent challenges they encounter despite government efforts to promote the crop. 

The challenges include the absence of a reliable market for their produce, the scarcity of essential inputs such as fertilisers and high-quality seeds, and insufficient knowledge about optimal soybean farming techniques.

Speaking with journalists who visited the village, the farmers highlighted their struggles, citing diseases, pests, and the lack of accessible markets as significant obstacles requiring concerted efforts from the government, agricultural stakeholders, and the farmers themselves to overcome and enhance production.

A soybean farmer, Ms Roida Nzalawahe, expressed gratitude for the encouragement to cultivate soybeans but lamented the prevalent issue of inadequate markets, leading farmers to sell their produce to middle men at a loss. 

“We are encouraged to cultivate soybeans, but the challenge is markets. We are grateful to the stakeholders who come to encourage us,” Ms Nzalawahe said.

Moreover, the farmers' dependence on traditional seeds limits their potential yield. For example, they only produce around six bags per acre, equivalent to 300 kilogrammes, whereas with improved seeds, they could yield up to 800 kilogrammes per acre.

An agricultural officer from Luhota Ward, Mr Frank Rwegoshora Beyanga, said the government, in collaboration with stakeholders, has established demonstration farms in various areas to provide practical education to soybean farmers.

“For example, here in Wangama Village, we have a demonstration farm where farmers come to learn the best soybean farming practices. This demonstration farm has four main sections: in the first section, we planted soybeans following good agricultural practices; we left the second section uncultivated; in the third section, we planted soybeans using inoculant bio-fertiliser; and in the fourth, we planted soybeans and applied DAP fertiliser to observe the difference,” he said.

Representing the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Ms Mwatumu Omari said they are collaborating with the government and various stakeholders to implement projects to develop soybean farming in Tanzania.

The Tanzania Sustainable Soybean Initiative (TSSI) involves collaboration between various stakeholders, including government agencies, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), research institutions, private sector companies, farmers' organisations, and international development partners.

These stakeholders work together to address challenges and opportunities in the soybean sector, with a focus on sustainability, market access, and income generation for smallholder farmers.

Ms Omari explained that the TSSI project is one of those projects established to assist soybean farmers in addressing the challenges they face and improving soybean production and business.

She said some of the activities the project can undertake include providing education and training to farmers on the best soybean farming techniques, the proper use of inputs, and methods to control diseases and pests.

Other activities include supporting access to high-quality agricultural inputs at affordable prices and assisting in accessing reliable markets for soybean produce.

Ms Omari added that through collaboration with the government and other stakeholders, projects like TSSI can bring positive changes to the soybean farming sector in Tanzania and help farmers achieve better incomes and improve their livelihoods.