Project Overview

ACT is currently working in partnership with Bayer Ag, an international manufacturer and supplier of maize seeds and agrochemicals. Bayer Ag is represented in Tanzania by its Country Office headquartered in Arusha. During the current 2022/23 cropping season, the partnership will be involved in promoting uptake of improved agricultural inputs in 16 pre-selected districts of mainland Tanzania targeting to reach 90,300 smallholder farmers through a Farmer to Farmers (F2Fs) extension approach and establishment of maize demonstration plots. Districts that will be involved are: Mbinga, Songea Rural, Wanging’ombe/Ludewa, Songwe, and Nkasi, Tanganyika in the Southern Highlands; Kahama, Geita, Misungwi, Bariadi, and Maswa in the Lake Zone; and Monduli, Kondoa, Meru, Siha, and Handeni in the Northern Zone.

The envisaged work will mainly involve deploying trained lead farmers as anchors for demonstration plots and utilizing Village-Based Agricultural Advisors (VBAs) who will offer supplementary extension services. The initiative is targeting to train 4 VBAs, 5 Agro-dealers, and 150 (up to 180) Lead farmers who will help to reach out to at least 5,250 (and maximum 6,300) smallholder farmers per district. Other partners considered in this initiative are: key actors along the maize value chain, local Government Authorities at district/village levels and other input supplying companies.

ACT will coordinate the overall planning, implementation and monitoring of project activities and facilitate strategic stakeholders to fulfill their roles and responsibilities; while Bayer will provide funding, maize seeds and other inputs, and technical backstopping.