ACT Newsletter ISSUE NO 27 | APRIL- JUNE 2016 We Unite . We Dialogue . We Advocate

Advocacy Issues 1.

Multiple Regulations in Tanzanian Agriculture.

2.

Effective Regulation of the Cotton Industry in Tanzania.

3.

The fate of fake Agricultural inputs to farmers’ Productivity and Incomes.

4.

The need for adoption of Commodity Investment Plans (CIP) approach in Agricultural Development Planning

The former Minister for Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries Hon. Mwigulu Nchemba, addressing a meeting in Morogoro

Inside this issue: Policy Dialogues to enhance 1 performance Policy Advocacy and Dialogue Course

2

ACT Chair on the SACAU Board

2

Capacitating ACT District Representatives

3

TAP Evaluation Workshop

3

Contact Us Afri-Scan Building 2nd Floor, Corner, Nyerere/ Gerezani P. O. Box 14130, Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania.

MARKET

Tel: (+255) 22 2124851 Fax: (+255) 22 2128032 E-Mail: [email protected] Website: www.actanzania.or.tz

Policy Dialogues to enhance performance Between 18th and 27th May 2016, ACT in collaboration with the Centre for Policy Research and Advocacy – CPRA, of the University of Dar es Salaam, conducted policy dialogue workshops in three districts: Njombe/ Wanging’ombe, Mbozi/Momba and Morogoro. The purpose was to present to the audience CPRA research findings about major challenges impeding agricultural performance in the three districts: counterfeiting agro-products and agricultural land conflicts. Each district identified the most pressing issue. Fake agro-inputs were the main challenge in Njombe and Mbozi districts, whereas land conflict is the number one problem in Morogoro district. At each centre ACT and CPRA personnel steered the discussions. The dialogues were attended by participants with varied interests: farmers / livestock keepers, inputs dealers, councilors and public servants. Some journalists were invited to be part of the process. Ultimately, the participants agreed to form a task-force to put in place a road-map for future engagements. ACT District Representative will be the Secretariat.

ACT NEWSLETTER ISSUE NO. 27 | April—June 2016

We Unite . We Dialogue . We Advocate

Policy Advocacy and Dialogue Course

ACT Chair on the SACAU Board

Advanced course on Advocacy and Dialogue for PSOs conducted by CPRA of the University of Dar Business School (18th & 19th April 2016). The training is meant to develop further the research, dialogue and influencing skills and competencies. The course which was meant to build on the previous training was attended by participants from a widely varied background. ACT was represented by three members of the staff.

In late May 2016 ACT Board Chairman, Dr. Sinare Yusufu Sinare, and ACT Executive Committee, Mrs. Janet Bitegeko, attended the SACAU Annual General Meeting held at the Royal Swazi Convention Centre in Swaziland. At that event, Dr. Sinare was unanimously elected to be a Board Member. He will take up this position for the next three years.

At the end of the training the participants were better positioned to:  Define basic aspects of advocacy management and strategies.  Identify the fundamental steps of the advocacy process  Acquire skills in developing advocacy plan and activities  Building coalitions to enhance influencing change and taking action  Practising dialogue / simulation exercise on specific policy issues.

Apart from this new engagement, Dr. Sinare is holding three key positions that are related to our cause to develop the agricultural sector: current Chairman of the Agricultural Council of Tanzania, Board member of Tanzania Private Sector Foundation, and Council Member of the Eastern Africa Farmers Federation.

Capacitating ACT District Representatives ACT organised a two days training for ten District Representatives. The training was held in Dodoma Municipality on 9th and 10th June 2016. The objective was to equip them with knowledge and skills to enhance their performance. The focus was on: membership recruitment and retention, information collecting and sharing, and networking with other actors. To most participants this was a foundation course. The training entailed the following subjects: i. Expose the trainees to membership recruitment and retention techniques ii. Establish a mechanism to increase use of Public-Private-Dialogue framework iii. Heighten the capacity to deliver quality products and services to members iv. Expose them to skills in knowledge management and information exchange V. Develop work plans that are relevant and practicable. *The training was structured to address the needs and requirements of the participants. It was a very interactive exercise.

ACT NEWSLETTER ISSUE NO. 27 | April—June 2016

We Unite . We Dialogue . We Advocate

TAP Evaluation Workshop On 20th May 2016 Tanzania Agricultural Partnership - TAP organized a stakeholders' meeting at Tanga Beach Resort Hotel. This event which was attended by 44 participants brought together TAP partners and stakeholders representing the public and private sectors, including primary beneficiaries: small-scale farmers, service providers, rural-based entrepreneurs, and agro-dealers. The main agenda of the meeting was to discuss the progress of the implementation of TAP II programme which commenced last year. The meeting focused on plenary sessions and group discussions, reflections and finally drawing up lessons for better future performance. TAP II is a continuation of TAP I National Rollout Programme. Its cardinal goal is to improve food security and poverty reduction in rural areas through commercially oriented activities and investments.

ACT NEWSLETTER ISSUE NO. 27 | April—June 2016

Mission and Vision MISSION To be the leading private sector apex organization, pursuing the prosperity of all Tanzania agricultural stakeholders. VISION To be the most effective private sector apex organization pursuing a modernized and commercialized agriculture in Tanzania

ACT Objectives   



Strengthen ACT’s evidence based lobbying and advocacy work on key policy issues impacting the agricultural sector. Strengthen ACT’s ability to develop and deliver organizational, technical and management capacity programmes and services to ACT members. Increase members awareness of ACT’s programmes, capacity building services, and financial resources, to retain at least 85 percent of members, while doubling membership base by 2018. Diversify financial resources enabling ACT to attain 20 percent budgetary sustainability by 2018.

Editorials Board 1. Ms. Janet Bitegeko - Board Chair 2. Mr. Mark Magila- Member 3. Cleophas Rwechungura- Member 4. Milly Sanga- Member

This is TAP Tanzania Agricultural Partnership - TAP is an inclusive public-private-partnership which strives to stimulate agricultural growth in Tanzania through commercially-oriented activities and investments, with partners at the district, national and international levels. It started as a fertilizer fast track pilot project in 2006, was upgraded to a programme in 2008. TAP I ended in mid 2014. TAP II (2014 – 2019) is building on the successes achieved in TAP I, it is also encompassing several proven innovations: Conservation Agriculture – CA, System of Rice Intensification – SRI, Digital Farmer Aggregation Platform – DFAP, Community AgroAgent Model, and e-Voucher System.

Strategic objectives Agricultural productivity and profitability increased; Smallholder farmers’ access to market improved; Financing and investment in agriculture increased; Increased advocacy and networking; Mainstreaming cross-cutting issues (Gender & Environment) in the programme.

Approaches

Contact Us Afri-Scan Building 2nd Floor, Corner, Nyerere/ Gerezani P. O. Box 14130, Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania. Tel: (+255) 22 2124851 Fax: (+255) 22 2128032 E-Mail: [email protected] Website: www.actanzania.or.tz

TAP II uses Value Chain Approach integrated in Commodity Investment Plans to leverage public and private sector investments and create business linkages along the selected commodity value chains. The Programme is implemented in 29 districts in Mainland Tanzania and estimated to reach out 96,910 primary beneficiaries, mainly smallholder farmers and rural entrepreneurs. For details, contact: The National Coordinator Tanzania Agricultural Partnership P.O. Box 14130, Dar es Salaam Email: tap @tapartnership.or.tz Website: www.tapartnership.or.tz