Inclusive growth that benefits women and farmers must involve social and technical support from farms to cooperatives to markets. Kazi Yetu is implementing these special projects in collaboration with a range of valued local and international partners in Tanzania towards fulfilling our vision.
1. HER MONEY, HER TEA
Project Description
As Kazi Yetu aims to strengthen the tea industry in Tanzania, this project is designed to promote specialty tea that improves livelihoods of farmers, as well as ensure that our farmers are gaining economically and socially.
Her Money, Her Tea aims to increase independence and economic opportunities for women farmers along the tea value chain to boost quality, quantity, and diversification in Tanzania’s tea sector. In collaboration with our project leader, CARE International, and key partners in the tea industry, such as off-takers, processors, blenders, packers, distributors and regulators, the project will work to incentivize and support women farmers to collectively invest in equipment, infrastructure, machinery, inputs and tools for growth.
Kazi Yetu's Role
Through investment and training, Kazi Yetu is supporting high-potential tea cooperatives in Tanzania to grow, harvest and process green leaf for organically certified orthodox and specialty teas. The aim of our work is to redistribute the economic gain of tea production down to the cooperative and farmer levels, especially targeting women. We are also working closely with the Tea Board of Tanzania and Tanzania Smallholder Tea Development Agency to engage smallholder farmers and promote specialty tea production.
Donor: Bloomberg Philanthropies through Care International
For further information: Press Release of Bloomberg Philanthropies
2. WATER AND ENERGY FOR FOOD (WE4F)
Project Description
WE4F is a joint international initiative of various partners aimed at supporting and scaling up climate-friendly and environmentally sustainable innovations in the water, energy, food, and agriculture sectors in East Africa and beyond. WE4F seeks to positively impact on food security, gender and poverty reduction in an environmentally sustainable way.
Kazi Yetu's Role
As an innovator in the WE4F initiative, Kazi Yetu aims to lead the way in sustainable food production in Tanzania. Under the WE4F initiative and its support thereof, we aim to support our farmer suppliers to reduce energy and water consumption and also reduce waste production in our processing factory. We plan to install solar panels and promote climate-smart technologies such as solar-drip irrigation systems and solar driers in our farm hubs.
3. ORGANIC NOW!
Project Description
Organic Now! Initiative is supporting a diversification of processed organic products and an increased awareness of the benefits of organic production and consumption in Tanzania. Through the delivery of an intensive training course and 1-to-1 mentoring, this initiative is working with high-potential SMEs and entrepreneurs to get their processed food and cosmetic products to market and certified as organic.
Kazi Yetu's Role
Kazi Yetu will be training and coaching SMEs and entrepreneurs on business plan development, branding and labelling, and sales and marketing. Our aim is to share the wealth of experience Kazi Yetu has in setting up a growing social enterprise in Tanzania and also bring other promising Tanzanian agri-products under the Kazi Yetu umbrella, providing them with access to our local customers and export markets, which is part of our ultimate goal!
Donor: Biovision Foundation
Project Partners: Sustainable Agriculture Tanzania (SAT), I am Organic Tanzania
4. EMPOWERING SMALL SCALE TEA FARMERS IN TANGA THROUGH SPECIALTY TEA PRODUCTION & PROCESSING
Project Description
Kazi Yetu partnered with Transform Trade to implement this project in Korogwe, Tanga, contributing to improved livelihoods for smallholder farmers, especially women, in the tea value chain through production and processing of specialty tea in Sakare Specialty Tea Company (SSTC). The project was implemented in Tanga and engaged a total of 172 tea and herb farmers directly through training on gender, GAP and organic agriculture. An estimated 4 million listeners across the country were also reached through radio programs on gender awareness.
Donor: Transform Trade