For many smallholder farmers nestled in the green rolling hills of the Southern Highlands of Tanzania, rice production is the primary source of income and nutrition

In the village of Kapunga in Tanzania's Mbarali district, smallholder farmers depend on rice cultivation as their number one source of income.

Here the EU-funded FAO project: Capacity Building Related to Multilateral Environmental Agreements in ACP Countries - Phase III (ACP MEAs 3) is supporting local farmers by training them in the System of Rice Intensification (SRI), an environmentally sustainable technique that produces more rice on smaller plots of land, using less water and fewer seeds and applying Integrated Pest Management (IPM).

It does so by inviting local smallholders to enroll in Farmer Field Schools (FFSs), where trainees are provided with group plots of land and high-quality rice seeds known as SARO 5in order to practice SRI.

Rice is Tanzania's second most cultivated crop and commercial product after maize, and rice farming is the main economic activity in the Mbeya region and itssurrounding districts, including Kyela and Mbarali.

Increasing yields while preserving ecosystems

Rice farmer Emea Baragasi, 50, is a member of the "Ari mpya" (New spirit) group in the Kapunga Smallholder Irrigation Scheme, which is supported by ACP MEAs 3. The Ari mpya group is made up of 16 members, of whom eight are women and eight are men.

Ms Baragasi lives inKapunga with her husband and six children. Before being trained in SRI at the ACP MEAs 3 FFS, which she joined in 2021, she had used traditional rice farming methodsfor over 10 years, producing an average of 22 bags of rice per acre, which netted her USD 805 per acre per season on the local market.

“I used to attribute my low yields to poor farming practices and a lack of knowledge,” Ms Baragasi said. “I harvested only 22 bags per acre, compared to 38 bags we got from the FFS farm thanks to thetraining."

“After I finish harvesting the last batch of rice of the season this year, I will use the SRI technique on my own farm. I know I will obtain higher yields and more income from future sales," she added.

Ms Baragasi pointed out that unlike her previous farming methods, the SRI technique uses a special tool called a push weeder instead of herbicides for weeding, which protects the environment from toxic chemicals. She added that SRI requires very little water, leaving more of it for other uses.

From humble beginnings to success

Ari mpye member Meshack Lyenje, 60, also enrolled in the ACP MEAs 3 FFS in 2021. He lives in Kapungawith his wife, while their four children have grown up and moved away.

Mr Lyenje, too, experienced low yields, harvesting an average of 27 bags per acre and earning USD 988 per acre per season on the local market.

“I am planning to cultivate five acres next year based on the training I received. I expect to harvest 38 bags per acre, and this will increase my income," he said.

About ACP MEAs 3

ACP MEAs 3 is supporting the Government of the United Republic of Tanzania in its efforts to improve the lives of smallholder farmers and rural communities. The project is being implemented in six districts across the country: Karatu (Arusha), Kigamboni (Dar es Salaam), Kilolo (Iringa), Kilosa (Morogoro), Mbarali (Mbeya), and Same (Kilimanjaro).

ACP MEAs 3helps farmers transition to more resilient and productive agrifood systems by offering training and capacity building in ecosystem-based practices that promote the sustainable management of resources, help protect the environment, improve food security and reduce poverty at the community level.