August 28, 2019
THE organisation of farmers in Tandahimba District
Mtwara region is seeking partnership in cashew value
chain and markets to help farmers benefit from business
opportunities in Israel, USA and other East African states.
Images by IPP Media
The remark was made by Said Hawadhi, Secretary of Kitama farmers group while briefing
journalists and ActonAid staff who visited Kitama farmers group to see cashew- nuts processing
building that was built by ActionAid Tanzania and see the main challenges they have.
So far Kitama farmers group Co. Ltd has 252 members who can produce a total of 3000 tonnes of
raw cashew nuts per year from their farms, but the main challenge is lack of market, packing
machine and a total of 35m/- to complete the construction work of the warehouse.
“Partners are keen to work with us, currently we have Kitama Cashew Nuts Processing factory that
has already connected with electricity and water with the support from the government so that we
can produce high quality cashews and operate our work more effectively,” he noted.
Kitama cashew nut processing factory is located at kitama1 village 8Km from Tandahimba district
and has a processing capacity of 3 metric tonnes of cashew nut kernels per day but the funds are not enough to finalise the construction work.
He also expressed thanks to the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) for
donating 250 hand cashew nut shelling machine to Kitama farmers group and 20m/- for the
construction of cashew nut processing plant.
Other equipment which they got from UNIDO includes one cashew nut boiler machine, two steamer
machines, 250 cashew nut cutting machines, convey machine, vibrator machine, grading machine,
dryer machine, vacuum pack machine and impulse sealer machine worth 600m/- so that they can
produce high quality cashews.
The group was officially registered by BRELA since 2010 for cashew nut shelling activities and has
already been registered by Tandahimba district council.
“I’m thankful for the government, Action Aid Tanzania, UNIDO and Tandahimba district for what
they did to us; right now, we can produce high quality cashews that can obtain huge market in
international market, help farmers raise income and improve their livelihood something which
wasn’t the case in the past,” he noted.
Through the support which they get from UNIDO, Tandahimba district council and ActionAid
Tanzania right now they can do cashew nut shelling, grading and packing.
Also the group has begun to pay tax to the government, in 2018 they paid 300,000/- tax and this
year they are required to pay 1.5m/- tax to the government.
Hamis Kitemwe, a farmer from Kitama village expresses thanks to UNIDO and other stakeholders
for their support.
“I met with UNIDO management during the saba saba trade fair in Mtwara region, they visited my
pavilion to see the machines that we have for cashew nut production and other issues relating to
cashew-nut processing,” he noted.
After their visit, they requested him to set up farmer’s group so that UNIDO can help them, thanks
to UNIDO for support that has helped us to reach where we are today.
Beatrice Philemon
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