Farmers get "green" light

Tree seedling project in Mwanza, Tanzania [Martin Lueders]

CAFOD's partner, The Rulenge Diocese Agriculture Development and Improvement Programme, is helping ensure the future of farming in Tanzania by training farmers in organic techniques

Agriculture is the backbone of the Tanzanian economy.

Thanks to the country's climate, a wide range of fruits, vegetables and spices can be grown for domestic use and for export, alongside staple crops such as maize, rice, wheat, sweet potatoes and plantain.

Cocoa is an important source of income to smallholder cocoa producers.

The Rulenge Diocese Agriculture Development and Improvement Programme in Tanzania is training farmers to use organic farming techniques to produce these crops.

It helps them to practise 'sustainable agriculture'. This means that safe, ecologically sound food can be produced in adequate quantities.

Chemical-free techniques are used that do not harm the land or the environment, enabling food to be produced well into the future.

The diocese is also providing loans for agricultural tools and seeds, and is helping farmers form groups to work together, share their expertise and improve productivity.

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