Case of Ramadhani Sanda

Ramadhani Sanda, a 66-year-old spice farmer from Kinole village, is a member of the MMO Viungo farmer's group. He has been farming spices since he joined the group in 2017, and is currently collaborating with Sustainable Agriculture Tanzania (SAT) on the Uluguru Spice Project (USP). With one wife and nine children, agriculture is his main source of income, and he has been growing intercropped spices, including cinnamon, cardamom, vanilla, and black pepper, on his 4-acre farm.

Ramadhani has been practicing organic agriculture since 2017, and has participated in several courses and trainings on the production of organic spices organized by SAT. He has been recognized as one of the best spice producers under the USP project, and his experience in organic agriculture qualified him to be a spice producer under the Internal Control System (ICS).

ICS is a documented quality assurance system that promotes organic agriculture and allows external certification bodies to delegate the periodic inspection of individual group members to an identified body or unit within the certified operator. This means that third-party certification bodies only have to inspect the well-functioning of the system, as well as perform a few spot-check re-inspections of individual smallholders.

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According to Ramadhani, the implementation of ICS has been beneficial to him as a farmer, as it has encouraged him to produce organically and has enabled him to be a diligent farmer who produces in accordance with ICS standards. The system has also increased his productivity through improved farm management, quality enhancement, and post-harvest handling.

Moreover, the implementation of ICS has opened up a lucrative market for Ramadhani's organic produce. In 2021, he sold over 400 Kg of black pepper to SAT Holistic group Ltd at a premium price. This is a significant improvement for him as a farmer, compared to those who do not practice organic agriculture, and do not have access to a lucrative market for their produce.

The implementation of ICS by the MMO Farmer group, along with 23 other farmers groups, was made possible through the Uluguru Spice Project (USP), which is supported by the Austrian Development Agency, Land Voralberg, and Fester Foundation. This project aims to promote sustainable agriculture practices and increase the income of smallholder farmers in the Uluguru Mountains.

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In conclusion, the implementation of ICS has been instrumental in promoting organic agriculture among smallholder farmers like Ramadhani Sanda. The system encourages farmers to produce organically, while increasing productivity, improving farm management, and providing access to a lucrative market for their produce. The USP project, kindly supported by the Austrian Development Agency, Land Voralberg, and Fester Foundation, is playing a vital role in promoting sustainable agriculture practices and improving the livelihoods of smallholder farmers in the Uluguru Mountains.