The Cluster Competitiveness Program (CCP) which is one of the Tanzania Private Sector Foundation (TPSF) programs on 18th October 2010 sent its specialist Ms Tertula Swai to Zanzibar to visit the Zanzibar Organic Farmers Association. The visit was an initiative made by Organic Farmers Association which intends to build capacity of Spice growers with financial support from the CCP. The visit targeted at exploring the capacity of spice farmers to adopt the use of Solar dryer type Hohenheim that OFA intends to introduce to Zanzibar spice and fruit growers. Ms Swai was warmly received by OFA technical officer Mr. Ramadhan Othman and member Fatma S. Othman in the afternoon at the Zanzibar beach Resort. The visit started at the Zanzibar Spice Processor company owned by Mohammed Taymour situtated at Kiembesamaki, west district of Zanzibar. The company buy spice produce from farmers, process and pack them and sell them to both national and international markets. The main challenge faced by the company is lack of capital to build a go-down to store spice produce before packaging. The visit ended up at Kidichi, the headquarter of Zanzibar Organic Farmers association where a detailed interview took place. Mr Ridhwan Amour Ali, the chairperson of Zanzibar Organic Farmers association introduced the association as one of the most important NGO to improve spice indusry in Zanzibar. He said that as alternative to traditional sun drying of spice products, introducing solar tunnel dryers to spices especially cloves will reduce the loss due to bad weather, prolonged drying periods, and prematurely or over drying.

In her remarks Ms Swai acknowledged the organic spice members for their efforts in improving their lives through spice industry and urged them to utilize the available resources to develop their skills.

Reported by

Ramadhan Othman

Nguzo ya Programu ya konkurrenskraft (CCP) ambayo ni moja ya Sekta Binafsi Tanzania mipango Foundation (TPSF) kwenye 18 Oktoba 2010 alimtuma wataalamu wake Bi Tertula Swai ya Zanzibar kutembelea Zanzibar Organic Chama cha Wakulima. Ziara hiyo ilikuwa ya mpango yaliyotolewa na Chama cha Wakulima Organic ambayo ina nia ya kujenga uwezo wa wakulima Spice na msaada wa kifedha kutoka CCP. Ziara ya walengwa katika kuchunguza uwezo wa wakulima spice kupitisha matumizi ya Sola dryer aina Hohenheim kwamba OFA inatarajia kuanzisha na Zanzibar wakulima wa viungo na matunda. Bi Swai alikuwa varmt kupokea na OFA kiufundi afisa Mheshimiwa Ramadhan Othman na mwanachama Fatma S. Othman katika mchana katika pwani ya Zanzibar Resort. Ziara hiyo ilianza katika kampuni ya Zanzibar Processor Spice inayomilikiwa na Mohammed Taymour situtated saa Kiembesamaki, magharibi wilaya ya Zanzibar. Kampuni ya kununua kutoka kwa wakulima wa mazao ya viungo, mchakato na pakiti yao na kuuza katika masoko ya kitaifa na kimataifa. Changamoto kubwa wanakabiliwa na kampuni ni ukosefu wa mitaji ya kujenga go-chini ya kuhifadhi mazao ya viungo kabla ya ufungaji. Ziara ya kuishia kwenye Kidichi, makao makuu ya chama na Zanzibar Organic Wakulima ambapo mahojiano ya kina ulifanyika. Mr Ridhwan Amour Ali, Mwenyekiti wa chama cha Wakulima Zanzibar Organic ilianzisha chama kama moja ya asasi muhimu ya kuboresha spice indusry Zanzibar. Yeye alisema kuwa kama njia mbadala ya jua jadi kukausha ya bidhaa viungo, kuanzisha ranges handaki nishati ya jua manukato hasa karafuu kupunguza hasara kutokana na hali mbaya ya hewa, wa muda mrefu kukausha vipindi, na mapema au zaidi ya kukausha.

Katika hotuba yake Bi Swai alikiri ya wanachama spice kikaboni kwa juhudi zao katika kuboresha maisha yao kupitia sekta ya viungo na wito wao wa kutumia rasilimali zilizopo ili kuendeleza ujuzi wao.

Taarifa kwa

Ramadhan Othman