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