Seeing an imminent food scarcity situation if bean production is compromised, Ikuwo Ltd, a CRAFT Business champion, is supporting farmers to maintain the common bean production stamina through climate-smart production methods.
For the market, IKUWO is actively focused on finding consumers both locally and across the region. In Tanzania, it targets consumers in big cities such as Dar-es-salaam, Morogoro, Mwanza, Dodoma, Songwe, and Mbeya. While across the region, it takes advantage of opportunities in Burundi, DRC, Kenya, Uganda, and Zambia,
Under the CRAFT project, IKUWO key partners include: TARI UYOLE/Agriculture Seed Agency (ASA) and TOSCI, Farmer groups, Ministry of Agriculture, input suppliers, Financial Institution (CRDB & TADB), Local Government (LGAs), Ndingala FM Radio, and Tanzania Meteorological Authority (TMA).
Key Interventions
- Enhance the capacity of 3,000 smallholder farmers to improve common beans output by 15% through climate-smart agronomy, linkages to input suppliers, and mechanized farming by 2022.
- Improve resilience to climate change amongst targeted farmers through the promotion of appropriate climate-smart agricultural practices.
- Improve efficiency in common bean inputs delivery, agronomy, and markets access
- Improve business turnover by at least 10% through developing new market channels and increasing volumes of soybean marketed.
About Ikuwo general Enterprises Company LTD
Ikuwo general Enterprises Company Ltd. is amongst the largest Agro product dealers in the Rukwa region—Tanzania. It was established in 1995 but registered and certified later. Since its establishment, Ikuwo has impacted the lives of farmers by diligently availing inputs (seeds, fertilizers, and herbicides); at the same time, the company provides a sustainable market for farmers by purchasing their produce (maize and common beans). While IKUWO sells maize as grain and flour, it sells beans only as grain.