AN online platform based in Arusha is proving to be an important mechanism on which local farmers can get information on markets for their commodities, access to finance, expert advice and
a whole lot of agriculture value chain information.
Katarina Mungure, who is an official of AgriProFocus, wrote in her latest posting, "A company from Pakistan is looking to buy 10 to 20 containers of green mung beans from Tanzania.
If you have the capacity to supply to this market, please contact us." An interested farmers or dealer Anthony Seleli Mhanda wrote in response, "It is a good opportunity, but let us know the time frame, yaani kama kuna uwezekano tukafanya agreement nao basi sie tuna almost 500 acres ambazo tunaweza tukalima zao hilo kwa mwaka huu, hivyo kama uhakika wa kuuza upo basi tufanye makubaliano tulime lakini sizani kama kuna mtu ana bidhaa hizo kwa sasa coz si moja ya mazao ya biashara."
Mr Mhanda was actually saying if the Pakistani company is serious about the order then they should sign a contract which will guarantee their product of a market hence planting 500 acres with the beans for exporting next season.
It's a most modern, effective way of doing business, which the AgriProFocus online platform is providing to local farmers, agro dealers, experts and related sectors to modernise the way farmers have been doing their business. In the world of today, this is the way to and with 12 African countries already accessing this vital online tool thanks to Netherlands based AgriProFocus International.
The online agri-network where organisations, professionals, resources and knowledge meet, boasts of over 5,400 members so far. Apart from selling their commodities and buying inputs, farmers also share experiences, access valuable local contact and generate publicity for new products and services available.
But local farmers and agriculture stakeholders can also share information and experience with peers in Benin, Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Kenya, Mali, Netherlands, Niger, Rwanda, Uganda and Zambia.
In her latest posting, Ms Mungure, who is AgriProFocus Tanzania Assistant, wrote; "Hi all, I hope you had a wonderful Christmas break.
Today, I would like to share with you a book that acts as a guide to micro-finance institutions engaged in providing agricultural financial services to the poor, particularly community based organisations engaged in aggregation of farm produce and other practitioners in the area of agricultural financing." and the response was already appearing.
It's such information, which an average local farmer needs to improve productivity and move from being a subsistence producer to a commercial farmer supplying international markets with huge demands such as the Pakistan green mung beans' order.
Agri-Hub Tanzania also organises face-toface meetings through trade fairs among farmers with different stakeholders, brokering and connecting agribusinesses on a local, regional and international- scale but also to facilitate innovative communities that create new solutions to existing problems.
The platform also provides room for debate, learning, discussions, idea sharing and finding out about the latest innovations in agriculture and food security.
With a target to boost agriculture production to meet the growing demand for food as the world's population races towards the nine billion mark, AgriProFocus also uses its online agriculture professionals from all over the country to organise face-to-face events.
With active members in regions such as Dar es Salaam, Lindi, Manyara, and Tanga, the network promotes and drives entrepreneurship among farmers and their organisations, with a focus on sustainably feeding the world's nine billion people by 2050.
AgriProFocus also organises a regular business to business events and fairs, expert meetings, knowledge events and debates. Moreover, the network provides brokering services as well as an active online space for networking and exchange as can be witnessed on its interactive online debates.
source: dailynews
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