GREEN PRODUCTION LANDSCAPE SINGIDA

Tanzania’s agriculture sector engages approximately 65% of the population and is a key driver of economic growth, poverty reduction, and food security. As a result, any adverse impacts from climate change and ecosystem degradation can significantly affect both the national economy and community livelihoods. Smallholder farmers in the Singida region are highly vulnerable to external shocks such as erratic rainfall, droughts, soil erosion, and pest outbreaks. The increasing severity of climate change is disrupting production systems and undermining the functioning of entire ecosystems, thereby threatening farming communities with limited capacity to withstand and adapt to such disruptions.

In alignment with the National Climate Change Response Strategy 2021–2026, which seeks to strengthen national resilience to the adverse impacts of climate change and promote low-emission development pathways for sustainable development, the DGBP program brings together commercial and non-commercial actors in partnership. It promotes sustainable climate and economic development through initiatives that integrate both commercial and development objectives, contributing to Sustainable Development Goals 8, 13, and 17.

The “Green Production Landscape Singida” (GPLS) project is designed to establish a sustainable green production landscape in Tanzania’s Singida region. By fostering inclusive and environmentally responsible business partnerships, it empowers smallholder farmers to grow, consume, and market organic produce. This approach enhances food security and income while restoring farmland and conserving the region’s diverse agricultural ecosystem.

To achieve this vision, GPLS works directly with 15,000 farmers (including 10% women and 25% youth) to strengthen regenerative farming practices, biodiversity, climate resilience, and livelihoods. The project partners with BioSustain Tanzania to build farmer capacity and provide reliable markets for organic produce, while international partner Reinhart supports BioSustain in meeting global certification standards and advancing sustainability reporting for organic production.

Project main goals

The project aims to promote private-sector-led inclusive economic growth by increasing the production, processing, and marketing of diverse organic agricultural products, helping reduce poverty and improve sustainable livelihoods (SDG 1). It also seeks to strengthen climate resilience through diversified crop rotations, improved soil fertility, and landscape restoration, contributing to healthier ecosystems and sustainable economic development (SDG 8). In addition, the project supports sustainable agriculture and food security by reducing dependence on agrochemicals and encouraging the adoption of organic farming practices (SDG 2).

To achieve these objectives, the project focuses on four interconnected work streams: establishing processing facilities and strengthening market linkages to improve market access and value addition; expanding the production and distribution of bio-pesticides to enhance sustainable pest management; improving legume production and promoting crop rotation systems to boost soil fertility and agricultural productivity; and exploring landscape restoration opportunities and carbon partnership initiatives to support ecosystem recovery, climate resilience, and sustainable financing mechanisms.

Project Beneficiaries and partners

The project benefits local farmers in the Singida Region by supporting improved organic agricultural production, resilience, and market access. It is implemented in collaboration with BioSustain Company Ltd as a local commercial partner, Reinhart as an international commercial partner, and Helvetas Swiss Intercooperation as the administrative partner, working together to strengthen sustainable value chains and inclusive economic growth.

TRACKING PROGRESS.

The project has reached 10,375 farmers, including 12% women and 5% youth, through training on climate-resilient legume crops and rotational farming systems. Strengthened extension services and the adoption of improved seed varieties have led to a 13% average increase in yields, resulting in higher incomes and improved climate resilience among smallholder farmers.

The project also supported BioSustain in registering three bio-pesticides—BIO-NEEM OIL EXTRACT 100% (BCA/IN/0020), BIO-SUPER NEEM 0.03% EC (BCA/IN/0021), and BIOSUF NEEM OIL EXTRACT 100% (BCA/IN/0022)—targeting key pests such as aphids and African bollworm. In addition, it facilitated farmer partnerships that enabled the production of 54.8 tons of dried powdered Solanum, benefiting over 12,000 organic farmers, and supported the production of 1,500 liters of neem seed oil for rollout in the 2026/27 season.

In collaboration with TARI, the project strengthened BioSustain’s extension system by training 117 extension workers and 175 lead farmers in Good Agronomic Practices (GAP), rotational cropping, pest management, and post-harvest handling. These trained teams now disseminate knowledge through demonstration plots, pictorial guides, and on-farm training.

The project is also advancing environmental sustainability by promoting organic production systems and working with BioSustain, which is certified under the Regenerative Agriculture (Regenagri) standard, demonstrating a strong commitment to regenerative agriculture.

In terms of employment creation, the project, through its partner, generated 65 jobs, with BioSustain employing 65 field extension workers to enhance the delivery of extension services.