Ambassador Alfonso E. Lenhardt with small farmers in Arusha

U.S. Ambassador Alfonso E. Lenhardt
met last week with small farmers
growing beans for export to Europe at
the Arusha Blooms farm.  The farmers
are being mentored to put in practice
good agriculture practices such as
proper plant spacing, drip irrigation,
and raised beds.  After less than a
year of operation, Arusha Blooms is
producing 2 tons of green beans a day and is poised to double supply.  Some of the women farmers took home more than Tsh 1 million in profits from the last harvest.  Arusha Blooms is being assisted by the Tanzania
Agricultural Productivity Program, a USAID initiative administered by Fintrac to increase smallholder income, improve nutrition, and expand markets.   Arusha Blooms Chairman Eric Ng'maryo said "We have seen that collective farming didn't work; now our farmers are learning agriculture can be profitable."
Pictured: U.S. Ambassador Alfonso E. Lenhardt(third from right) with farmers.  From left:  TAHA director Jacqueline Mkindi, Farm Manager Joseph Giovinazzo, and US Economic & Commercial Officer Emily shaffer.