Organic farmers and traders in Mtwara, southern Tanzania, say they cannot find steady buyers for their goods. According to Mwananchi, they invest time, energy and money in growing and processing the products. Yet many buyers still turn away because of the price.
The farmers raised the problem at a forum on forgotten nutritious crops and overlooked products. The meeting brought together farming and nutrition stakeholders from Mtwara Region to discuss the sector's opportunities and obstacles. The farmers said weak demand is holding back efforts to grow the business. Organic products need a special production and preparation process to protect their quality before they reach consumers.
Caroline Moshi, an organic farmer and processor, said small buyers are the biggest challenge. Some customers understand that organic goods cost more because of how they are made. Others simply find the price too high. She gave the example of organic sesame oil. Buyers compare it with ordinary cooking oil and miss the difference in value and production. She said this leaves farmers and processors struggling to sell.
Juma Balongo, a stakeholder who attended the forum, said communities still do not prioritise organic products. He blamed high prices, poor availability in markets and low public awareness of their benefits. He urged experts to step up public education so more people use the products in daily life.
Judith Kaitani, a farmer and processor, said she would share what she learned with fellow farmers. She plans to teach her groups about nutritious crops such as soya, bambara nuts, sweet potato leaves, amaranth and finger millet. She said these crops have health benefits but are often ignored. In her view, teaching communities about them would raise demand and create more opportunities for farmers and processors.
Emmanuel Msuya, lead marketing officer at Swissaid, said the forum aimed to build business ties among stakeholders. Many of them had not known each other before. He described organic farming as a system that avoids pesticides, chemical fertilisers, genetically modified organisms and the routine use of antibiotics or growth hormones. Instead, farmers build soil fertility through compost, crop rotation and biodiversity. Msuya said stakeholders hope the new partnerships will boost production, availability and use of these crops. The goal is to make them a key part of people's diets.