Sumbawanga Project
Maize Aggregation & Market Linkage – Sumbawanga, Rukwa Region
Project Overview:
As part of FarmFinest’s broader mission to revolutionize smallholder farming and eliminate post-harvest losses, we implemented a structured maize aggregation and market linkage project in the agriculturally rich Sumbawanga region of Rukwa. This project has become a cornerstone of our operations in the southern highlands.
Objectives:
- Aggregate high-quality maize directly from smallholder farmers and cooperatives.
- Minimize post-harvest losses through improved storage and handling.
- Create direct market access for farmers to premium buyers.
- Introduce input loan systems through partnerships with financial institutions.
Implementation: We partnered with village-based farmer organizations, local cooperative societies, and agricultural extension officers to mobilize over 5,000 metric tons of maize across multiple seasons. Our aggregation centers were equipped to maintain quality through proper drying, sorting, and bulk handling. Using our digital farmer registry platform, we enabled farmers to receive real-time updates on pricing, payments, and input balances.
Market Linkages: The maize sourced from Sumbawanga was distributed to a wide buyer network including:
- Large-scale millers
- Schools and institutional feeding programs
- Regional traders across Tanzania and neighboring countries
Impact:
- Increased farmer income by 30–45% due to fairer pricing.
- Reduced post-harvest losses by up to 50%.
- Enhanced bargaining power through collective aggregation.
- Strengthened local capacity for ongoing grain trading.