Josephat Mwanzi | February 17, 2026
News Brief
In northern Tanzania, smallholder farmers are turning to agroecology to reduce chemical use, protect their health, and strengthen their livelihoods. Farmers like Anthony Ndelekwa Mbise began growing vegetables organically after witnessing the health risks linked to pesticide misuse. With support from the Arusha Farmers’ Network, farmers are adopting practices such as composting, mulching, crop rotation, natural pest control, and seed saving. These methods improve soil fertility, lower production costs, and increase resilience to drought. As training expands across the region, agroecology is helping farming households move from survival to sustainable income while caring for the land.
In northern Tanzania, smallholder farmers are embracing agroecology as rising chemical input costs, health concerns, climate pressures, and volatile markets reshape food production systems. With more than three-quarters of the population relying on smallholder farmers for daily food supplies, ecological farming practices are emerging as a critical pathway for strengthening food security and protecting public health.
One of those farmers is Anthony Ndelekwa Mbise, who began his agroecological journey more than a decade ago in Arumeru District, Arusha Region. He recalls a turning point when his neighbour fell ill after eating vegetables harvested before pesticide residues had cleared from the leaves.
He says: “That moment was a shock to me. I realized how risky it was to rely on food grown with chemicals. I decided to start growing vegetables at home to protect my family’s health.”
His concern reflects a wider reality. Research by the Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology indicates that nearly 89% of smallholder vegetable farmers in northern Tanzania lack adequate knowledge of pesticide safety practices, leaving households vulnerable to contamination and associated health risks.
Motivated by these concerns, Mr. Mbise began practising small-scale organic farming more than a decade ago on a plot of land behind his home in Arumeru District. He planted spinach and kale using traditional agroecological methods, sprinkling ash to deter pests and composting household waste to enrich the soil.
He explains: “At first, it was just for home consumption.”
Three years later, his journey took a new turn when he connected with MVIWAARUSHA (the Arusha Farmers’ Network), a regional organisation that brings together smallholder farmers to promote agroecology and reduce dependence on chemical inputs. The network supports farmers through training, farmer-to-farmer exchanges, and market linkages, helping households view farming not only as a means of survival but as a sustainable livelihood.
He recalls: “They asked me if I used natural pesticides. I told them I used ash alone. They encouraged me to expand my knowledge and see farming not just as survival but as a business.”
Through onsite training, workshops, and farmer-to-farmer exchanges organised by the network, Mr. Mbise began to reimagine his small plot as a productive and resilient enterprise. He learned practical techniques such as mulching to conserve soil moisture during dry spells, composting to restore soil fertility, and preparing natural sprays from neem leaves and chilli peppers to control pests without chemicals.
What began as a personal effort to protect his family’s health gradually evolved into a model of sustainable farming.
In 2022, Mr. Mbise received additional support from Jimmy Mongi, Marketing Officer at MVIWAARUSHA, who helped him access local markets. His half-hectare farm now produces spinach, amaranth, kale, chilli peppers, tomatoes, carrots, and indigenous vegetables.
He says: “I rotate crops and enrich the soil with manure from my four cows, creating a sustainable cycle of fertility.”
His wife, Magreth Anthony Mbise, describes how the shift has transformed their household.
She says: “Before, we thought of farming only as a way to feed the family. Now it is also a way to earn, to grow, and to contribute to the community. This farming has given us dignity because we can provide safe food, generate income, and take pride in what we produce.”
Since launching pilot agroecology projects in 2020, the Arusha Farmers’ Network has worked with smallholder farmers to reduce reliance on chemical inputs while promoting the use of locally available resources.
Jimmy Mongi says: “The results were encouraging. Farmers reported healthier soils, improved yields, and lower production costs.”
One of those farmers is Flora Godson Shifura, 45, from Oldonyosambu in Arusha Rural District. For many years, she depended on costly inorganic fertilisers that gradually hardened her soil and reduced productivity. After joining the network’s training sessions, she adopted agroecological practices such as mulching and composting. Today, her soil retains moisture for longer periods, helping her crops withstand dry spells.
She has also diversified her farm by planting moringa and lucerne trees to provide fodder for her goats and chickens, strengthening the resilience of her farm ecosystem.
She says: “Keeping our own seeds protects our future. When drought comes, we plant crops that survive. When pests attack, we have varieties that resist. Seeds give farmers independence and resilience.”
From Mr. Mbise’s spinach plots in Arumeru to Flora’s mulched fields in Oldonyosambu, agroecology is steadily expanding across northern Tanzania. National reports show that thousands of farmers have received training in ecological organic farming practices since 2020, highlighting the growing momentum of the movement.
Mr. Mongi concludes: “Agroecology is about balance. We meet our needs, but we also care for the land. That way, the land will care for us in turn.”
This story was produced as part of the IRESAP project