From January 2008 Njombe Agricultural Development Organization (NADO) expanded their area of operations from two wards to the whole district of Njombe. The organization was formerly known as UVIMTA and had long term partnership agreement with MS Tanzania starting already from 2003.
There are twelve founding members of NADO, namely: Itulahumba, Ikwega, Itambo, Chalowe, Isindagosi, Dulamu, Kanani, Palangawanu, Usuka, Lugoda, Nyumbanitu and Sakalenga. There are currently six new member Community Based Organisations (CBOs).
NADO is a membership based organization covering members from 19 villages in the Njombe district. The activities of NADO are carried out by the Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) that all are members. Each CSO has to pay an admission and annual membership fee and write application letter in order to be approved and recognized by local government authorities, and to be a part of activities and to benefit from NADO initiatives. NADOs yearly budget is around 55-60 million TAS, and the annual membership fee is 50,000 shilling/CBO.
The main vision of NADO is to build and increase local capacity and improve agricultural and livestock development for the community by mobilization of economic, social and professional networks, and thereby reducing poverty through broad participation.
Among the objectives that are to be fulfilled by 2013 are to increase food production - like maize and animal husbandry, and production of commercial products to increase family livelihoods. Increase awareness of gender issues, to empower women and youth, mainly, by organization through groups that address income generating activities as well as promote use of Savings Cooperative Societies (SACCOS) to funding activities and make these groups economical independent.
In order to achieve these objectives the focus on building local capacity on a sustainable manor -which are environmental friendly and produce high quality foods to increase family livelihoods by increased incomes and nutritional levels (National vision by 2025), like the utilization of organic agriculture, and of traditional agricultural practices. Furthermore, elaboration on education of human rights and gender equality are important cross-cutting topics in the overall work.
The overall goal is to establish a strong network between public and private sector in the quests for economical development and capacity building of people in rural areas, also known as private-public partnership (PPP). Finally, the education about health issues like HIV that affects the communities with a high headcount ratio of people with the disease.
Partners (NGO's, local and international including):
- MS Tanzania
- Tanzania Spices Limited
- Uyole Agricultural Research Institute
- Evangelist Lutheran Church Tanzania
- TANWAT
- World Vision
- Njodingo
- Tanzania Enterprise Works
Njombe District (from ADDA baseline...)
Njombe district covers an area of 10, 668 km2 equivalent to 1,066,800 ha. Out of these 768,075 ha is used for cultivation and grazing. Njombe is administratively divided into 7 divisions and 25 wards and two township authorities, namely Njombe and Makambaku. Njombe district has a total population of 420,318 (2002).
Njombe district is divided into three agro-ecological zones according to the amount of rain:
- The zone which receives a relatively high amount of rainfall includes Lupembe, Idamba, Kidegembye and part of Ikondo wards in Lupembe Division, and Ikuna and Mahongole wards in Makambako division, and Iwungilo, Uwemba, Matola, Liponde and Yakobi wards in Igominyi division, and part of Mdandu ward in Mdandu division.
- The zone which receives a medium amount of rainfall includes Igongolo ward in Makambako division and Kifanya ward in Igominyi division.
- The zone which receives a low amount of rainfall includes Makambaku, Mtwango and part of Igongolo wards in Makambaku division, and Wanging'ombe, Saji, Ilembulu and Luduga wards in Wanging'ombe division, and Usuka ward in Mdandu division.
Major constraints identified by the Agriculture and Livestock Department within agricultural production include:
-Infertile soils due to poor farming techniques
-Soil erosion accelerated by animal husbandry, poor cultivation methods and deforestation
-High prices of inputs resulting of low use
-Most farmers use hand hoes instead draught animals
-Low production per area unit
-Crop pests and diseases
-High livestock mortality rate due to east coast fewer and other tick born diseases
-Unreliable rainfall and draught in some parts of the district
-Poor transportation infrastructure
-Poor marketing of agricultural produce
-Shortage of extension staff
The total population of Njombe District is 420,348 people that are distributed with 196,130 male and 224,218 female in total of 98,825 households with an average of 4.3 person per household.
