2
Context and Objectives Vegetables are a vital component of a balanced diet; unfortunately, they are lacking in dietary habits of low-income countries. Vegetables for All aims to improve access to vegetables in the areas of Arusha, Kilimanjaro, Manyara and Tanga in Tanzania. A market study executed by TNS shows that people prefer to buy vegetables, but do not always have the financial means to do so: Vegetables for All aims to change that. The objective of Vegetable for All is to increase dietary diversity and micronutrient intake through increased consumption of fresh and dried vegetables by Base of the Pyramid consumers. This is done by strengthening sustainable vegetable value chains, linking farmers to local markets. At the same time, targeted campaigns and health edu- cation will create demand for the products. Fast facts 8000 farmer beneficiaries Over 500.000 potential consumers to be reached Six partners involved Project running from 2014 to 2018 Four selected vegetables: Amaranths Sekuma wiki Tomato Green Pepper Vegetables for All — B1 Area of intervention The Project This project targets the whole vegetable chain from seed to stomach. Rijk Zwaan’s high quality vegetable seeds enable farmers to increase produce and yields. Rijk Zwaan has experience in developing a wide range of locally adapted vegetable varieties; Afrisem is a subsidiary that brings this experience to Tanzania. The local NGO Faida Mali trains farmers to adopt best practices for vegetable farming; farmers also have access to credit tools managed by the Rabobank Founda- tion. Adequate transportation and storage of fresh vegetables will be developed, as well as distribution channels for dried vegetables: GAIN offers its experience in supporting SMEs in this regard. WUR helps to develop cheap, safe and effective vegetable drying techniques, ensur- ing the preservation of micro-nutrients. The dried products can also be used in soups and stews, which, in combination with fortified stock powder or cubes, provide a healthy meal. GAIN and WUR stimulate vegetable consumption through nutrition awareness campaigns.
