Mbuyuni Kimani irrigation scheme a BRN success story

BY GERALD KITABU
29th April 2015

Rice farmers at work in Mbarali District. (Photo by Gerald Kitabu)

At a distance, a mixture of higher frequency, soothing sounds of water is heard; a closer look
reveals artificial canals in which powerful water flows into different paddy farms of small
scale farmers.
The paddy farms form Mbuyuni Kimani Irrigation Scheme which is located in Mbeya Region,
Mbarali District, Rujewa division at Mbuyuni Village-Mapogolo Ward.
The scheme is about 112km from Mbeya City connected by tarmac road to Mbuyuni
Township along the Tanzania Zambia Highway covering Kimani, Mbuyuni, Nyanguru and
Mabadaga.
The scheme has a total area of about 1505 hectares for paddy production. It abstracts about
3000 litres of water per second for irrigation from River Kimani which is tributary of the Great
Ruaha River.
A series of wonderful green acres of paddy grown by cropping principles parallel to the main
and on-farm canals are enough charm to beacon any one visiting the farms.
According to, an agricultural engineer at Mbeya Zonal Irrigation Unit Hamimu Idrisa
Swalehe, Mbuyuni irrigation scheme has a potential area for irrigation of about 2,500
hectares.
For Mbuyuni Kimani, he said that the construction of the main canal involves lining of about
1400 metres and about 1000 metres of flood protection bund along the River Kimani.
About 1505 ha are currently under irrigation while about 995ha needs to be developed once
funds are secured. The aim is to cover all the famers in the scheme.
The scheme has a total of 1105 members out of a total of 3020 farmers in Mbuyuni. For the
farmers to be well organised, they have formed Irrigators’ Association. Of all members, 819
are men and 286 are women.
Achievements of the scheme
According to the scheme’s Chairman, John Maharage who heads the scheme, since the
establishment of the scheme, lives of Mbuyuni Kimani residents have changed significantly.
He said that currently many villagers were currently producing more than 28 bags per acre
from the previous seven acres.
Maharage who started agriculture in 1985, growing paddy and maize said he had never
recorded bumper harvest until when he ventured into the new farming system. “Since the
establishment of the scheme, farmers have increased production four-times than as it was in
the previous harvest, a situation which has improved their livelihoods and individual
incomes,” he explained.
The scheme’s achievements among others include: Improvement of the irrigation
infrastructure, increased area under irrigation, improved water use efficiency, reduced water
use conflicts.
“With the irrigation scheme development, crop production will be improved and hence the
livelihoods of the community will as well be enhanced. These will be indicated by the
enhancement of the living standards of the community,” he said.
“We expect that farmers will construct decent houses, pay for health services, education
costs for their children and meet essential domestic requirements such as transport facilities,
food processing and machinery.
He further noted that “For a short time, I have managed to pay school fees for my secondary
school children, I have also built a decent house, bought a power tiller and motorcycle
among many others,” he boatsed.
The scheme’s vice Chairman, Abel Mbwile also a small scale farmer explained that when he
started growing the crop few years ago, he could get less than 10 bags per acre but today
he can pocket up to 23 bags per the same area.
“We have been able to register these achievements due to unity, willingness of the people to
change, good leadership and collective responsibility,” explained Riziki Mwaisela, another
small scale farmer of Mbuyuni Kimani
She explained that before engaging in modern agriculture the members of the scheme
received training on better farming methods conducted by agricultural experts.
“After the training and improvement of the irrigation infrastructures in 2013/14, I was able to
record 6.4 tonnes of paddy from the previous 3.5 tonnes per acre,” she said.
Commenting on availability of markets and farming equipment, she said the scheme
members received education on how to get markets from private service providers (PSP).
Within this short period, members have also bought different agricultural equipment such as
power tillers.
Oscar Maganga a farmer from Mabadaga, Mapogolo Ward said that one of the advantages
of the scheme is that many farmers have received training on technology transfer such that
some are training farmers from other parts of the Mapogolo Division in the district.
He explained that apart from technology transfer, there have been improved social services
which were not there before. Citing an example, he said that some farmers have registered
bumper harvest such that they are planning to start their own laboratories and primary
schools.
“A total of 13 farmers including me, were taken to Moshi, Kilimanjaro Region for the training.
The training was on Paddy agronomics, selection of better seeds, preparation and early
planting.”
Every farmer who received the training in Moshi, was tasked to train other five farmers in the
scheme so that the knowledge received could be transmitted to many farmers who could not
get an opportunity to go to Moshi.
“Before the training we were getting between 15 to 25 bags per acre, but after the training
farmers are now committed and determined than any other time in the history of agriculture
in their areas. Adding we have tremendously improved agriculture. For example, in an area
of 10-Acres, the farmers are now getting more than 200 bags of rice.
“Currently this scheme has become a training ground for other farmers,” he said.
Although it was a short time, but its benefits are worth a million shillings. We learnt a lot of
things on agronomics and due to this bumper harvest I have started my own small projects. I
am now constructing a private laboratory to help diagnose patients from the scheme,” he
said.
Maganga whose plan is to shift from small scale farmer to large farmer is also planning to
start his own primary school.”
The warehouses
According to the Scheme’s Chairman John Maharage, when the farmers realised bumper
harvest, they faced a challenge of storage facilities.
The government realised this and immediately facilitated the building of the warehouses to
rescue farmers from getting the so called post harvest loss.
“The aim of this project is to get rid of post harvest loss, to get clean and high quality rice
which would be attractive in the market,” he elaborated.
Agricultural equipment
Commenting on agricultural equipment, he said that the government has also facilitated
several combine harvesters and threshers.
“We have received more than ten combine harvesters of KUBOTA and DAEDONS model
and two paddy threshers of AMAR model,” he said.
Challenges
Members of the scheme explained that one of the main challenges facing farmers were high
water bills. According to the Scheme’s Chairman John Maharage, Rufiji Basin Development
Authority (RUBADA) has hiked water bills by more than 100 percent.
Citing an example she said that in 2011/12, the bill was 1.4m/- but in 2012/13 it was swiftly
hiked to reach 5m/-
He further explained that to their shock, the bill was again hiked from 5m/- to 7m/- in
2013/14. This situation is not encouraging development of agriculture and at times it
discourages the farmers from greater achievement’ he said.
Mbeya Zonal Irrigation Unit describes the Mbuyuni Kimani Irrigation Scheme as one of the
country’s successful implementation of Big Results Now (BRN).
The Acting Zonal Irrigation Engineer, Bituro Bunyinyiga said that the scheme which is one of
the many irrigation schemes established in different districts.
The districts are in five regions of Mbeya, Iringa, Njombe, Rukwa and Katavi is part of the
government’s efforts to transition the country from low to middle-income economy.
He said that the BRN initiative aims at adopting new methods of working under specified
timeframe for delivery of the step-change required in which agriculture is one of the six
priority areas of the economy.
He said that the government is committed and determined to improve the schemes and
establish new ones as long as funds would be made available.
He said that the improvement made so far for all the schemes in the zone and the available
plans aims at contributing 25 percent of food in the National Food Reserve by 2016.
He commended a good work being done by the irrigators organizations already formed such
as Cherehani Mkonga, Ipwasi Ndorobo, Makuka and Idodi in Iringa and Maendeleo, Chimba
chimba Mpolo, Ibohora and Mayota in Mbeya.
He also named other irrigators schemes as Iyanyula, Msesule, WIA Mahango, Bethania,
Nyasa Kapyo, Azimio Mswisi, Mpunga Mmoja, Mhwela, Chang’ombe, and Mashala. Also in
the list are Kakese in Mpanda Town, Katavi region.
In his book, ‘New Harvest: Agricultural innovation in Africa’ Professor Calestous Juma,
Faculty Chair of Harvard Kennedy School, says agricultural innovation is a critical starting
point for industrial development in Africa and Tanzania in particular.
According to Prof Juma, does not mean however that industrial development cannot occur
without agricultural base but makes more sense if it starts with the sector that employs most
people.
Professor Juma who directs the ‘Agricultural Innovation in Africa’ project funded by the Bill
and Melinda Gates Foundation said the main issue is that so far agriculture has been viewed
as a sector rather than a foundation for overall economic transformation.
He commends efforts being undertaken by President Kikwete to transform agriculture in
Tanzania.

“The state of agricultural innovation in Africa is in its nascent stage. The good news is the
rise of interest among African presidents such Jakaya Kikwete who is leading in
transformation of agriculture,” he said.