It is unusual to find locally produced soya milk in Tanzania. But some farmers here are enthusiastic about making their own by learning from the Chinese.
Since 2022, local farmers have been learning the technology to produce milk from soya beans. Agricultural experts from China Agricultural University (CAU) have been in the country since 2022 to share their knowledge with local farmers.
A manually operated machine for grinding the soya bean in soya milk production.
China, Brazil and the US are the world’s biggest producers of soya. So it might come as no surprise that they know a thing or two about soya milk.
In Tanzania, the technology has been demonstrated in four selected pilot villages – Peapea, Kitete, Makuyu and Mtego wa Simba – in a test project in the Morogoro region. Experts said last week that the demonstration was successful.
The drink has become increasingly popular with many farmers, who see it as cheaper to produce than other plant sources.
As part of the project, the Chinese experts worked with the Morogoro regional authorities to distribute hybrid soya bean seeds to farmers in these villages, and provided on-the-ground advice on planting and management techniques to enable soya milk processing.
A shop selling soya milk.
The programme, which also aims to reduce poverty, is led by CAU, the Morogoro regional government and Tanzania’s Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA).
The Morogoro region is one of the top five soya bean producing areas in Tanzania. However, the local soya bean industry remained bleak due to extensive local farming models and a lack of processing technology for soya bean products.
Prof Li Xiaoyun, the lead scientist, and his team say they have implemented an intercropping project called ‘Small Bean and Big Nutrition’. The first harvest is now underway and the yields will inform the next stage of expansion.
Prof Li’s main role is to train farmers in the village of Mtego wa Simba in Mikese Ward, about 30 kilometres on the outskirts of Morogoro Municipal Town.
Ms Xu Jin, one of the experts, explained that there are four main stages in the production of soya milk.
“The first is to soak seeds in a pail of water and leave it overnight,” she said.
“The second stage is to grind them in a hand-made machine. The third stage is filtration, and the final one is boiling the liquid, which tastes like cow’s milk.”
Morogoro and China Agricultural University Partnership maize and soya project.
Omary Jayo, 72, a retired Tanzania National Electricity Supply Company (TANESCO) technician and now a farmer, says he bought into the idea after learning the Chinese scientist’s expertise.
He says he bought a grinding machine for $23.9 and slowly began to practice. He now sells each cup for $0.18.
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Tanzania: Samia Hands Over NBC’s 354m/ – Crop Insurance Compensation to Farmers Affected By Hailstorms
President Samia Suluhu Hassan, has handed over a cheque of 354m/- from the National Bank of Commerce (NBC) as compensation to tobacco farmers, who were affected by hailstorms during the previous farming season in various regions across the country.
Handing over the cheque in Dodoma, the compensation is part of the crop insurance service provided by NBC in collaboration with the National Insurance Corporation (NIC).
Furthermore, President Samia has also handed over health insurance coverage to members of the Lindi Mwambao Cooperative Union based in Lindi Region, through the Farmers’ Health Insurance service provided by the bank in partnership with Assurance Insurance Company.
While visiting the bank’s pavilion at the Nanenane Agricultural Exhibition and being received and briefed by the bank’s Managing Director, Mr. Theobald Sabi, she said: “This crop insurance is one of the crucial solutions in ensuring farmers have a reliable income, without fear of challenges such as natural disasters, including hailstorms.
“I call upon all farmers in the country to make the best use of this important opportunity by accessing these kinds of insurance services. I also highly commend NBC and all the stakeholders participating in this programme.”
Elaborating further on the crop insurance service, the Minister of Agriculture, Hussein Bashe, stated that it will help to recover the loss farmers incurred, especially in various calamities beyond their control.
Citing them as floods, fires, and hailstorms, which have significantly affected the well-being of farmers and caused some to be reluctant to invest in the crucial sector, Mr Bashe added: “However, our President, this step by NBC is just the beginning, as this is the second year since they started offering this service, and the results are already visible.
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“As the government, we promise to continue supporting the wider implementation of this service, with the goal of ensuring that this crop insurance service reaches more farmers.”
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On his part, Mr Sabi said that the farmers who benefited from the compensations are from 23 primary cooperative unions in the regions of Shinyanga, Geita, Tabora, Mbeya, Katavi, and Kigoma.
He added: “In addition to these insurance services, as a bank, through this exhibition, we have continued with our programme of providing financial education and various banking opportunities to farmers, alongside offering them various loans, including loans for agricultural equipment, particularly tractors, to eligible farmers.:
At the NBC booth, President Samia also had the opportunity to be briefed on the various services offered by the bank to the farmers namely crop insurance and health insurance services.
There, the President had the chance to speak with some of the beneficiaries of the services, including the Vice-Chairman of the Lindi Mwambao Primary Cooperative Union, Mr. Hassan Mnumbe, whose union has been provided with a health insurance card from the bank.
Source: allafrica.com
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