Launching the Forum of Rural Producers in Tanzania “Jukwaa la Wazalishaji wa Vijijini Tanzania” (JUWAVITA) November, 2018

A collaboration of 30 member based Civil Societies (CSOs) that are accountable to its members formed an independent loose coalition of small-scale rural producers in Tanzania (JUWAVITA) “Jukwaa la Wazalishaji Vijijini Tanzania”. The Forum have been launched on 13^th and 14^th in Dodoma with the theme,The role of rural producers towards industrialized economy in Tanzania.  In Swahili “Nafasi ya Wazalishaji Wadogo Vijijini katika kufikia uchumi wa Viwanda Tanzania”. The launch was done by the Deputy Minister for Agriculture Honorable Mr. Omary Mgumba at Morena Hotel. The Forum brought on board 300 rural producers from both Tanzania Mainland and Zanzibar. These included, pastoralist, hunters and gatherers, beekeepers, crop growers, livestock keepers, natural resource users and fisher folk’s communities. Also the Forum was attended by members of Parliament, the chairperson for the Parliamentary standing committee on Agriculture, other government officials and development partners.

 The founding members of the Forum are  Tanzania Natural Resource Forum (TNRF), Agricultural Non-State Actors Forum (ANSAF), Agricultural Council of Tanzania (ACT), Action for Democracy and Local Governance (ADLG), East and Southern Africa Farmers Federation (ESAFF), Embuan Development Organization (EMUDEO), Environmental Management and Economic Development Organization (EMEDO), HakiArdhi, Illeje Environmental Conservation Association (IECA), INADES Formation, Kaengesa Environment Conservation Society (KAESO), Mazingira Network-Tanzania -MANET, MIICO, Mtandao wa Vikundi vya Wakulima (MVIWATA), Participatory Ecological Land Use Management(PELUM Tanzania ),Partnership for Nutrition in Tanzania (PANITA) Pastoralist Indigenous Non-Governmental Organization Forum (PINGOs), Singida Youth Entrepreneur and Consultant Cooperation Society (SYECCOS), Tandahimba Farmers Association (TAFA) , Tanzania Federation of Cooperatives (TFC), Tanzania Gras Roots  Oriented Development (TAGRODE), Tanzania Horticultural Association (TAHA), Chama cha Wafugaji Tanzania (CCWT), Tanzania Milk Processors Association (TAMPA), Tanzania Organic Agriculture Movement (TOAM), Tanzania Pastoralist and Hunter- Gatherer Organization (TAPHGO), Tanzania Pastoralist Community Forum (TPCF) Umoja wa Wabanguaji Korosho Ruagwa (WAKORU), Umoja wa wakulima wa matunda na mboga mboga Zanzibar-( UWAMWIMA) Victoria Farming and Fishing Organization (VIFAFO)

JUWAVITA is an outcome of long-term discussion on the need to strengthen engagement of small-scale rural producers and have a stronger voice on policy dialogue and decision-making platforms. Thus, the purpose is to provide a room for advocacy, lobbying and engagement of rural producers in policy dialogue and inclusive decision making on issues of their concern at local, sub national, national, regional, continental and global levels.