Bernard Pollack and Danielle Nierenberg of Border Jumpers report back on their visit to Tanzania. Keep posted for more from the duo as they continue their journey across Africa.
A funny thing happened on the way to Kigoma, Tanzania.
Actually, we never even made it to Kigoma. Precision Air, one of only two airlines that flies to the remote region, had just suspended all flights for the next several weeks and the other airline was all booked. No worries, we headed to Zanzibar instead…
Everywhere you look in Zanzibar there’s a bounty of fresh vegetables, fruit and spices. One of the ‘Spice Islands’ – a group of islands that supplied cloves, coriander, nutmeg, pepper, vanilla and more to Europe in the 17th Century – Zanzibar still grows those spices in much the same way they were then. That’s to say organically, without the use of chemical pesticides and artificial fertilisers, giving eco-conscious consumers just what they want.
Later in our trip, back in Dar es Salaam, we met with Pancras Ngalason of the Jane Goodall Insitute (JGI) in Tanzania. He explained how the Institute has evolved since it began in the 1970s, starting off as a research centre but going on to protect wild chimpanzee populations in what is now, thanks to their efforts, Gombe National Park. In the early 1990s, JGI realised that if it didn’t start addressing the needs of the communities surrounding the park, their efforts to conserve wildlife wouldn’t work. It was at that time, says Ngalason, that we “thought beyond planting trees” and more about community-based conservation.
JGI started working with communities to develop government mandated land-use plans, helping them develop soil erosion prevention practices, and in turn producing value-added products such as coffee and palm oil. They like to say that their products are “Good for All” – good for farmers by providing income; good for the environment by protecting natural resources; and good for the consumer by providing a healthy product.
In Arusha, Tanzania, we met with the World Vegetable Centre (WVC), where researchers and farmers are working together to improve crop diversity, nutrition and livelihoods through vegetables.”None of the staple crops [such as rice, wheat, maize and cassava] would be palatable without vegetables,” says Dr Abdou Tenkouano. What’s more, he notes that vegetables “are less risk prone” than staple crops, which stay in the field for longer periods of time. Additionally, according to the WVC’s website, vegetable production generates more income on and off the farm than most other agricultural enterprises.
Though its air travel leaves something to be desired, Tanzania is a country rich in fresh vegetables, fruit and innovations that help nourish people and the planet.
This guest post was contributed by Bernard Pollack and Danielle Nierenberg of Border Jumpers. The views expressed in this article are the authors’ own and do not necessarily reflect those of Cheapflights Ltd.
