Mr Christopher Joseph Kiiza has a family of four and farms five acres of mixed crops in northern Tanzania. Agriculture is essential for food security of his family; it is also an income generating activity. However, like most farmers in various countries in sub Saharan Africa, he has found it challenging at times to earn a living.

With assistance from Matumaini Mapya, COL’s L3F partner in Tanzania, Kiiza has been able to reap social, economic and environmental benefits from the programme. Making use of open and distance learning (ODL) since 2014, he has benefited from training on the best agricultural practices and attended a number of seminars and courses on coffee production.

“I really believe it is because of the L3F programme that I have succeeded to meet most of my family’s basic needs, such as a decent shelter, school for my children, food, etc. In short, it is through the L3F programme that I have managed to make two ends meet,” Kiiza said.

As a result of these achievements, Kiiza has been elected to represent farmers on the Board of Directors of the recently established “Tanzania Producers Financial Company Ltd.” With its well-designed layout for improved coffee growing, his farm has now become an example for the whole community; including for farmers from neigbouring districts in Uganda who regularly visit it to learn from his experience.

“By opening the doors of his model farm to farmers from near and far, by increasing learning and reaping the integrated social, economic and environment benefits from coffee growing, Mr Kiiza has become a voice for the L3F model in Tanzania and beyond,” noted Dr Moses Tenywa, COL’s Education Specialist: Agriculture and Livelihoods.