How a Sister from Moshi is Contributing to the Health and Sustainability of a Community

Sister Elistaha Mlay loves nature with all the creatures and critters in it. She is the mother superior of the Community of Grace (Ushirika Wa Neema), which is established under the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania Northern Diocese in Moshi near Mount Kilimanjaro. Sr. Elistaha felt the urge to get involved in agroecology, as she knew it was better for the community’s health and environment. Thus, she introduced organic farming practices on their 40-acres farm. Although initially the sisters did not have very much knowledge and experience about organic gardening, and despite the hard work it meant to do everything by hand, Sr. Elistaha and her fellow sisters have managed to keep that farm free of synthetic chemical inputs since they have started practicing organic agriculture ten years ago.

Transitioning a 200-Acre Farm to Organic

The Evangelical Lutheran Church also owns a big community farm of 200-acres, which had been managed in a conventional way. Sr. Elistaha and her colleagues aspired to transition it into an organic farm, too. But they realized that the techniques they used on the small farm would not work very well for this large plot. Additionally, they faced a lot of skepticism and rejection regarding organic practices – not only from neighbors, but also from their own farmworkers.

"People used to use chemicals like all our neighbors. But these chemicals eliminate the insects and harm the creatures living on and in the soil. After we damaged our soil and the creatures in it, it is our duty to rebuild God’s creation.”

Partnering with SAT

During that challenging time, Sustainable Agriculture Tanzania (SAT) was supporting congregations under the Sustainable Farm Management, Agroecology, and Permaculture for Congregations (SAPC) project, and in 2019 Ushirika Wa Neema joined the project. Sr. Elistaha sent staff, especially those that were very skeptical about agroecology, to SAT’s Farmer Training Center in Vianzi, Morogoro to participate in courses about permaculture and agroecological practices. And it worked: It created greater awareness of the benefits of agroecology and gradually convinced the doubters.

Building a Self-Sufficient Organic Farm

After undergoing a series of trainings at SAT FTC and onsite technical support, as they practiced organic farming, SAT further supported them in developing a business plan on an integrated Avocado project which included e.g. crop diversity, recycling of materials between enterprises, and livestock production. With the business plan, they were also able to receive a loan to run the enterprise.

Initially, they only grew beans, sunflowers, and maize on the 200-acres farm to feed staff and livestock. But soon they added different vegetables such as carrots, tomatoes, cucumbers, chilis, spinach, and cabbage among others. This move not only increased their self-sufficiency but also opened up new income streams. However, their long-term goal is to reduce the number of annual crops and substitute them with permanent crops like Avocado and Macadamia trees. Furthermore, the sisters now keep dairy cows, chicken, and have established a piggery unit.

The sisters plan to transition the entire 200-acre farm to be fully organic within a period of five years. They started with only 60 acres, and keep adding 60 acres at a time until the whole farm has fully transitioned.  

“We have learned so much from SAT. For instance, how to make compost instead of buying fertilizer from the shop. We mix manure from our chicken and cows with leaves and other farm residues. Then we use the double dug method. Recently, we harvested so much spinach and pepper for the second time, and there was absolutely no need to add further fertilizer to the bed. We only needed to add some water. We really gathered knowledge on how to produce a lot of products on small space. Furthermore, we discovered how to make pesticides with materials like pepper, coriander and other things you find on the farm. Beyond agroecological knowledge, we gained an understanding of how to write agricultural projects and how to manage them.”

Reaching Out to the Community

However, the farm is not an island. If their neighbors use chemicals to get rid of pests on their plants or to fertilize the soil, it could also affect the organic crop. To address this, the sisters started to help their neighbors in order to get them on board, sharing their knowledge on organic pest control and other practices. They support those small-scale farmers who want to learn. With some of their neighbors they share their experiences to benefit from mutual learning and to refine their techniques, e.g. on locally produced pesticides.

 Sr. Elistaha found another way to create awareness for the benefits of agroecology and to promote their organic products in the community:

 “One time, we harvested so many vegetables that we could not even use them all. Thus, I decided to go to the nearby cathedral with a pick-up full of vegetables. There, I asked the pastor to give me a moment to explain to the congregation what I have brought and how these products were produced organically. I let them taste these really nice carrots and delicious tomatoes. And guess what: I sold all the vegetables within 20 minutes.”

Training and Certification for Organic Farming

In 2023, Sr. Elistaha, together with representatives from ten religious congregations, received a training about the East African Organic Products Standard. They were certified through the Participatory Guarantee System (PGS). In October 2024, they participated in a training of the SAPC to upgrade their certification system adhering to international organic standards like the European Union (EU) organic standards for the export market.

These trainings covered the benefits of certification, explained different certification systems, but also the standards in the production, processing, storage, labelling, and compliance with certification standards. Now Sr. Elistaha and the other sisters can use the East African Organic label, Kilimo Hai, on their products. Also, it lays a foundation for the adaptation of other international organic standards such as EU and NOP for export to high-end European and American organic markets.

Through their farm, the sisters not only produce food for self-sufficiency but also supply a growing market for organic products. It creates income that helps to sustain and develop the farm. They have been able to manage their resources sustainably, combining labor, capital, and machinery with sustainable agricultural practices.

Background: Supporting Tanzanian Congregations in Farming

The Sustainable farm management, Agroecology, and Permaculture for Congregations (SAPC) project aims to address farming challenges faced by Tanzanian Religious Congregations, such as limited technical knowledge, inadequate infrastructure and unsustainable use of resources. Starting with a need assessment for three congregations in 2019, the project now involves ten congregations.

The SAPC project establishes a "community of practice" to facilitate agroecology and permaculture. Through courses, exchange visits, and on-farm consulting, congregations and sisters involved in farming improve production techniques, leading to more sustainable farming practices.

In addition to enhancing farm management, the project promotes the integration of livestock, processing, and marketing capacities, encouraging productive relationships with local communities. The goal is to increase environmental, social, and financial sustainability.

The SAPC Project is kindly supported by the Arthur Waser Foundation (AWF).