Tanzania Christian Farm Development Trust

Progress during the past years has seen many of the above aims implemented. The farm has accommodation for a missionary family and farm workers. There is also housing for animals. A large store has been erected to store food for the local people and also store food for the animals.

The site is large and provides us with raw materials for building, e.g. rock, sand and timber. The one shortage was a water supply. Well digging proved futile as the water table is below rock strata that would not yield to hand digging. A surface dam was proposed and work began in 1995 to cut out a pond, clear the catchments area and build a wall with the sub soil.

On Boxing Day 1995 the dam wall had its first test when a severe storm struck. The water level rose to near the top of the unfinished wall. There was no damage done, although the water drained away through two 4 inch pipes for two days even after the rains had passed. The situation proved that the dam site is receiving an underground supply from a wider area than that cut for the pond. The rains at the end of 1997 completely filled the dam and it maintained that level for several months. Although the water level is lower during the dry season, the dam usually retains some water until the rains return. In addition to the water supply there is a large quantity of fish in the dam.

Goat breeding is continuing and our aim is to obtain a cross breed which will produce 1 litre of milk per day. This is many times more than the yield of the local breeds. This work began with the sanaan breed but we are now trying to breed with Nubian. Progress is slow as we are gaining very few female offspring, a large percentage of the kids born are males.

Work with pigs began in 1995 with 1 sow and 2 young females, breeding commenced when a boar was located in September 1996. The work with the pigs has progressed well. There are around 10 breeding sows and 2 boars. The total number in the herd would reach 60 with other sows soon due to pig. The pigs are accommodated in four separate buildings with ample space for expanding in the future. Feeding the pigs is relatively easy as much of their diet is rice husk which is mainly dumped as waste in Tanzania.

Many experiments have taken place with growing different vegetables in varied conditions both during wet and dry seasons. Many of the young plants are raised in the tunnel house which protects them from the strong sun and the numerous insects. The project has now a good supply of vegetables for most of the year from its own plot.

The first school building has been erected. This provides accommodation for 24 students, facilities for sleeping, washing, cooking and eating. There is one additional room which can be used as a temporary classroom.

A large building was erected as a workshop and awaits the installation of equipment, most of which has already arrived from the UK.

When completed, the workshop will be used to teach trades such as, furniture making and mechanics. In 1997 a large generator (60 KVA) was donated to supply the whole compound including the workshop. It has been recently installed and is now supplying the projects electricity needs. A source of income is essential to run this machine and ways of generating this finance within Tanzania are being investigated.

We plan to be involved in some business activities to do with agricultural produce which will help raise some of the income locally. This would also provide work in the area and set an example in hygiene. Being involved in such ventures helps relations with local people and most importantly with the government of Tanzania.

Development in business has begun with the purchase of an old dairy property in Tabora. The dairy was owned by the Government and closed in 1995 after going into receivership. Our offer to purchase the property was agreed at the end of 1998. During the next couple of years we acquired equipment and also the funds to refurbish the property. At the beginning of 2002 the finishing touches were put to the dairy. It is now known as the New Tabora Dairies. A team of local people have been trained to work the new equipment. The first milk was processed at the end of March 2002.

Meat processing is another avenue which was investigated. A butcher from England kindly gave of his time and went to teach a few of the workers the trade of the different cuts of meat. In April 2001 a small factory building was erected in the village on the farm site and meat production began.

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