Promoting Organic Product Standards and Market Access in Tanzania

Halisi Organic Farm in Tanzania has teamed up with MARKUP to promote its organic product standards and ensure access to markets within Tanzania and beyond. Located in Moshi Kilimanjaro, Tanzania, Halisi Organic Farm grows and packages all kinds of herbs.

‘We grow and pack all kinds of herbs. We also buy and process spices from certified organic farmers within Tanzania and other parts of the world. But the process of getting organic products into the market is very expensive,’ highlighted Mary Mushi, founder of Halisi Organic Farm in an interview with MARKUP.

Despite its huge potential, the organic and spices business in Tanzania faces numerous challenges at all levels, from farmer to processors and transporters. Lack of infrastructure and market information makes it difficult for small farmers to access profitable markets. Complicated and costly organic certification procedures pose another barrier for small-scale farmers. ‘Since we teamed up with MARKUP, we have seen an improvement in the distribution of our products in mainland Tanzania,’ Mary added.

The farm, which has been in operation since January 2019, is certified by an East African organic trademark following a MARKUP training through the International Trade Center (ITC).

‘MARKUP has supported us in three main areas. Their Access to Finance Programme enabled us to develop our first business plan, and thanks to what we learned, we are now in the process of acquiring finance. We also learned a lot about the importance of having a well-organised office to keep records about sales and marketing, and this is the reason why we decided to put up an operational for all our administration work,’ said Mary.

‘The training also enabled us to put our ISO manual in place. This ensures we are producing only the best standard and under the most hygienic conditions. We want to become the leading organic firm for spices, herbs, specialty tea, dry fruits and masala in East Africa by 2030,’ Mary added.

‘MARKUP support to attend the 21st EAC MSMEs Trade Fair in Mwanza in 2021 was another important milestone for Halisi. This was a great eye-opener, and we have established numerous business relationships. We now feel empowered to pioneer conservation and sustainable farming in Tanzania by providing a market for organic spices to organic farmers while ensuring we process and serve the best,’ concluded Mary.