TOAM was founded in 2005 and registered under the NGO Acts of 2002 as a membership-based non-governmental organization with over 100 members across the country who promote and coordinate the development of organic agriculture in Tanzania.
The Ecological Organic Agriculture sector in Tanzania faces many challenges including organic inputs, soil health management, Integrated pests and diseases management, quality management of the products throughout the value chain, limited research as well as marketing information.
TOAM wants to be a part of the solution. Through our work, we build the capacity to our members to facilitate the transition of farmers to organic agriculture, raise awareness of the need for sustainable production and consumption, and advocate for a policy environment conducive to agro-ecological farming practices and sustainable development.
Together with our members in five agroecological zones and sector platforms, we are promoting eat organic!
VISION
TOAM envisages a Vibrant Organic Agriculture sector that provides opportunities for sustainable and mutually beneficial livelihoods to all people in Tanzania
MISSION
TOAM is an umbrella organization that coordinates and promotes the development of the Organic Agriculture sector in Tanzania, for the benefit of ecological biodiversity, resilience, food security, and the health of producers and consumers.
Our thematic areas
Food, nutrition, and health
TOAM works to increase awareness of food consumers on the health benefits of organic foods. It is through this work TOAM wants to contribute to the increase in consumption and demand for organic foods.
Food and seed sovereignty
Food sovereignty is the right of people to healthy and culturally appropriate food produced through ecologically sound and sustainable methods, and their right to define their food and farming. Seed sovereignty is about farmers, seed keepers, peasants, and other food producers having systems with the capacity and right to save, grow, sell, and share their seeds. Through this area of work, TOAM empowers smallholder farmers to take control of their seed security and take back control over their food systems. It is about forging a path toward a socially just, ecologically sane, and sovereign future. It involves encouraging stakeholders to influence policymakers and the corporate sector to forge seed and food sovereignty into the profit-driven model of agriculture rather than compromising it.
Environment, Climate change and biodiversity
This is the area of work through which TOAM promote the relevance of Organic Agriculture on environmental management, climate change mitigation and biodiversity conservation. It is about demonstrating that despite the apparent evidence for lower yields in organic crop systems than conventional systems, there is considerable evidence of positive influence and advantages of organic farming on environment, climate change and biodiversity. TOAM raises the awareness of stakeholders on principles of Organic farming which are based on co-existence with natural systems, minimization of pollution and damage to the environment, and the promotion of the health of soil, plant and animal to produce healthy food with high standards of animal welfare and respect for the wider social and ecological impacts of the agricultural system. Given these advantages and benefits, TOAM promotes organic agriculture systems calling for increased investment in organic and ecologically based cropping systems, research and extension.
Gender and youth empowerment
Organic agriculture supports gender equality because it makes women’s contributions more visible, offers economic opportunities, supports health, encourages biodiversity and traditional knowledge, and ensures equitable work standards. Through this area of work, TOAM promotes recognition of women as traditional and socially endowed custodians of indigenous knowledge of organic farming principles and practices and utilization of food. It is about fostering gender equitable access and benefits of organic value chain outcomes by empowering women and youth in decision-making and control of organic farming systems and utilization. Embracing and supporting the growing attitudes, confidence, and aspirations of women and youth to take the opportunities and engage in SMEs (small and medium processing industries) for value addition of organic commodities.
Farm productivity and profitability (soil fertility, pest and disease management and post- harvest handling)
Productivity or yield comparison between organic and conventional agriculture systems is a major debate in the quest to choose which of the two systems can sustainably feed the world. Rather than engaging in such a debate, TOAM generates evidence on how, where, and through which value chains, organic farming can offer alternative sustainable livelihoods strategies.
Market access and value chain development
TOAM promotes and supports market access for organic commodities to premium market outlets. This involves the establishment of connections between suppliers and consumers, encouraging aggregation of smallholder producers and processors to meet market demand requirements and economies of scale. TOAM takes custodianship of branding and certification ensuring visibility, recognition, and credibility of organic commodities in the market.
Compaign and advocacy
TOAM is a forum of stakeholders in the organic sector. It creates platforms for larger and louder voices to influence policy makers and practitioners on the adoption of best practices in the organic sector. TOAM leads the movement of stakeholders for identification and utilising every possible opportunity for scaling up the growth and impacts of the organic sector.
Our work contributes to:
- Capacity building to organic value chains
- Market linkages and
- Promoting organic standards and certifications
- Policies and strategies reviews and development