Utete, TZ – VICOBA volunteer families benefit from high sesame prices – Jun 2023

The Vicoba volunteer families finally harvested their sesame when it was the highest selling price ever in the market.

A harsh drought affecting the sesame production due to late rain, caused a sesame scarcity this year. Challenges create opportunities because the selling price doubled, rising in the market unlike before due to demand. The government announced the government auction price is 4,100 TZS per Kg of sesame compared to two years ago the auction price was 2,000 TZS per Kg. The Vicoba families are expecting to earn 512,000 TZS from harvested 1,250 Kgs in 5 acres. This will benefit the Vicoba families for a good income to pay for Vicoba’s farming loans and savings for their home improvements and children’s better education environment.

The Vicoba families will be able to replant the fields with their Vicoba savings and loans assistance, and realize it’s an opportunity to encourage more families to engage with the Village Community Bank “Vicoba” savings for their own benefits. Not only that, but the Vicoba has learned of another opportunity for reliable farmers assisting each other with working capital needs, by bartering needed seeds and sprays instead of using cash to buy from other people. This will be done with a well organized agreement for the both parties mutual benefits.

The Vicoba has also arranged for eight families to be enrolled with the national health insurance fund.

Vicoba families dream of increasing their income by being able to buy and trade cashew nuts and sesame in the future, gain access to better markets, seeds and sprays, and also access knowledge from the government farming officers in their villages.