Policy and Advocacy activities
Training
SHIWAKUTA has a role in providing training in leadership, lobbying, and advocacy to its members through their associations.
This capacity-building initiative aims to empower producers to speak with one unified voice in defending and advancing their social, economic, and political interests.
Until now, SHIWAKUTA has 29 members associations spread across Tanzania. Through its ongoing efforts, SHIWAKUTA strengthen the capacity of these members associations by equipping them with the skills and knowledge needed to effectively manage and lead their organizations. This empowerment has enabled the associations to operate more efficiently and create a positive impact on their members’ agricultural production and livelihoods.
Capacity Building
One of SHIWAKUTA’s key roles is to strengthen the capacity of its members through their respective associations. Through various training programs organized by SHIWAKUTA, members are empowered to enhance their understanding, skills, and confidence in addressing the challenges they encounter in their daily activities. These trainings also encourage members to recognize the value of solidarity and the importance of having a united voice in protecting their interests and achieving common goals.
Workshop
Through its policy and advocacy efforts at the national level, SHIWAKUTA successfully organized dialogues, workshops, and national conferences that highlighted numerous challenges facing smallholder producers in the country. These national dialogues brought attention to key issues such as land ownership, access to markets, and the role of small-scale farmers, pastoralists, and fishers in addressing the impacts of climate change.
The main objective of organized those platforms is to discuss challenges in deeply that hinder activities of production, and finally to raise recommendations and strong resolutions that will help the government and relevant authorities take appropriate and timely actions to address those challenges.
These platforms have been a catalyst for change, because they have brought small-scale producers directly together with policymakers and decision-makers and various government institutions regarding with Agricultural, Livestockeeping and Fisheries sectors. Through this direct engagement, small-scale producers have been given a valuable opportunity to voice their opinions, express their actual needs, and propose what should be done to remove the obstacles they face.
SHIWAKUTA remains committed to being a trusted voice for small-scale producers, advocating for policy reforms and promoting the inclusion of this vital group in the nation’s development agenda.
