General Information
Products: Multiple crops (grains, rice, pulses, sugar, citrus fruit, bananas, horticultural products, livestock, and dairy)
Geographic scope: Southern Tanzania
Active Countries: Tanzania
Initiated in 2010
SAGCOT is a multistakeholder partnership created to rapidly develop Tanzania’s agricultural potential, from the east (Dar es Salaam) to the Zambian border in the east. The platform has a focus on developing the agricultural production of grains, pulses, rice, sugar, citrus, banana, horticulture, and the development of livestock and diary.
Members: Members range from international multinationals from the food consumer goods section to agricultural companies. Government actors include the Agricultural Seed Agency (ASA), the Financial Sector Deepening Trust (FSDT), the Tanzania Investment Bank (TIB), the Tanzania Investment Centre (TIC), and the Rufiji Basin Development Authority (RUBADA). International donors and agencies (large international donors and agencies, mainly from the nature conservation sector), and Tanzanian farmer organizations.
Challenge
Lack of food security, agricultural productivity and lack of livelihoods
The platform’s argument is that, with the correct investment and infrastructure, the Tanzania has the potential to strive. The platform brings together multiple stakeholders in order to create a comprehensive and inclusive initiative. It was initiated at the WEF Africa Summit, and the platform’s investment blueprint was launched nationally by Prime Minister Pinda, and internationally by President Kikwete at the WEF in 2011.
Intentions and aspiration
Competitive clustering and partnerships to improve food security, reduce rural poverty, and ensure environmental sustainability
By promoting responsible investment, infrastructure, and clustering, SAGCOT aims to develop the agricultural sector, tripling the area’s agricultural output, bringing in profitable production to smallholder farmers and areas of significance under irrigation. The platform’s objectives by 2030 are to enable smallholders to become commercial farmers with access to irrigation and weather insurance, by delivering sustainable agricultural growth that is socially and economically viable.
Arrangements and capacitities
The SAGCOT board consists of seven members from government, research, business, and consultancy. The platform falls under the national Kilimo Kwanza GrowthTrust, in which funding is only made available to those investors who commit to building sustainable and equitable partnerships with smallholder producers. The administrative unit that serves as a hub to promote investment, including sustainable commercial value chains, is SAGCOT Center ltd., which also serves as a neutral broker and catalyst linking stakeholders to create synergies and provide steps to further achieve the overall objectives of the platform. To become a member of SAGCOT, partners must agree with its overall objectives, work with other members in a harmonious manner, engage with the partnership, and maintain communication and support for the SAGCOT Center, resolving any policy and infrastructure constraints, and considering new financing mechanisms.
Activities and outputs
SAGCOT produces annual progress and impact reports, convenes partners, and incentivizes strong linkages between smallholders and commercial agribusiness. Moreover, the platform supports smallholder producer associations entering equitable commercial relationships with the agroprocessing and marketing business. SAGCOT also facilitates communication between stakeholders, improving coordination between government and donor programs, and helping to mobilize funds. Furthermore, it commissions targeted applied research and makes information on investment and opportunities visible. Moreover, SAGCOT partners have access to information, networking and professional services, including the Partnership Forum, where knowledge exchange on best practices is seen.
Monitoring and evaluation
M&E is carried out separately by each member, each of whom is responsible for monitoring its own development. Moreover, the SAGCOT Center will track the overall progress of the platform via a number of indicators (number, volume, and impact of investments; and growth and profitability of small, medium, and large-scale commercial agriculture), as well as indicators that correspond to their vision, including environmental impact, social impact, poverty reduction, and the role of women.