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Strong Seedlings for a Strong Harvest: Mauwa’s Story

Posted On: January 15, 2025
Standing next to a seedling house, EWS-KT TFO Winnie Kessy and farmer Mauwa Mbombwe hold a tray of tomato seedlings growing in leaf pots.
Mauwa Mbombwe (right) admires the vigorous tomato seedlings growing in her leaf pots. With her is EWS-KT Technical Field Officer Winnie Kessy, who stands next to Mauwa’s covered seedling structure.

MOROGORO REGION, TANZANIA – Smallholder farmer Mauwa Mbombwe is learning new techniques to grow tomatoes in Mbasa. With guidance from EWS-KT Technical Field Officer Winnie Kessy, Mauwa planted high-quality tomato seeds in both seedling trays and leaf pots—and she is especially impressed with the vigorous seedlings in the leaf pots.

Leaf pots, which are made by farmers out of the large leaves of banana or mango trees, are an economical and environmentally sustainable container for seedlings.

Farmers and trainers hold trays of tomato seedlings in preparation for transplanting,
Time to transplant: Mauwa Mbombwe and other farmers prepare to transplant the tomato seedlings to the field. The tall plants at their feet will grow into a live barrier surrounding the tomato field.

EWS-KT provides training in climate-smart vegetable production, guiding farmers from land preparation through harvest. Today, Mauwa is transplanting her seedlings into her field, which she has already contoured with raised beds for the tomato plants.

With a protective live fence growing up around the vegetable plot, and with plans for organic mulch, appropriate fertilization, and trellising in the days and weeks ahead, Mauwa is setting herself up for a successful harvest.

Group of farmers transplant seedings into a prepared field.
Planting the tomato seedlings.

Mauwa is participating in the Transforming Tanzania’s Vegetable Markets initiative, implemented by EWS-KT under the USAID-supported Feed the Future Tanzania Kilimo Tija Project.