The Regional Climate Smart Agricultural Programme (RCSAP), implemented from 2017 to 2020, was designed to strengthen climate resilience and improve agricultural productivity among smallholder farmers in Tanzania. The programme focused on promoting Climate Smart Agriculture and Conservation Agriculture practices in areas affected by erratic rainfall and soil degradation.
KEY PROJECT DETAILS
- Project Name: Regional Climate Smart Agricultural Programme (RCSAP)
- Duration: 2017 – 2020
- Focus Area: Climate Smart Agriculture / Conservation Agriculture
- Coverage: Seven districts in Tanzania
- Implementing Organization: CFU Tanzania
- Donor: NORAD
PROJECT OVERVIEW
The RCSAP programme aimed to equip farmers with practical, climate-resilient farming techniques such as minimum tillage, crop residue retention, and crop rotation. Through hands-on training, demonstration plots, and farmer-to-farmer knowledge sharing, the programme supported farmers in adopting sustainable agricultural practices that improve productivity while conserving natural resources.
KEY ACTIVITIES
- Training farmers on Climate Smart Agriculture practices
- Promotion of minimum tillage and conservation farming techniques
- Establishment of demonstration plots for practical learning
- Farmer-to-farmer extension and peer learning
- Support for crop diversification and sustainable soil management
IMPACT
- Reached 17,325 farmers across seven districts
- 7,535 farmers adopted Conservation Agriculture practices
- Maize yields increased by over 50% in many cases
- Production costs reduced by 40–50%
- Fieldwork time reduced by 30–40%
- Household income increased from approximately $800 to $1,120 annually
- Improved food security and nutrition for participating households