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From a Small Vegetable Bed to a Bigger Dream
Drip irrigation, training, and technology transformed Christian Cypialia Mulokozi from a subsistence farmer into a lead farmer inspiring others.
Every morning, Christian Cypialia Mulokozi (pictured above) walks through his vegetable garden with a sense of pride. Today, he grows a variety of vegetables using drip irrigation, mentors Nguvu Kazi Youth agritech, fellow farmers and earns a reliable income from farming. But just a few years ago, his story was very different.
A husband, father of three, and long-time farmer from Kasulu District, Christian describes his old way of farming as “farming by habit.”
“I farmed because that was what I knew,” he recalls. “Some days I earned something, other days I earned nothing. Farming was only for feeding my family, not as a business.”
Everything changed in 2018 when he participated in training organized by Norwegian Church Aid (NCA) and Caritas on climate-smart agriculture and drip irrigation.
Christian started small with just one vegetable bed using a simple drip irrigation kit. Curious neighbours stopped to watch as vegetables flourished using very little water. Before long, they wanted to learn the same techniques.
“I began with one vegetable bed, and people kept asking what I was doing differently,” he says. “That encouraged me to help other farmers adopt drip irrigation.”
As his confidence grew, so did his business.
Christian expanded his production to several vegetable beds, growing crops that were rarely found in Kigoma, including broccoli. One of his biggest successes was introducing a herbal plant locally known as Msusa Urusi, which became highly sought after. At one point, he sold a single leaf for TZS 1,500 (less than a dollar). He also began producing vegetable seedlings, creating an additional source of income for his family.
The increased earnings brought visible improvements at home.
He renovated his house, toilet, installed tiles, connected electricity to his house, purchased a StarTimes television subscription and bought a larger piece of land worth TZS 250,000 (94 USD). He has also invested in coffee farming by purchasing quality seed and agricultural inputs.
“My family has seen the difference,” Christian says with a smile.
“Before, we spent hours carrying water. Now the drip irrigation system uses very little water, and we only irrigate twice a day. We have more time together as a family. My wife enjoys watching her favorite television programmes and I can even watch football in the evenings.”
Christian also benefited from a series of NCA supported boot camps where he learned how to make organic fertilizer and prepare natural pesticides, reducing his dependence on expensive chemical inputs. Exchange visits, including a learning trip to Kilimanjaro, exposed him to modern farming practices and helped him build relationships with farmers from other parts of the country.
Today, Christian serves as a Lead Farmer, training others on drip irrigation, vegetable and fruit production and pest management. He also helped establish the Ushindi Group, made up of three women and three men, which received support from Caritas and NCA, including a water storage tank to expand vegetable production.
Technology has also transformed how he farms
Christian using Jambo maisha to access market information.
Through Jambo Maisha, a free digital platform supported by the programme, Christian can access market information, receive advice on crop diseases and pests, and consult agricultural experts support directly from his mobile phone even without airtime.
He says:
“It is like having an agricultural expert in your pocket. Whenever I have a challenge, I can get advice immediately.”
Reflecting on his journey, Christian says the biggest transformation has been changing his mindset.
“I am no longer farming just to survive,” he says. “Today, I am farming as a business.”
His weekly income has become more reliable and many neighbours now visit his farm seeking advice or requesting drip irrigation systems for their own gardens.
Christian’s journey demonstrates how access to knowledge, appropriate technology, and continuous support can transform livelihoods. Through the partnership between Norwegian Church Aid (NCA) and Caritas, farmers are not only increasing their incomes but also becoming innovators, mentors and leaders who inspire others to see agriculture as a pathway to opportunity and resilience.
Read more about our work
From a Small Vegetable Bed to a Bigger Dream
Drip irrigation, training, and technology transformed Christian Cypialia Mulokozi from a subsistence farmer into a lead farmer inspiring others.
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