Helping Njombe's Farmers Adapt to a Changing Climate
Njombe Development Organization's three-year climate-smart agriculture programme has reached over 1,200 smallholder farmers, introducing drought-resistant crops, soil conservation techniques, and savings groups to build long-term resilience.
The highlands of Njombe have long been celebrated for their fertile soils and reliable rainfall — the foundation of a thriving tea and pyrethrum economy. But in recent years, farmers across the region have noticed troubling changes: rains arriving late, dry spells lasting longer, and harvests growing less predictable. Climate change is no longer a distant threat for Njombe's smallholders. It is already here.
Njombe Development Organization's Climate-Smart Agriculture Programme, now in its third and final year, was designed precisely to address this challenge. Working across 24 villages in Njombe, Makete, and Ludewa districts, the programme has trained 1,247 smallholder farmers — 58% of them women — in a package of practices designed to maintain productivity while reducing vulnerability to climate shocks.
The training package includes the introduction of drought-tolerant maize and bean varieties, conservation agriculture techniques such as minimum tillage and mulching, agroforestry — the integration of trees into farmland to improve soil health and provide shade — and the construction of water harvesting structures to capture and store rainwater during wet seasons.
Results from the programme's monitoring data are encouraging. Participating farmers reported an average 34% increase in maize yields compared to non-participating neighbours, even during the below-average 2025–26 rainy season. Soil erosion on trained farms has visibly reduced, and tree cover on agricultural land has increased by an estimated 18% across the programme area.
Alongside the agronomic training, Njombe Development Organization established 38 village savings and loan associations (VSLAs) linked to the programme. These groups — each with between 15 and 25 members — allow farmers to save small amounts regularly and access loans for inputs, school fees, or emergencies, reducing their dependence on exploitative moneylenders.
"Before this programme, a bad harvest meant we went hungry," said Petro Mwangi, a farmer from Matamba village in Makete. "Now I have savings, better seeds, and I know how to protect my soil. Even when the rains are difficult, I can manage." His words capture the essence of what Njombe Development Organization is working towards: not just better harvests, but communities that can withstand whatever comes.
The programme concludes in December 2026, but Njombe Development Organization is already in discussions with the Diocese and international partners to design a follow-on initiative that will scale the approach to a further 3,000 farmers across the region.