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The leadership committee of Tanzania’s Babati District research for development (R4D) platform, JUMBA (Jukwaa la Utafiti kwa Maendeleo wilaya ya Babati) recently held a two-day retreat to refine its constitution, vision and mission and to develop and prioritize JUMBA activities for the year. The retreat was held in Arusha from 27 – 28 January, 2015.
During the retreat, committee members prioritized activities to be implemented by JUMBA and drafted vision and mission statements for the platform for inclusion into the JUMBA constitution. The team also discussed at length the various funding options and opportunities for the platform’s activities.
According to Per Hillbur, the Babati R4D platform’s principal investigator, the retreat was a timely event (at the beginning of the year) that helps the committee have a clear set of for activities that help JUMBA address agricultural issues in the district.
‘It is essential for JUMBA to be visible on ground, and for this it needs clear activity plans that will benefit farmers,’ stressed Hillbur.
Benard Sambali, a JUMBA committee member who also took part in the meeting said the outcomes of the retreat ‘will help to improve Bahati’s smallholder farmers’ livelihoods because it will help JUMBA respond to their needs.’ ‘This will ensure sustainability of the improved farming technologies introduced to the farmers beyond the Africa RISING project life,” he said.