A project to build air-tight grain stores in Tanzania with funding from event industry foundation Meeting Needs is well under way despite heavy rains that threatened the work. Working with Andrew Mayfield, Volunteer Adviser to the Diocese of Central Tanganyika, Meeting Needs funded the project with just £3000.

The objective is to reach 200 parishes in the Diocese of Central Tanganyika by 2030 and train farmers to understand conservation agriculture and air-tight grain storage and be able to use the knowledge to double their produce storage so that every household is self-sufficient in food. The target is to build dry stores in each parish which can save 30% of post harvest loss from insects alone.

With the first year almost passed, the team managed to visit the first 47 parishes to introduce air-tight grain storage methods and 235 farmers were ready to build. However, only 130 farmers were able to complete the stores because of heavy rain that flooded many farms but creating awareness of careful grain preservation led to the distribution of 5000 special air-tight bags through the Diocesan Development department.

The rains ruined harvests and destroyed mud bricks but the project will continue this year. Andrew said: “We are most grateful for the momentum build that your initial funding has leveraged.”