By ADAM IHUCHA -- “I am overwhelmed with joy! Honestly, I never knew my name would fly beyond the crown of a plant,” said Ms Jacqueline Mkindi as tears trickled down her cheeks.
The youthful Chief Executive Officer (CEO) with Tanzania Horticultural Association (Taha) could not hold back her tears when she received the most prestigious Tanzanian Women Achievement Award (TWAA) for 2015- Agriculture Category.
Ms Mkindi, or Jacque as she is simply known, is a modern flamboyant lady whose personality and bearing have shaped the multi-million-dollar horticultural industry in the past 10 years.
She could not control her emotions for several reasons. Key among them was memories of her decade-long struggles for the promotion of the nascent agricultural sub-sector.
Ms Mkindi was often in movements between farms and boardrooms in her quest to persuade not only farmers, but also technocrats that horticulture was, indeed, a green gold in disguise.
At a point her critics called her names, portraying her as an envoy of outsiders who intended to promote alien cash crops in the country at the expense of traditional ones.
“Challenges are always there, but we should not let them block our way towards the realisation of our goals,” says Ms Mkindi, adding: “We should always see challenges as opportunities for pushing us to the next level.”
“Challenges are always there, but we should not let them block our way towards the realisation of our goals,” says Ms Mkindi, adding: “We should always see challenges as opportunities for pushing us to the next level.”
Ignorantly though, her critics maintained that there was a ploy among outsiders with whom she was conspiring to discourage local production of food crops for the foreigners to import their foodstuffs at exorbitant prices.
Greenhouses, for instance, were the biggest foes of the entire community in Meru, where the contemporary horticultural farming first cropped up.
It all began with a widespread myth in the community that greenhouses prevented rains. Promoting usage of the temperature-controlling buildings was tantamount to declaring a war with the community.
Investors, who pioneered the industry, had experienced a myriad of wee-hour attempts to destroy their greenhouses in the community members’ bid to discourage horticulture altogether.
But Ms Mkindi, a talented young professional, applied her charismatic personality and high-level diplomatic qualities to swiftly overcome the widespread myth.
Today, greenhouse technology is the way of life in many parts of the country as day in day out TAHA receives inquiries from all walks of life on the technology.
Even in areas such as Dar es Salaam where the greenhouse technology is not always suitable, people tend to install it in order to grow vegetables.
“I am always ready and happy to work beyond the call of duty,” reveals Ms Mkindi, believing everything is possible provided one engages a positive attitude towards achieving his or her individual and organisation’s goals.
Yes, her gifted hands, aided by a young professional and dynamic team such as Anthony Chamanga, Amani Temu, David Mlaki, Cyrila Mlay and Wendi Lyimo, are credited to have mobilised nearly 2.5 million locals who are now engaging in horticultural value chain activities.
“Ooh God, thank you for raising us from farms to sit with stars,” she remarked at Dar es Salaam Serena Hotel where new women celebrities were on 7th of March 2015 feted.
But Ms Mkindi, whose both parents were humble teachers, quickly dedicated the prestigious award to all farmers out there who are struggling to feed Tanzanians and fill the national coffers with the much-needed foreign currencies.
“One of the lessons I learnt in my decade-long engagement in the career is that farmers do not need an intelligent mind that speaks, but a patient heart that listens,” notes Ms Mkindi, explaining that sometimes it is better to be kind than to be right.
Taha’s Board chairman, Eric Ng’maryo admitted that indeed, Ms Mkindi deserved recognition, as she has been instrumental in putting horticulture on the map of Tanzania and in the minds and hearts of millions of local agricultural entrepreneurs.
“Horticulture has changed many people’s lives to the better. In terms of the national economy, horticulture has become a game changer in the agricultural sector,” Mr Ng’maryo explains.
Horticulture growth
Through Taha under Ms Mkindi, the horticulture sub-sector has become a growth driver of Tanzania’s agriculture, as its input in overall agrarian exports value grew by 38 per cent in 2014, fresh data shows.
Comparatively, in 2013, horticulture contributed 31 per cent on the agricultural exports value, implying that its input swelled by 7 per cent in a year.
To put it in perspective, horticulture brought home an extra $102 million in 2014, cementing its position as one of Tanzania’s major sources of foreign exchange earner alongside tourism, manufacturing, and mining.
Data from Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA) shows $477 million worth of horticultural products were exported last year, up from $375 million in 2013, equivalent to 38 per cent of the total agricultural exports valued at $1.18 billion.
Analysts say as it stands, horticulture potential offers a glimpse of hope for the struggling agriculture industry in the backdrop of the declining traditional exports such as coffee and cotton.
Relatively, coffee and cotton exports value plunged in a record low, in the period under review, pushing the agricultural exports value to $1.18 billion compared to $1.19 billion in 2013.
Latest economic review report by Bank of Tanzania indicates that coffee earnings declined from $171 million in 2013, to $121million last year, whereas cotton dropped from $111 million to $54 million in the period under review.
Tumaini University Senior Development Studies Lecturer Gasper Mpehongwa commended Ms Mkindi with her technical team comprising young professionals for unlocking the horticulture potential.
“This suggests that the majority of coffee growers have shifted their mind to the flexible horticulture crops. The future for coffee is bleak because it takes years to yield with prices are controlled in the world market,” Dr Mpehongwa says.
Taha’s Policy and Advocacy Manager Anthony Chamanga says the sub-sector exported nearly 265,302 metric tonnes of horticultural products in 2014, compared to 256,429.1 MT in 2013.
Taha’s Policy and Advocacy Manager Anthony Chamanga says the sub-sector exported nearly 265,302 metric tonnes of horticultural products in 2014, compared to 256,429.1 MT in 2013.
Vegetables export volume and value ranked high, compared to spices, flowers, fruits and seeds.
The country exported nearly 203,921 metric tonnes of vegetables in 2014, earning the economy $231 million, followed by 15,113 MT of spices valued at $125.7 million, 12,226.4 MT of flowers which fetched $82 million.
The country also exported 6,440.6 MT of seeds earning nearly $20 million and 27,601 MT of fruits valued $19.2 million, Taha’s data shows. Ms Mkindi says the subsector has recorded an average annual growth of 11 per cent for the past six years.
“Horticulture has grown in leaps and bounds - from northern Tanzania to southern highlands as well as Zanzibar,” she explains.
With an enabling environment and massive involvement of mostly women and youth farming at the moment, only the sky is the limit, she believes.
“Our target is to hit an annual export value of $1 billion in 2018 and double it in two years’ time to reach a staggering $1.85 billion by 2020,” Ms Mkindi says.
The figure also suggests that over one million Tanzanians would directly work in the horticulture industry by 2020 when the global demand for the sub-sector’s products would reach $153 billion.
Currently, about 2.5 million Tanzanians are engaged in horticultural value chain activities from a mere 350,000 in 2004.
Currently, about 2.5 million Tanzanians are engaged in horticultural value chain activities from a mere 350,000 in 2004.
Who is Jacque?
She was born in late 1970s in Arusha, which by coincidence turned out to become her workstation after she accomplished her preschool, primary, secondary, and university studies.
When her mother was still teaching at the famous special talent Ilboru Secondary School, her late father was appointed headmaster with Marangu Secondary School in Kilimanjaro, prompting her family to relocate to the neighboring region.
Ms Mkindi pursued her primary school education at different places in 1980s before she joined Ashira Secondary School for "O" Level between 1990 and 1993 and at Msalato high School in Dodoma.
She then joined Sokoine University of Agriculture for her Bachelor of Science in Forestry where she obtained a first class with honors degree, prompting the prestigious university management to retain her as an assistant tutor.
Nonetheless, Ms Mkindi turned down the university management's offer in favour of her calling to directly serve the people and pursue her Master Degree in Business Administration (MBA) at an international university headquartered in Arusha--theEastern and Southern African Management Institute (ESAMI) after a working stint. She again passed with flying colours.
Tanzania National Parks (TANAPA) had successfully recruited her in mid 2000s, but again, owing to the mission she had to accomplish, she could not last long with the authority.
Relinquishing opportunities, which come with the rewarding white-collar job at the parastatal, Ms Mkindi surprisingly opted for agriculture, the sector, which rarely attracts educated youth in Tanzania and other African countries.
She started her career as a mere extension officer at a Tengeru flower farm in Arusha with an agenda in mind of turning the horticultural industry from subsistence to a commercial undertaking in the country.
Indeed, Ms Mkindi's leadership potential for building a teamwork spirit led her way through the ranks and file, rising to the CEO post with the horticultural industry's apex body.
Statistics speak volumes on her ability, for there were not only less than 50 commercial horticultural farmers countrywide when she assumed the TAHA office in 2004, but production volumes for export markets were also insignificant.
However, a decade later she managed to bring together over 15,000 large-scale and smallholder farmers into a single bloc with a common business oriented set of interests.
"I encourage young women to shake off any psychological barrier in life and emancipate themselves from various cultural and societal yokes, "Ms Mkindi says, believing in so doing, their inherent talents can be unearthed to benefit their families and the society at large.
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