MOROGORO, Dec. 23 -- SIXTEEN billion shillings may sound like the kind of money that makes people stop counting zeros halfway through, but for thousands of smallholder farmers across Tanzania, it represents something far more tangible: Better harvests, better markets and a future where farming actually pays.

Over a fouryear period, this substantial investment is being channelled into the Baridi Sokoni Project, an ambitious agricultural programme being implemented in 60 villages across six districts and four regions of the country.

The project is implemented by the Network of Smallholder Producers in Tanzania (MVIWATA), with funding from the Global Agriculture and Food Security Programme, (GAFSP) and supervision by the African Developmen...