Farmers in Tanga could benefit from improved collection and transportation of milk and agricultural produce following equipment support to two cooperative unions by digital financial services provider Mixx by Yas.
The company has handed over a motorcycle and freezer to Tanga Dairy Cooperative Union (TDCU) and a three-wheeled cargo vehicle to Tanga Rural Cooperative Union (TARECU) under its Vuna na Mixx campaign.
The equipment is expected to help address some of the logistical challenges facing cooperatives as they collect produce from farmers and transport it to collection and marketing points.
For TDCU, the motorcycle will support milk collection from farmers, while the freezer will assist in preserving milk during handling and marketing.
TARECU, which works with farmers producing cocoa, sesame, pigeon peas and cashews, will use the cargo vehicle to transport produce from farms to collection centres.
Speaking during the handover ceremony, Mixx by Yas manager for business and government relations, Suleiman Asilia Khamis, said the initiative was aimed at linking digital financial services with the wider needs of farmers.
“Mixx by Yas supports government efforts to strengthen agriculture, cooperative societies and the use of digital systems in making payments to farmers,” Mr Khamis said.
He said the company wanted its services to support farmers beyond the payment stage by contributing to efficiency across the agricultural value chain.
“We do not look at payments alone. We want farmers to see Mixx by Yas as a partner from the farm, through produce collection, to the point where they receive their payments,” he said.
The initiative comes as cooperative societies continue to play a key role in aggregating farmers’ produce and connecting them with markets, while logistical challenges can affect the movement and handling of agricultural commodities.
Tanga Regional Cooperative Registrar Enikia Wilfred, who led the handover, commended the support, saying the equipment would strengthen the capacity of cooperative societies to collect and transport farmers’ produce.
“We congratulate Mixx by Yas for this partnership. The equipment provided through the Vuna na Mixx campaign will help our cooperatives improve the efficiency of collecting and transporting produce and milk, ultimately increasing productivity and farmers’ incomes,” Ms Wilfred said.
Officials from TDCU, TARECU and Agricultural Marketing Cooperative Societies (AMCOS) attended the handover.
The support also points to a broader role for digital financial service providers in agriculture, where timely payments, reliable collection systems and efficient transportation can influence how quickly farmers move produce from farms to markets.