Inades Formation Tanzania has emphasized the importance of involving farmers in research and innovation to ensure that research findings address the real needs of communities and deliver sustainable results.
Speaking at the 2026 Tanzania Youth Agroecology Conference, Inades Formation Tanzania’s Development Unit Advisor, Michael Kiwele, said the organisation continues to play an important role in promoting agroecology in the country, with a focus on empowering young people to lead the transition towards sustainable agriculture and food systems.
Kiwele said Inades implements initiatives focusing on environmental conservation, sustainable agriculture and ecological livestock farming, while ensuring the participation of different groups, including youth, women and men.
He said that across various programmes implemented by Inades, young people account for between 30 and 50 per cent of participants, a strategy aimed at ensuring they become key drivers of transformation in the agricultural sector.
He added that during the conference, Inades participated in discussions highlighting the importance of involving farmers in research and innovation from the initial stage of identifying challenges, through research and implementation, to receiving feedback on the results and impact of the research.
“For research to effectively involve communities and achieve significant and sustainable results, farmers or end users must be involved from the stage of identifying the problem through to the research findings and the process of providing feedback.”
Kiwele said such participation helps ensure that research and innovation address the actual challenges facing farmers and communities at large.
He added that Inades Formation Tanzania will continue working with various stakeholders, farmers and policymakers to promote agroecology in the country.