CMDI’s Bliss and Smith have been involved (along with our friend Karl Gingrich) in the grandly titled informal organization “Tractors for Tanzania” since 2001.  Karl has been the primary driver of TFT, coordinating, finding and buying equipment, investing his own money and time, with CMDI acting in a supporting role.

The original project was for congregations of the Central Conference, Northwestern Ohio Synod (ELCA – Lutheran churches) to purchase a tractor for parishes of a mission district in the Dodoma region of Tanzania.  This was concluded successfully with the purchase and equipment of a 45-hp Massey-Ferguson model that is still in service today although it has had an interesting service history.

When visiting Tanzanians noticed how much used, junk, and antique-restored farming equipment we had in Ohio, they asked if it were possible to send some of that to the Dodoma region.  With Karl taking the lead, we worked up a plan to focus on two specific light tractor models know for safety and ease of maintenance: The Ford “N” series of the early 1950s and its Massey-Ferguson counterpart, the “80” series model.  Both have good mechanical characteristics for the service expected, and spares can be purchased in the region.  They have the disadvantage of being petrol-fuel tractors and having American Standard Unit dimensions (most vehicles in eastern Africa are diesel-powered and SI units are standard).  However, Dodoma’s mechanics are very skilled and resourceful and we send tools and manuals.

Tractors are restored by Ohio volunteers to “near new” condition so that they can be expected to work at roll-off in Tanzania.  Some implements (e.g., corn planters) are also restored and sent.  This is a good way to involve the “mechanics” in a church in the “mission projects” of the church, such as this group from Upper Sandusky, Ohio.  The cost for these kinds of tractors has been between $1,000 and $3,000 depending on their condition.  Refurbishment costs an additional $300 to $2,000 depending upon what is needed.  All labor for refurbishment is volunteered.

Progress (broadly defined) so far...

1. As mentioned, the original new tractor, purchased in Tanzania, is still in service, although now quite worn.
2. In September 2002, a container full of three tractors, other farm implements, treadle sewing machines and other useful items left for Dar es Salaam.  In this picture, Pastor Festo Ngowo (then studying in the USA) helps to load.  It arrived with contents intact, and got out of Customs after some wrangling about duties and paper work after two months and as much in storage fees as it cost to ship due to the lack of one form documenting an obvious situation (the Evangelical Lutheran in Tanzania is a religious organization).  We were informed that paying “chai” of < $50 would have sped things up.  This delay caused the farmers expecting the equipment to lose a growing season’s worth of work.  In 2002-2003, land that was tractor-cultivated benefited from the available rain of the disappointing early 2003 rainy season, but tragically, hand cultivators missed out.
3. The equipment sent is still in useful service.
4. We have also (as part of Northwestern Ohio Synod efforts) helped to purchase farm implements locally. The NWOS is investing in projects that provide self-help incomes for pastors and evangelists in Dodoma.

Problems:

1. Shipping. For more information about the problems we have run into, follow this link: http://www.esrftz.org/anticorruption/CORU_out2_inc_archive.asp?49
2. The business model and local attitudes in Dodoma.  Our plan was to sell equipment (good capacity at far below new prices locally) to keep money recycled.  We also required training.  Much of the local attitude (not all of them) is “Just give us the tractor” and “we don’t need any training”.  Experience with the original tractor told us otherwise.  This is a work in progress.

Future plans:

1. Ship one more container: We have a nice selection of tractors ready to go that Karl’s wife is eager to see gone from the property, and enough funding to ship the container.  This should go out in the near future.  The Somali pirate situation and doubling of container fees has slowed us down.
2. Deal locally.  While the mission-driven idea of refurbishing and shipping perfectly good and appropriate equipment, linking our property-oriented mechanics to the mission folks, was a really good idea, shipping is the weak link.  It is expensive and vulnerable to theft and corruption.  We will probably do our best to buy equipment from the selection available locally in Tanzania, and have it refurbished there as needed.

Our model may work well for those with a shorter shipping link, say to Mexico, the Caribbean or Central America.  If we may be of assistance, let us know.

If you are assisting someone in Tanzania with farming equipment, let us help.  We can locate equipment and funnel your money, and otherwise help with logistics.  We know the logistics.