ESAFF Celebrate 20 Years in Style

27/08/2022 – Dar es salaam,

The Eastern and Southern Africa Small Scale Farmers Forum celebrated her 20 years of existence recently. The event reached its climax end of August 2022 in Tanzania.

The journey of ESAFF birth started back in 2001 during PELUM’s Biennial General Meeting (BGM) in which members conceived the idea of organizing the smallholder farmers convergence (SFC) along the World Summit on Sustainable Development that was held in South Africa in September 2002.

Speaking at the award ceremony, ESAFF chairperson Mr. Hakim Baliraine said that ESAFF and its 2.4 million members appreciate a solid foundation that was laid by previous board members led by ex- chairpersons. 

ESAFF recognized the then leaders: Ms. Esta Kiwazi (Uganda) the first chairperson, Ms. Elizabeth Mpofu (Zimbabwe) the second chairperson and Mr. Moses Shaha (Kenya) the third chairperson and Mr. Serge Benstrong (Seychelles) the fourth chairperson.

During the celebrations of ESAFF at 20, farmers awarded the then PELUM Association General Secretary, Dr. Mutizwa Mukute for pioneering the birth of ESAFF back in 2001 and Mr. Stephen Ruvuga the CEO of MVIWATA for life time support to ESAFF.

PELUM Association organized the convergence of farmers and caravan from Lusaka and Harare to Johannesburg while MVIWATA hosted and supported ESAFF since it was registered in Tanzania in 2007.

Also, during the occasion, ESAFF also honored posthumously past board member who selflessly devoted their energy to build strong ESAFF. Those recognized were the late Ntate Molikuoa Tumane (Lesotho), the late Haji Usi Haji (Tanzania), the late Henry Jere (Malawi), The late Kennedy Chipoya (Zambia), the late Flora Maswanganyi (South Africa).

The smallholder farmers convergence (SFC) twenty years ago in Johannesburg, brought together 300 farmers from 19 countries including: Lesotho, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Zimbabwe, Namibia, South Africa, Burundi, DR Congo, Burundi, Zambia and Ivory Coast. Others were from Poland, Iceland, France, Chile, Uruguay and Canada.