Morogoro: Finding Technology in the Most Peculiar of Places

Morogoro!

While people here are lacking many things, I continue to be surprised by the unexpected technology available in the most rural of areas. Upon arriving for my first meeting with the Morogoro District Agricultural officers (in the cement lean-tos), I was asking for some specific demographic data about farmers in their district. I was promptly asked, “I have this data, did you bring a flashie?” (a flash drive). I was shocked when we walked from a sparse “office” with a crumbling desk and 3 chairs to another office with a new Dell Computer and Office 07! Not sure which aid organization funded that but nice work!

Another Morogoro happening was a visit to Sokoinne University for Agriculture to meet with Dr. Msogoya. After a 45 minute discussion gaining little ground, he conceded that he was not the right person to speak with but he could connect us with others more helpful. I was trying to find data that demonstrated the price inflation middlemen inflict upon the next link in the chain at the expense of farmers, but I had been unsuccessful thus far. Dr. Msogoya volunteered one of his students who had worked on a previous mango market project to return to the Morogoro market and request prices from current middle men. He said that I, as a muzungu would not stand a chance in that market, so he was happy to help. He then continued his rain of hospitality by escorting us to another department where I spoke with a graduate student who spent three years in the pineapple fields at the base of the mountain trying to use group pineapple production volumes as reason to request a higher price from buyers.

A tangible sense of a lack of trust among parties in the supply chain has become more apparent – in part due to a history of someone ending up without payment, but more so due to a lack of education of how a well-organized market would operate. The entire relationship is damaged by the lack of loyalty which exacerbates the notion of fairness. For example, middle-men will agree to a price with a group of farmers. In an unwritten contact (can you see where this is going?), the middle men promise to return during harvest to buy XX% of the harvest at a set price. However, middle men will return but – oh! Surprise! – the price now offered decreased. Farmers are left in the lurch as if one middle man’s prices is likely to be the now-standard set lowered amount. On the other hand, a farmer will make a promise to sell his produce to a processor (Mr Morogoro, in this scenario) but when he gets an offer to sell part of his previously promised volume for higher, he takes it. No loyalty.

I visited Mr Morogoro’s factory (his company is called UNNAT), in order to understand the scale of his operation and the challenges he faces in transport and operational costs required to manage.


Entrance to UNNAT processing plant - very good pineapple juice!