I’ve been working at nei for about a 1 year. The opportunity aligned perfectly with my studies and previous agriculture research internship, as well as my desire to help improve farmers’ livelihoods. I spend a lot of time out in the field, and on the road, as I visit farmers throughout the Kilimanjaro region. Over time, we’ve developed close relationships, and I try to provide advice and insights to help overcome any challenges. I’m always delighted to see their hard work produce good results – and good prices. It isn’t easy to deal with price fluctuations. When farmers are unhappy, so am I.

We’re currently focusing on getting the farms certified organic. This involves making sure all the correct procedures are followed including using bio pesticides and fertilizers and creating buffer zones. The farms are then inspected. It’s quite a lot of work for everyone, but it’s worth it in the long-term to reduce the impact on the environment.