Agricultural Non-State Actors Forum (ANSAF) of Tanzania wins award

(from left to right) ONE CEO Michael Elliott, 

ONE co-founder Bono, ONE Africa Director 

Dr. Sipho S. Moyo, ONE Board Chairman Tom Freston, 

and ANSAF Executive Director, Audax Rukonge

8 November, 2013. ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia. Agricultural Non-State Actors Forum (ANSAF) of Tanzania has been named winner of the 2013 ONE Africa Award. The ceremony, which was attended by ONE co-founder Bono, Board Chairman Tom Freston and CEO Michael Elliott, took place at the Africa Media Leaders Forum.

ANSAF is a network of non-state stakeholders in Tanzania’s agricultural sector that brings the voices of struggling smallholder farmers to the policy-making table. The organization monitors Tanzania’s agricultural budget and advocates for the government to allocate 10% of its national budget to agricultural and rural development in accordance with the 2003 Maputo Declaration. 

ANSAF is also using cashew nuts to develop an advocacy model aimed at improving the entire value chain of agriculture in the country. Tanzania was once one of the world’s leading exporters of cashew nuts. Regaining this position could contribute significantly to curbing poverty in rural areas that produce the nuts.