Avelina Elias
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Avelina Elias is farmer in Rombo, Kilimanjaro. She grows bananas, beans and coffee. Avelina feels that climate change has directly impacted the productivity of her coffee farming. She feels there have been changing rainfall patterns, and more intensive sun, both of which are unfavourable for growing coffee. These changes have led to an increase in coffee diseases affecting production of the crop. Avelina also speaks about the difficulties she has faced in the past few years in getting enough grass for her livestock due to the lack of rains. For example, this year she measured the height of the grass and she could see that it is significantly shorter than would normally be if it had rained as is expected. The result is that she has to travel longer distances to get grass and fodder to feed her livestock.
Having experienced such impacts, Avelina is now trying out new resistant coffee seeds, which are being supplied through development projects funded by HIVOs. The new seeds are being grown and distributed in Rombo to help counter the effects of climate change on coffee production. Avelina would like to see the government more involved in facilitating farmers to get access to such seeds. She feels that relying on project aid is not sustainable or dependable enough, and instead the national government should acknowledge the importance of agriculture, and specifically support small-scale farmers, like those in coffee production in Rombo.
Avelina Elias