MVaDA - Tanzania Smallholder Farmers Association

Karibu Muleba!

Welcome to Muleba!

We are MVADA (Muleba Vanilla Development Association), a farming cooperative from a small rural town in North Western Tanzania. We want to share with you the wonders of Vanilla in all its essence. The use case for this spice is endless:

Jazz up your morning tea, coffee, porridge or yogurt;
Enhance the flavour of your favourite snacks and desserts e.g. cookies, doughnuts, Crème Brulee, custard, Ice cream, pies and crumbles;
Give your home and car that fresh & clean feeling via scented candles, sprays, plug-ins and incense sticks

MVaDA are changing the narrative of vanilla being average, basic & boring.

With so many different ways to consume it, this versatile essential ingredient truly is the Spice of Life!

At MVaDA we offer the highest quality products and full traceability back to the farm that grew it – we are the best choice for conscientious customers who care about the source of the product they consume and support cooperative farming practices and a sustainable green future for the planet.

About MVaDA

MVaDA mission

We are a farmers’ association registered by Muleba District Council in Kagera to market and sell vanilla assembled from smallholder producers on their banana and coffee farms.

MVADA supports around 340 farmers, and expected to grow to over 2000 members in the next few years.

Our Vanilla is organically grown using traditional methods by a cooperative that truly cares about our farmers and the wider communities we support.

Vanilla Pod Production

A labour of love

Meticulous care is taken in the cultivation of our product. The flowers of the vanilla orchid are hand-pollinated and left on the vine until they reach full maturity.

Once harvested, the vanilla beans undergo a curing process at our small central factory where the assembled fresh produce is cured. Yields typically averaging around 2.2kgs per farmer.

Our curing methods in Muleba involves blanching the beans in hot water, followed by a period of fermentation and drying in the sun.

This curing process can take several months, during which the beans undergo significant flavour development.

Our premium product is known for its fruity and floral nuances, contributing to a delightful and distinctive flavour experience in various culinary creations.

Meet Our Chairwoman

Professor Anna Tibaijuka

Welcome to MVaDA, I am Anna Kajumulo Tibaijuka, founder and chairperson of TANZASFA & MVaDA.

I am a retired UN Under Secretary General and former Executive Director of UN-HABITAT Upon retirement from the UN I returned to Tanzania my home country to work with small holder farmers and help fight poverty at the grassroots given my extensive international experience.

I started off as a Member of Parliament for Muleba South for ten years, 2010 to 2020. I was Minister for lands for the period 2010 to 2014. I decided to retire from politics to devote my full time to working directly with farmers.

I noticed a lot of talk at central level but little action at the grassroots in actual organisation of agricultural production and marketing.

We hope to make a difference fighting poverty by helping Smallholder Farmers across Tanzania market their produce and get a fair price as far as possible.

Team MVaDA