A 508-acre Dairy Farm

Uto Farm, is a fully operational and well run dairy farm. It has been in family hands since 1978 when it was taken over and in need of management and renovation.

Technology used is low-tech and environmentally friendly, well suited to the local environment but with prospects for upgrading for the willing investor.  Daily milk production is between 1200 and 1400 liters, sold to wholesale buyers.

Legal

The farm has a 99-year Title Deed and is registered as a Tanzanian company. It has no outstanding loans or debts. All land rents and taxes are up to date. The company has available fully audited accounts and has recently completed a valuation of assets.  There are no pending cases or legal issues. 

​A sale would involve the transfer of shares to new owners, who can be of any nationality. 

The Cattle

The farm's cattle have been bred for local conditions. The majority are a cross between Ayrshire and Sahiwal (dairy line)​. There are currently around 600 animals, comprising milking herd, dry herd, young-stock, bulls and steers.

The focus is on maintaining a healthy milking herd with sale of older animals. Occasionally, excess livestock is sold. The farm does not produce animals for meat. 

Location

Uto Farm is situated in Tanzania's Arumeru district, 30 km from Arusha.

A good quality tarmac road runs from Arusha to Nairobi, providing excellent access from either direction. The road passes through the lower part of the farm about 1.5 km from the main house.  A drive into town takes about 40 minutes, while Nairobi is about 4 hours away.

 

Climate

The climate is generally dry and cool, with the main rains falling between April and May and from October through December. Temperatures rarely rise over 25ºC during the day and only occasionally drop to a low of 10ºC at night - fairly constant throughout the year. ​

The mild temperatures are due to the high altitude. The Farm lies between 1800 and 2000 meters above sea level. 

Crops

The farm cultivates maize, sunflowers and lucerne (alfalfa) for cattle feed. It maintains pasture for grazing and hay.

There are about 50 acres that can be irrigated on rotation with overhead sprinklers. ​

In the past, other crops have been produced for commercial sale, including beans, flower seeds, spices, vegetables and various kinds of fruit. 

Water Supply

The farm has full water rights to a mountain spring, high above the farm within the Forest Reserve.

This flows into a pipeline and is gravity fed to the farm below where the water is used for irrigation of fields and all other needs. The pipeline is coupled to a hydropower plant, which generates all the farm's power needs.

Rainfall could permit further collection of water if storage was developed.

Electricity Supply

A small hydropower unit coupled to the gravity-fed water supply provides the farm’s power supply. Two diesel backup generators, 3 KW and 6 KW respectively, are used when the hydro plant is being serviced or when additional power is required.​

Mains power has not arrived in the area, but is scheduled to be installed along the highway in the near future to provide power to Madukani / Maurani and KIdevu villages. 

Communications

3 different mobile phone networks service the area. These also provide data services that can be used for Internet connectivity. There are no land (fixed) lines in the vicinity.

There are "dala-dala" buses that pass the farm for local transport to Arusha and to nearby villages.

Speed taxis and shuttle buses provide transport between Arusha, Namanga and Nairobi.​

Labour

There are two villages nearby - the closest being Madukani / Maurani village, located about 2.8 km (by road) from the main house. The second village, Kidevu, is about 3.8 Km from the main house (by road). These are serviced by a local police station and a small clinic and each have a school and small number of shops. The main market, which serves a broad area, lies further away, some 5.6km (by road) distant. These villages provide a ready supply of (mostly) unskilled labour. 

The Main House

The main house lies in ample gardens and has 4 bedrooms. 

Settlers who arrived from South Africa in 1948 built the house in a Cape-Dutch style. 

The house has a large verandah with views to Kitumbeine and Gelai mountains and Ngorongoro highlands and the rift valley escarpment in the distance. There are two dining rooms, a comfortable living room, kitchen, store, a bathroom and a toilet.

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Guest Accommodation for 12

Apart from the main house, there is a separate house with space for 4 persons in 3 rooms. This has its own bathroom and comfortable living room.

There are two Rondavels and two other converted farm buildings set in the gardens. All have their own bathroom with shower.

A third small house ​(currently not in use) can be renovated to provide a self-contained facility for a couple, extending capacity to 14 guests.

Staff Accommodation​

A number of employees and their families are housed on the farm. These are milkers and a dairy supervisor, who live near the milking parlor. ​

In total, there are 8 staff accommodation units - all well hidden from the main house.

The staff facilities are simple​, with access to water and exterior ablutions.