TZ benefits from Sh7.8bn Swiss aid

Dar es Salaam. Switzerland has spent $3.5 million (Sh7.8 billion on strengthening Tanzania’s tourism market linkages with agro-processors.

The three-year programme aimed at upgrade locally produced and processed horticultural commodities for consumption of foreign tourists in hotels.

“Under the project, some agro-processors have penetrated local tourism markets for value addition. Local tourist hotels have responded positively to the locally upgraded products,” the Tanzania cluster coordinator of the United Nations Industrial Development Programme (Unido) project for upgrading agro-processed products, Mr Peter Donelon, told The Citizen on Tuesday here. The programme is scheduled to end nine months to come.

According to him, since the plan has been successful Switzerland is ready to embark on the second phase.

A document has listed programme achievements such as having monthly earnings of Sh200 million in tourist hotels, training Tanzanians, active participation of 100 hotels and restaurants, signing of 10 new contracts and participation of 35 supermarkets.

A director in the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, Mr Alfred Mapunda, told a meeting organised by Unido that the programme had come in the nick of time because agro-processors had been facing challenges such as inadequate capital, low marketing skills, negative perception of locally produced products and poor storage facilities.

“Production of most processors of agro-products is small quality being poor. Penetration of these products in the international hotels is difficult,” said Mr Mapunda.