Japan-backed project to benefit 100 Tanzanian industries

Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr Adelhem Meru

What you need to know:

The project – supported by Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica) through its Kaizen initiative – will cover industries located in five regions in a period of two years, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr Adelhem Meru has said.

Dar es Salaam. The second phase of a project that seeks to strengthen manufacturing and productivity improvement in Tanzania will benefit a total of 100 industries, initiators have said.

The project – supported by Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica) through its Kaizen initiative – will cover industries located in five regions in a period of two years, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr Adelhem Meru has said.

The Kaizen project intends to add value to industrial production in Tanzania.

“This time around, the project – which ends in 2020 – will cover Arusha, Kilimanjaro, Mwanza, Mbeya and Singida regions,” Dr Meru said during the official launch the Kaizen Project on Tuesday.

Some 52 enterprises from Dar es Salaam, Morogoro and Dodoma have benefited from the project during its first phase.

According to Dr Meru, industries involved are now reporting improved productivity to the extent that others are even exporting their products to other countries.

The first phase of the Kaizen Project was conducted between 2013 and 2016. It aimed at establishing a framework and the right methodology for improving productivity and quality of the products in a manufacturing enterprise.

"Introducing and promoting Kaizen in Tanzania is indispensable for successful industrialization of the country," said the Jica chief representative in Tanzania, Mr Toshio Nagase.

During the second phase, more focus will be on industries that deal in health and agricultural sectors. The word "Kaizen" originally comes from a Japanese language, directly translated as "Change to betterment" and simply refers to a "practice of continuous improvement of quality and productivity".