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Taiwan, Tanzania partner to boost hybrid seed research and agricultural training
What you need to know:
- The partnership will see the introduction of specialised training programmes at the World Vegetable Centre’s Eastern and Southern Africa regional office located in Tengeru, Arusha
Arusha. Tanzania is set to benefit from a strategic partnership between the World Vegetable Centre and a top university in Taiwan aimed at strengthening the country’s agricultural sector through research and training in the production of high-quality hybrid seeds.
The initiative will see the introduction of specialised training programmes at the World Vegetable Centre’s Eastern and Southern Africa regional office located in Tengeru, Arusha.
The programmes are expected to produce a new generation of agricultural experts capable of improving seed varieties that are resilient to drought and disease.
Speaking during an ongoing training session on resilient seed varieties, a vegetable breeding and preservation expert at the Centre, Dr Sognigbe N’Danikou, said the collaboration will promote agricultural development in Tanzania through multiple areas of cooperation.
“One of the key areas will be joint research in developing hybrid seeds that grow faster and are resistant to harsh climatic conditions and pests,” he said.
The partnership falls under the Taiwan-African Vegetable Initiative (TAVI), which is also expected to bring on board Tanzanian institutions such as the Tanzania Agricultural Research Institute (TARI) to expand outreach to farmers and increase the pool of skilled professionals in the sector.
Tanzania is also set to benefit from increased research capacity, expanded training opportunities, and access to scholarships focused on food security and nutrition.
Professor Chau-Ti Ting from Taiwan University said the partnership will make Tanzania a centre of excellence in seed production and storage.
“In addition to other areas of collaboration, we expect to launch specialised academic courses at the World Vegetable Centre in Arusha,” he said.
Prof Hung-Vi Wang added that the partnership is also intended to identify the best scientific approaches to seed development and how they can be integrated into training curricula.
Dr Aloyce Callist Kundy from the Plant Genetic Resources Bank under the Tanzania Plant Health and Pesticides Authority (TPHPA), noted that Tanzania has had a strong working relationship with Taiwan in various sectors, including agricultural research.
A student at the Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology specialising in seed production, Magdalena Kiungo, described the training as a major boost to the country’s agriculture sector.
“This training is a great opportunity. The partnership will help us, the future agricultural officers, to acquire global-standard skills,” she said.
