Why Tanzania could be global agriculture superpower

Arusha. The Ambassador of the Netherlands to Tanzania, Wiebe de Boer, said Tanzania has what it takes to become a global agricultural superpower within the foreseeable future.

He, however, noted that the East African nation needs to embark on massive applications of quality seeds for efficiency and higher productivity to achieve the goal.

“Tanzania has a lot of arable land for food production, is geographically well positioned, and is already underway in becoming the food basket of the region.

“We foresee that Tanzania will become a global agricultural superpower within the foreseeable future,” the envoy noted amid the applause from the floor in his keynote address at the inauguration of the Tanzania Horticulture and Potato Seed Platform (THPSP) in Arusha at the weekend.

He was grateful that horticulture and potato key actors have established a fully-fledged platform that will address critical challenges hindering the crop seed industry, saying the move is a pathway to unlocking the full potential of high-value crops.

The envoy stressed that horticulture and potatoes are very promising industries that can contribute to food security, quality nutrition, and employment for women and youth.

The ambassador expressed optimism that the launched platform will be a stepping stone for future discussions, the exchange of knowledge, and learning from each other on how best to strengthen the seed system.

The THPSP establishment is being funded by the Netherlands Embassy and will be hosted by Taha headquarters in Arusha, the founders say.

In his remarks during the inauguration, the Director of Crops Development (DCD), Mr Nyasebwa Enock Chimagu, on behalf of the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture, recognised TAHA, Tanzania Seed Trade Association (Tasta), the World Vegetable Center, SAGCOT, Tanzania Official Seed Certification Institute (TOSCI), and the Dutch Embassy for supporting the government’s efforts to transform the horticulture industry.

Mr Chimagu pledged the Ministry of Agriculture’s support in fostering collaborative platforms that unite various stakeholders across the agricultural value chain.

The THPSP chairman, who doubles as the CEO of Tasta, Mr Baldwin Shuma, said that the overall objective of the platform is to strengthen partnerships and coordination among actors.

Others include information sharing, identifying successes or challenges, and up-scaling activities in the horticultural industry in a bid to support the actors to become more competitive in the region and international markets.

“This platform is supported and funded by the Dutch Embassy to a large extent. However, other partners like AGRA have also expressed interest in supporting this initiative,” Mr Shuma said, amid applause from the floor.

He extended his gratitude to the Netherlands Embassy in collaboration with Dutch agencies such as the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO), SeedNL, Netherlands Inspection Service for Horticulture (Naktuinbouw) and the Ethiopian-Netherlands Seed Partnership for their support which will go a long way in transforming Tanzania’s horticulture seed industry.