MINISTER for Livestock and Fisheries Abdallah Ulega has called on players in livestock and fishery sectors to come in big number and register to participate in Africa’s Food Systems Forum planned for September in Dar es Salaam.
“My ministry has met here with over 300 stakeholders in livestock and fishery sectors on the significance of the forum expected to bring together 3,000 stakeholders in food systems and value,” Mr Ulega said, describing the event as a rare opportunity.
Speaking here over the weekend on how his ministry has prepared to ensure that its stakeholders register for the summit, he said the summit among others would promote opportunities existing in the sectors.
He said those stakeholders wanting to register should visit the ministry’s website and find AGRF website www.agrf-inperson.com where experts from ministry work with AGRF National Preparation Committee to ensure everything goes as planned.
The minister said this year’s AGRF 2023 is committed to empowering youths and women to participate in food systems and value chain.
“Under the stewardship of President Dr Samia Suluhu Hassan, Tanzania has made significant strides in promoting food security, sustainable agriculture and the Africa Food Systems Summit will serve as a platform for the country to share its best practices and forge new partnerships,” he explained.
He also showered praise on President Samia on the programme dubbed ‘Building Better Tomorrow for Livestock and Fisheries Entrepreneurs’ in which 738 youths in livestock and fishery sectors benefit from phase one of the project.
According to him, among the beneficiaries 238 were drawn from livestock while 500 from fishery sector where they were trained and imparted skills and knowledge before they were given capital and exposed to markets.
The minister said meat and fish fillets exports from Tanzania has increased steadily from 1,774.20 tonnes in 2020/21 to 12,243.79 tonnes in 2022/23 bringing in 51,894,622.44 US Dollars which showed major transformation in the sector.
Tanzania will be the first country to host the AGRF Summit organised by Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) since rebranded to Africa’s Food Systems Forum this year to promote ambition of transformation of Africa’s food system and engagement.
The historic summit among others will attract over 3,000 delegates among them will include top leaders, thinkers, stakeholders in food systems and value chain and implementers in African food agriculture.
Earlier, the Director General of International Livestock Research Institute (ILRT) Prof Appolinaire Djikeng said investors want assurance and security of their investments wherever they go and invest.
“Tanzania has conducive environment for investments and this is what investors want to see when they invest in any part of Africa. We are ready to work with media to promote AGRF,” Prof Djikeng said.
ILRI has worked in Tanzania since 1994 on issues ranging from market mechanisms to food safety and livestock policy. In Tanzania, it focuses on sustainable identification of mixed crop-livestock systems through increasing productivity and value chain development.