Biteko pushes for healthier nation

DAR ES SALAAM: DEPUTY Prime Minister and Minister for Energy Dr Doto Biteko has reaffirmed the government’s strong commitment to an integrated approach that links agriculture, nutrition and health sectors describing them as foundational pillars for a healthy, productive and resilient population.

Speaking at the opening of a four-day Agriculture, Nutrition and Health (ANH2025) Research Conference held on Monday in Dar es Salaam, Dr Biteko stressed that agriculture must go beyond feeding people to nourishing them.

“Agriculture must be deliberately designed to be nutrition-sensitive,” he said. “This makes it a powerful tool for combating malnutrition, preventing diet-related diseases and improving the well-being of our communities.”

Dr Biteko said that the quality, diversity and accessibility of food produced across the country have a direct impact on citizens’ nutritional status and long-term health outcomes.

“Good health enables individuals to be more productive, reinforcing a positive cycle of well-being and development,” he said.

“In Tanzania, we understand that achieving food and nutrition security is not just about increasing crop yields it’s about ensuring that what we grow nourishes our people and supports their health,” he said.

He said this integrated approach is central to Tanzania’s development strategies and aligns closely with the objectives of the ANH2025 conference.

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Despite significant national and global efforts, Dr Biteko warned that the food and nutrition crisis remain acute. Globally, hundreds of millions suffer from chronic hunger. In Africa, one in five people is undernourished, and around 65 per cent of the continent’s population cannot afford a healthy, nutritious diet.

“In Tanzania, agriculture remains the backbone of our economy contributing around 29 per cent to the GDP and employing more than 65 per cent of our population,” he said. “We continue to make strategic investments in this sector.”

He noted that the government has increased the Ministry of Agriculture’s budget by 29 per cent this year. Through subsidies and input support programmes, millions of smallholder farmers have been reached with improved seed varieties and better access to fertilisers.

“Our flagship initiative, Building a Better Tomorrow (BBT), is empowering youths to take leadership roles in modern agriculture,” he said. “We are mechanising farming practices, improving extension services and investing in irrigation infrastructure to make agriculture more productive, climate-smart and nutrition-sensitive.”

Dr Biteko highlighted that Tanzania’s approach is bolstered by strong international partnerships, including its alignment with the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and the UN Food Systems Transformation Pathway.

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“Tanzania continues to benefit from strategic collaboration with international partners and multilateral institutions,” he said. “Through South-South cooperation, joint research platforms and technical support, we are integrating global best practices into our national policies and community-based interventions.”

The ANH2025 conference has brought together more than 400 participants in person from over 79 countries, with an additional 1,200 joining virtually. The government reaffirmed its pledge to lead and work alongside partners to build sustainable food systems that promote national health and prosperity.