COPRA hosts Maize Day in Dodoma
DODOMA: THE Cereals and Other Produce Regulatory Authority (COPRA) is today hosting a Maize Day event at the Nane Nane Agricultural Exhibition in Dodoma, bringing together farmers, buyers and processors to address challenges and explore opportunities in the maize value chain.
Speaking at the Nzuguni grounds, COPRA’s Director of Operations and Quality Assurance, Mr Kamwesige Mtembei, said the event would offer a unique platform for stakeholders to discuss key issues affecting maize production and marketing.
“Despite maize being widely grown across Tanzania, we’ve lacked a dedicated forum to engage all players in a comprehensive dialogue,” he said.
Mr Mtembei said the today’s event would cover a wide range of topics, including seed and fertiliser availability, input subsidies, market access, processing and quality standards, as well as cross-cutting issues such as capital access and inclusive participation of youths and women in maize farming.
He explained that the platform also allowed for the discussion of policy and technical solutions aimed at developing a joint strategy to enhance productivity and profitability in the maize sector.
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“This is also an opportunity to assess the quality of maize products and identify value addition opportunities that can benefit both smallholder farmers and large-scale processors,” he added.
He encouraged members of the public to visit COPRA’s pavilion and engage with various exhibitors involved in cereals, root crops, legumes, oilseeds and horticulture to learn more about available services and innovations in the agricultural value chain.
The workshop, which will run from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM, will mark a major milestone in COPRA’s efforts to transform the maize sector into a commercially vibrant and sustainable industry.
The Maize Day event will offer farmers a valuable platform to voice their concerns, gain insights into market trends and learn about best practices in production, storage and quality control.
By interacting directly with buyers, processors and regulators, farmers can better understand pricing dynamics, improve their bargaining power and explore ways to reduce post-harvest losses ultimately enhancing productivity and income.
Economically, the event will play a crucial role in strengthening the maize value chain, which is vital to Tanzania’s food security and agro-based economy.
It fosters collaboration across stakeholders, encourages investment and supports policy development aimed at improving efficiency and competitiveness in the maize subsector, thereby contributing to national economic growth.
