Taiwan University, World Vegetable Centre to boost agricultural innovation

ARUSHA: TANZANIA is set to cultivate a new generation of agricultural experts through a partnership between Taiwan University and the World Vegetable Centre in Arusha.

The collaboration aims to promote agricultural innovation by introducing new academic programmes focused on developing high-quality, disease- and drought-resistant hybrid seeds.

Speaking during a training session on producing high-quality seeds for various crops that are resistant to diseases and drought, Dr Sognigbe N’Danikou, a scientist at the World Vegetable Centre, said the collaboration with Taiwan University aims to promote agriculture in the country through various areas of partnership.

He stated that among the key areas of focus are conducting research related to the production and preservation of fast-growing hybrid seeds that are resilient to diseases and drought.

He further explained that through the Taiwan-African Vegetable Initiative (TAVI), the Arusha-based centre will collaborate with other institutions in the country, including the Tanzania Agricultural Research Institute (TARI), to strengthen the agricultural sector, train enough experts and reach more farmers.

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He further mentioned that other benefits Tanzania will gain from this collaboration include training more professionals, increasing local research capacity and benefiting from exchange training programmes (scholarships) focused on food production and nutrition.

Professor Chau-Ti Ting from Taiwan University expressed confidence that, with the introduction of the university’s programmes in Tanzania, the country will be well-positioned to cultivate a new generation of experts capable of leading advancements in high-quality seed production and preservation.

“In addition to other areas of collaboration, we expect to introduce special agricultural courses at this international institution here in Arusha,” said Professor Ting.

His compatriot, Professor Hung-Vi Wang, also emphasised that the partnership aims to identify better methods for producing quality seeds through various research efforts and explore ways to launch training programmes at the Centre in Arusha.

One of the participants in the training, Dr Aloyce Callist Kundy from the Plant Genetic Resources Centre (NPGRC), which is affiliated with the Tropical Pesticides Research Institute (TPHPA), noted that Tanzania has maintained strong relations with Taiwan in several areas, including the agricultural sector, by conducting research that contributes to the growth of the sector in the country.