Tanzania’s fish trade goes digital
DAR ES SALAAM: THE government is investing 185,000 US dollars (481m/-) in TANFISH Market to digitise fisheries trade, expand market access, strengthen business links and create new opportunities for fishing communities.
The digital marketplace, developed by University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM) and State University of Zanzibar (SUZA), connects fishers directly with buyers while addressing fragmented markets and limited access to information.
Prof Abdi Abdalla, TANFISH Market Principal Investigator, said the platform demonstrates how digital solutions can strengthen fisheries businesses by improving transparency, increasing competition and creating efficient links between producers and consumers.
“TANFISH Market uses digital technology to connect fisheries stakeholders, improve market access and increase trade transparency,” Abdalla said on Wednesday at a Tanzania digital fisheries trade and market linkages forum.
Prof Abdalla said the project was implemented in two phases, with the first phase focusing on designing, developing and launching the digital marketplace at a cost of about 110,000 US dollars.
The second phase, allocated about 75,000 US dollars, aims to strengthen the system, expand its user base and train stakeholders for sustainable use of the platform. Since its launch last year June, TANFISH Market has attracted more than 500 registered users and facilitated the sale of nearly two metric tonnes of fish, according to project officials.
Prof Abdalla said they are targeting monthly trade volumes of at least 10 metric tonnes as the platform expands participation among fishers, traders, processors, hotels, exporters and other buyers. Prof Abdalla said the initiative is part of a wider UDSM-SUZA research programme and the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO), with funding support from the European Union, which uses technology to improve fishing, safety and market access.
During the opening forum Deputy Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries, Prof Mohamed Sheikh, said fisheries remain a key contributor to the country’s economy, supporting food security, employment, processing industries and domestic and international trade.
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He said Tanzania’s marine and inland resources offer blue economy opportunities but require sustainable management beyond increasing production alone.
“Development of the fisheries sector should not focus only on increasing production. It must strengthen the entire value chain, from resource management and harvesting to processing, storage, transportation and marketing,” Prof Sheikh said.
FAO Representative in Tanzania Dr Nyabenyi Tipo said fisheries continue to play an important role in livelihoods but face challenges including climate change, illegal fishing, limited market access, information gaps and inadequate financing.
She said collaboration between government, research institutions, private businesses, financial institutions and fishing communities will be critical to achieving longterm transformation in the sector.
Representing UDSM Vice-Chancellor Prof William Anangisye, Principal of the College of Natural and Applied Sciences (CoNAS) Prof Florah Magige said digital platforms such as TANFISH Market could also improve access to finance by creating more transparent and traceable businesses.
“A fisher needs market, a buyer needs quality products with reliable supply, a trader needs capital and financial institutions need bankable businesses,” she said.
The success of TANFISH Market will depend on its ability to move beyond the pilot stage, attract sustained participation from fisheries businesses and demonstrate that digital commerce can deliver lasting economic benefits for Tanzania’s blue economy
