USAID pumps 66bn/- to curb post-harvest loss for millions of farmers

KILIMANJARO: THE United States, in collaboration with Tanzania, has unveiled an ambitious 24 million US dollars (about 66bn/-) initiative to help millions of farmers reduce post-harvest loss in the horticulture and cereal value chains.

The five-year endeavor, known as ‘Feed the Future Tanzania, Tuhifadhi Chakula (Let’s Save Food) Project’ promises to bring expert guidance and innovative solutions to farmers who have long struggled with substantial crop losses.

Official data shows that Tanzanian horticultural farmers endure post-harvest loss as high as 40 per cent, translating to an annual economic loss of 1.7 billion US dollars (about 4.6tri/) between 2012 and 2016 shows.

Cereal farmers are not spared either, with a 13 percent post-harvest loss resulting in 4.2 million US dollars (about 11.4bn/-) loss annually, in the period under review.

The five-years’ Feed the Future Tanzania, Tuhifadhi Chakula Project financed by USAID, will be implemented by the Tanzania Horticultural Association (TAHA) and the SAGCOT Center.

The project intends to provide farmers with expert guidance and practical solutions to mitigate post-harvest loss, effectively transforming what are currently financial loss into potential windfalls.

Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Mr David Silinde, expressed profound gratitude towards the U.S government during the project’s launch. He said the initiative will play a critical role in aiding Tanzanian farmers to secure their high-value crops.

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“Feed the Future Tanzania, Tuhifadhi Chakula Project is going to help the country and particularly farmers who have been losing their high value crops,” Mr Silinde said.

U.S. Ambassador to Tanzania, Mr Michael Battle, highlighted the global magnitude of post-harvest loss, pointing out that the world suffers a staggering 1 billion US dollar in losses annually.

He underscored the importance of international cooperation in addressing this issue, describing the initiative as a pivotal step towards a more sustainable and productive agricultural sector.

He said that President Samia Suluhu Hassan and Minister of Agriculture, Mr Hussein Bashe are deeply committed to the notion that Tanzania must stand strong as a food secure country, capable of not only feeding itself, but also feeding the world around it.

“This project is just one element of fulfilling the dream and vision of the Tanzania Government. Over the past decade, the US spent over 4. 8 billion US dollars (about 13.1tri/) on supporting Tanzania’s food security and economic growth” he explained.

US and Republic of Korea have come together in partnerships that will drastically increase the ability of cold storage and food processing that will benefit every farmer to rapidly get to the market and to expand the market base.

In a heartfelt address, TAHA (an apex private sector member-based organization that advocates for the growth and competitiveness of the horticultural industry in Tanzania) Chief Executive Officer, Dr Jacqueline Mkindi, expressed deep gratitude to the U.S. government and USAID for their pivotal role in transforming Tanzania’s horticultural subsector.

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“I am immensely grateful to USAID for the Feed the Future Tanzania, Tuhifadhi Chakula project, for having a trust in TAHA,” she recalled, amid applause in the room.

With USAID’s support, TAHA underwent a remarkable evolution. The assistance included capacity building and financial resources that helped propel the industry to a staggering 779 million US dollar in revenue before the Covid-19 pandemic, creating 6.5 million jobs nationwide.

TAHA Board Chairman Engineer Zebadiah Moshi also praised the initiative, noting that it arrives at a critical time when post-harvest losses have reached an alarming levels, costing farmers 40 per cent of their crops.

He said the project could be a transformative force, turning losses into profits for countless struggling farmers.