MBEYA, Tanzania: THE key implementer of the new food security initiative ‘Tuhifadhi Chakula’worth 24 million US dollars (about 60bn/-) funded by the US is optimistic that the project will change the livelihoods of a critical mass of youth and women in agriculture.
The news project which was announced by the US and Tanzania governments during the climax of Nanenane exhibitions held at the national in Mbeya will be implemented by the Tanzania Horticulture
Association (TAHA) in partnership with the Southern Agricultural Growth Corridor of Tanzania (SAGCOT) Center.
“This is defining moment. The USAID’s new project–“Let’s Save Food a five- year, and biggest ever, is a substantial leap for Tanzania’s rigorous efforts to shift from conventional subsistence farming to commercial in a bid to attract youth and women to engage in the business in order to fight poverty” said TAHA CEO, Dr Jacqueline Mkindi.
“Basically, the five-year project will focus on empowering youth and women, scaling-up agricultural commercialization, increasing smallholder farmers’ resilience, and addressing the impacts of climate change through providing the farmers with climate-smart agricultural technologies,” said Dr Mkindi said.
She explained that the most ambitious project, among others, specifically intends to support over 370,000 youth and 279,000 women to venture into agri-business, such as engaging into high- value crops production, processing and marketing access for them to reap a windfall income.
“So the new project will see massive adoption of climate-smart agricultural technologies, generate jobs and incomes for smallholder farmers and increase agricultural and food exports for the country” noted Dr Mkindi.
Dr Mkindi is credited as unsung heroine who through TAHA under USAID support, raised the horticulture industry export value from 60 million US dollars in 2006 to staggering 800 million US dollars in 2019.
Targeting to reduce food loss and waste, the USAID’s Tuhifadhi Chakula project will enhance food security, improve livelihoods, increase employment, and generate export opportunities for Tanzania – especially among women and youth, TAHA CEO explained.
Official data shows that in Tanzania between, 40-50 percent of crops are lost between the field and the end market.
USAID Tuhifadhi Chakula project will therefore work with farmers, traders, processors, and other actors in the value chain to cut food loss and waste by half.
The project was designed in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture and aligns with its National Post-Harvest Management Strategy.
The project will initially operate in the Arusha, Mbeya, Morogoro, Njombe, Coast, Tanga, and Zanzibar regions of Tanzania.
“Today, we celebrate Tanzania’s significant strides in the agriculture, livestock, and fisheries sectors,” said the USAID/Tanzania Mission Director, Mr Craig Hart speaking during the Nanenane event in Mbeya.
“Kilimo ni uti wa mgongo and together with determination and perseverance, we can navigate the pathway to a more promising and sustainable future.”
While in Mbeya, Mission Director Hart visited the sites of several on-going USAID Feed the Future Projects, including Kilimo Tija (“Productive Agriculture”), the Private Sector Strengthening Activity, and Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa activities.
Together, these activities are focusing on agriculture-led growth by strengthening the private sector; promoting improved technologies, practices, and inputs; bolstering horticulture, and facilitating value addition.
Recently, Tanzania received a renewed designation as a Feed the Future focus country. During her June visit to the country, USAID Administrator Samantha Power reaffirmed the robust partnership between the United States and Tanzania concerning food security and nutrition, poverty reduction, and agricultural growth.
Craig Hart, the newly appointed USAID/Tanzania Mission Director, also expressed his appreciation for the long-standing and fruitful relationship between USAID and Tanzania during a meeting with the Minister of Agriculture, Hussein Bashe and at the Nanenane event in Mbeya.
