Tanzania has made big progress in adopting science and technology in the transformation of the agriculture sector. This has translated to enhanced food security and higher incomes for multiple stakeholders along the agricultural value chain, according to Prof. Nuhu Hatibu, Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) Regional Head, East Africa.
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Prof. Nuhu made the remarks while addressing the Annual Agriculture Research Forum and Seed Stakeholder Forum in Arusha, 19th August 2020, organized by Tanzania Seed Trade Association (TASTA) and the Tanzania Agricultural Research Institute (TARI) and supported by USAID and AGRA. The forum brought together over 200 participants from the public, private sector, development partners, and academia.
He resonated with the theme of the forum, “Promoting Public and Private Partnership Transforming Smallholder Farmers to Commercialization,” noting that it has been AGRA’s area of investment for a long time and has proved big results. AGRA in Tanzania works in line with the Government of Tanzania’s Agricultural Sector Development Programme (ASDP II).
“We are happy to support the development of the agriculture sector in Tanzania… in the first 10 years, AGRA prioritized initiatives that complement the work of other actors to significantly increase smallholder farmers’ income and food security by enhancing productivity, strengthening linkages between market and production systems, and supporting the development of an enabling environment. The results of these investments include the development of 42 new crop varieties, twenty-nine of which have been commercialized, expansion of agro-dealers network with 6,748 outlets enables to expand their business and training of new experts in crop breeding and agronomy. Previously in Tanzania over 90 per cent of improved varieties were imported.
Currently, AGRA’s biggest intervention is based on a consortia model that brings together multiple actors in the commodity value chains targeted in a specific area to provide integrated services to agribusinesses and farmers in that area. This has led to increased efficiency in each segment of the agriculture value chain, hence more income and food security for farmers.
“We are mostly based in western regions of Tanzania – in Kagera, Kigoma, Sumbawanga/Katavi, Iringa, Njombe, and Ruvuma. We have also had some activities in Arusha, Kilimanjaro and Manyara,” The results are evident, from increased adoption of productivity-enhancing technologies to better-organized commodity marketing.
Starting with smallholder farmers, agribusinesses along the sector value chain, are transforming into sustainable business enterprises.
AGRA, working in 12 countries, in Tanzania at the moment is in the fourth year of implementing a five-year strategic plan that ends next year, 2021 and is in the process of coming up with AGRA 2030 Strategy.
According to an internal M&E report, Tanzania has achieved its targets one year ahead of the end of the 2017-2021 strategy,” he noted, adding that, the views and concerns of stakeholders in Tanzania, would be presented to top AGRA organs to be considered for inclusion in the strategy document.
Prof Hatibu is an ardent advocate for the use of science and technology in Africa’s agriculture as the road to poverty alleviation for the smallholder farmers. From the adoption of improved seeds varieties to the use of farm mechanization, modern storage and processing facilities, he says it is important to mechanize the entire agricultural value chain.
According to Mr Vianey Rweyendela, AGRA Country Manager, AGRA in Tanzania has in the recent past funded the release of over 42 improved cultivars of food crops such as maize, cassava, beans and soybeans, where 29 of these are varieties that are commercially available to farmers. AGRA has also supported the establishment of 15 seed companies and capacitated others to increase their production.
At the same time, AGRA in Tanzania has capacitated over 6,748 agro-dealers from around the country and supported post-graduate studies for agriculture experts (14 PhDs and 27 MScs), who are leading researchers in agriculture development.
Hon Kenani Kihongosi: Quality seeds have contributed to increased internal and external agribusiness
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On his side, Arusha District Commissioner (DC), Hon Kenani Kihongo, when he flagged off the annual seeds forum, noted that the favourable food security situation in Tanzania is a result of the commendable work done by agriculture stakeholders which has also led to increased internal and external agribusiness.
Production and availability of quality seeds have led to food security and production of surplus for internal and external trade, he noted.
“I congratulate you for producing quality seed,” he told Seed researchers, adding that they are very vital for the development of the sector, which still remains the backbone of the economy. He commended them for not only being great seed researchers but also being committed to the development of the nation(patriots).
He said stakeholders should be relentless in spreading uptake of innovative agricultural technologies for economic development. “Continued production of quality seeds and making them more accessible to farmers is vital,” he said.
The DC rooted for agriculture in the Arusha Region, saying the stakeholders there should take advantage of strategic infrastructure projects such as SGR from Morogoro to Dodoma.
“We have a railway line from Dar es Salaam – Tanga – Moshi – Arusha… farmers should rest assured that their crops will be marketable to those destinations. We have a goods train that has started operations to Arusha as well, he noted.
The road to the future was bright, as agricultural processing was bound to increase. “As we construct one of Africa’s biggest hydroelectric power production at Rufiji, we will have more than enough power, which is vital for industrial growth. This will lead to agricultural produce being processed at our own industries. Farmers will get more income from their produce,” he noted.
The convener of the meeting, the Executive Director at the Tanzania Seed Trade Association, Mr Bob Shuma, said it was important to promote research and development, publicity, education and training in the seed subsector.
“We advocate for legislative actions and engage in the harmonization of regulation governing the seed sector throughout Tanzania so as to catalyze faster growth of the seed industry,” he noted.
He was emphatic that Agricultural research and the seed sector play an important role in improving the Food and Nutrition Security in Tanzania.
Research key to agricultural transformation in Tanzania- Dr Joseph Ndunguru
*with research science-based precision agriculture for increased crop productivity
Research activities will continue to play a key role in agricultural transformation into science-based precision agriculture for increased crop productivity, in the drive to ensure the sustainable supply of raw material for growing Tanzania’s industrial economy, according to the Director of Tanzania Agricultural Research Institute (TARI) Selian, Dr Joseph Ndunguru.
However, the research itself must also embrace greater use of science, technology and innovations as well as strengthen both human and infrastructure research capacity through enhanced investment, noted the veteran researcher, in his presentation at
the Annual Agriculture Research Forum and Seed Stakeholder Forum in Arusha, 19th August 2020, organised by Tanzania Seed Trade Association (TASTA) and the Tanzania Agricultural Research Institute (TARI) and supported by USAID and Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA).
At the same time, for research to be meaningful and impactful, public and private partnerships and linkages are key, noted Dr Ndunguru, as they were paramount in making research technologies and outputs to reach the end-users using innovation platforms
“The research must also assess sociodynamics of farmers before technologies are delivered,” he noted.
Agriculture research in Africa is a must as about 60% of the world’s arable land is found in the continent, which provides tremendous potential for the continent to be a major player in food production in the globe.
“Recent estimates suggest that Africa has the potential to increase the value of its annual output from about $280 billion (in late 2000’s) to around $800 billion by 2030,” he noted making reference to McKinsey Global Institute, MGI 2010:8.
Yes, at times some economies in Africa there has been a decline in agriculture contribution in terms of GDP, which is a sign of low productivity and limited value addition, he noted.
To turn the tide, “agriculture needs to be transformed using the catalytic power of science and technology for which research is the key,” he noted, adding that, increasing productivity was a central concern of developing countries.
In Tanzania, Agriculture is the main part of the economy, he stated, with about 32 million people (equivalent to three fourth of the entire population) living in the rural areas and 80% of them are involved in the agricultural sector.
Dr Ndunguru noted that the agricultural sector contributes about 28.2% to the national GDP and the sector employs about 58% of Tanzanians, and by 2019, it was growing at a rate of 5.2% while the crop sector was growing at 5.8%.
He attested that increasing agricultural productivity was a central concern of Tanzania as it was a “major factor determining the level of income of the farming sector, in meeting the food requirements of continually expanding populations, in generating foreign exchange to finance domestic programmes, amongst others.”
“Agricultural research has an important role to play in meeting these targets, since many of the new technologies, inputs, and techniques of production that increase agricultural productivity are developed through agricultural research,” he said.
According to Dr Ndunguru, a transformed agricultural research system helps to achieve sustainable food and income security for all agricultural producers and consumers, particularly for resource-poor households, whether they are in rural or urban areas.
“Research aims to boost productivity, to address challenges resulting from climate change including drought, heat, cold, pests and diseases as well as improving nutrition, value addition and marketing,” he said.
Dr Ndunguru said time was ripe to champion science-based precision agriculture for increased crop productivity, and with research, it was a huge possibility.
“We can transform agriculture using the latest available technologies and research methods, use science-based sustainable crop disease management, crop pests management and science-based soil selection for crop farming,” he posted.
One of the various examples he gave, was the use of application of the soil maps, to implement the strategic deployment of crops and fertilizer application. This leads to planting of crops incorrect areas and using correct fertilizers. This boosts crop productivity, minimizes resources and time wastages, he noted.
In the case of accelerating breeding for development of new varieties, Dr Ndunguru, called for use of research techniques such as marker-assisted selection, modern biotechnology to develop new varieties (high yielding, drought, heat and cold tolerant and nutritionally enhanced crop varieties.
It was important for researchers to identify and develop crop varieties that can be deployed on marginal land areas, so as to convert the so-called “unproductive land” to become potential for agricultural production, he noted.
“Through well-planned research, it is possible to identify and develop low nutrient and moisture requiring crop varieties that can be deployed and cultivated on the marginal land to help the communities living in those areas,” he noted.
Dr Ndunguru said TARI would continue to collaborate with its partners in undertaking research which is aimed at minimizing crop post-harvest losses as well as value addition through processing techniques.
According to Prof. Nuhu Hatibu, Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) Regional Head, East Africa, Tanzania has made big strides in adopting science and technology in the development of the agriculture sector, but more needs to be done.
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Agriculture transformation key to developed manufacturing, food sectors
To transform the agriculture sector in its totality – crop farming, animal husbandry, aquaculture and fisheries from subsistence to commercial- manufacturing and food industry, must become well developed.
For this to happen and be scaled up, agriculture mechanisation and adoption of other science and technology models is the way. This has been apparent for years. Back in 1979, Tanzania introduced the Agricultural Mechanisation Policy, which sought to bring the economic transformation of people and production methods. It did not work as expected.
Prof Nuhu Hatibu, currently, the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) Head for Tanzania, Uganda and Rwanda, in a paper published by FAO (2013), wrote that “food production for many continues to be through backbreaking manual labour. This leads to very low yields per unit of labour…” Since then, how have things changed? We need to ask ourselves.
Recently at the 2020 Annual Agriculture Research Forum and Seed Stakeholder Forum in Arusha, organised by Tanzania Seed Trade Association (TASTA) and the Tanzania Agricultural Research Institute (TARI), Prof Nuhu reiterated that science and technology uptake along the kilimo value chain is what will take agriculture sector at the top, where it should be.
Prof. John Machiwa of the University of Dar es Salaam speaking at the same forum stated that Scientific research and innovation should take control and spearheads agricultural development, for the country to benefit from the expanding world market. For the sector to be able to generate considerable income the means of production should be technologically improved so as to be able to effectively contribute to the economy, food security and household livelihood.
How is the situation at the moment? According to him, Tanzania has sound agricultural, science and technology policies, but the problem lies in low investment in the operationalisation of the policies.
He was clear that when both productivity and production are inadequate due to low levels of adoption of appropriate technology, it makes agricultural produce fetch low market prices due to poor quality.
According to Prof. Machiwa “to realise outstanding impacts in the national economy by the agricultural sector, science and technologies need to be developed in a way that is responsive to the present and future challenges, such as weather variability, climate change and the changing demographics, the changing needs of farmers, producers, consumers.”
Taking the message home that, agricultural economy, offers myriad opportunities worldwide, and science and technology offer a way to transform it, for scaling up, he stated:
“Crops, livestock keeping, animal husbandry, aquaculture and fishing as well as insects rearing for food, medicine, ornaments and textile manufacture should be major income-generating activities in the country.”
According to the prof in the drive for greater use of science and technology to agricultural development in Tanzania, areas that needed special attention are farm mechanisation (field clearing, tillage, ploughing, planting, weeding and harvesting), transportation, storage, processing, packaging and access to markets/ consumers.
He credited Tanzania institutions for developing some technologies, which can be scaled up including juice blender, peanut butter making machine; Grain mill; Grain huller; Maize thresher; Animal feed mill and mixer Palm oil processing equipment (boiling tank cum sterilizer, digester and clarifier) palm fruit thresher; and palm nutcracker); Filter press; Screw expeller, Sugar processing plant, and so on.
Looking at the scenario presented by Prof. Machiwa, it’s apparent that, as a nation, if we really want to go up in the level of our agriculture development, the foundation has been set up, and scaling up of technology is the way. We need to support the machinery that has been made in our nation. We need to invest more in kilimo research and adoption of science and technology for big results!
Prof. David Nyange, Policy Advisor, Ministry of Agriculture, stated at the forum that agriculture transformation was taking off in Tanzania and conditions were ripe, where “technology will play a great role in the agriculture sector transformation.” Kilimo stakeholders at all levels need to take note of this and act accordingly for the posterity of mother Tanzania.
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