FAO to seek markets for Tanzanian farmers
Tuesday October 16 2018
Small-scale farmers in Tanzania are set to benefit as the FAO helps them get their produce to foreign markets. FILE PHOTO | NMG
The UN Food and Agricultural Organisation is looking to help Tanzania gain access to foreign food markets in order to boost incomes for small-scale farmers.
Farmers in Tanzania still lack markets for agricultural products, mostly food crops from the major producing regions.
The FAO representative to Tanzania Fred Kafeero said they will help Tanzanian growers to secure foreign markets with good prices for their produce.
The organisation is implementing a $17.6 million project to strengthen agricultural development in Tanzania, targeting food security and crop production between 2017 and 2020.
The four-year pact, signed last year, will help farmers to improve agriculture, food security, nutrition and natural resources management over the next four years.
Mr Kafeero said that Tanzania has 2.3 million hectares of land classified as “high potential” for irrigation development.
The government has lifted a ban on exports of cereal crops and foods announced a year ago in a bid to boost commercial production.
However, farmers say it is difficult to get export permits and pass inspections at border points.
The ban on grain exports, mostly to neighbouring states, was imposed by Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa to curb rising prices of foods as well as to boost local grain reserves.
Tanzania produces over 13 million tonnes of cereals and about five million tonnes of non-cereals per year.
Maize is the most important staple food in the country.
To boost agriculture, the government scrapped 80 taxes and levies imposed on major food and cash crops.
Tanzania does not have a proper marketing plans for food and cash crops, leading to smuggling of produce across borders.
This has continued even after the government opened the doors for cross-border trade in food crops, but with restrictions.