Tanzania: Why Tanzania Must Accelerate Agricultural Biotechnology Research

WHEN Dr Joseph Ndunguru of Mikocheni Agricultural Research Institute speaks about cutting edge science, he does so with passion. He believes that such science is possible in Tanzania – and that agricultural biotechnology remains the best option to improving food production among resource-poor farmers, says the country’s presidential science laureate Joseph Ndunguru.
“Modern biotechnology holds considerable promise to meet challenges in agricultural production,” Dr Ndunguru said at a public lecture on the theme, “Agricultural Biotechnology: Translating ‘science’ into food and cash for the poor” held at Nkrumah Hall, University of Dar es Salaam last Thursday.
An experienced and internationally acclaimed molecular plant virologist, Dr Ndunguru also encouraged young graduates and aspiring researchers to embrace agricultural biotech, a brave new world for those ready to probe the country’s rich plant kingdom. Tanzania stands to gain a great deal from scientific research.

One area that the country could tap into is in the interesting field of nanotechnology. It is discouraging to learn that Tanzania might be losing its genetic wealth to other countries due to lack of research capacity. At a public lecture jointly organised by the university’s College of Natural and Applied Sciences and of the Open Forum for Agricultural Biotechnology (OFAB — Tanzania chapter) currently housed at the Tanzania Commission for Science and Technology (COSTECH), Dr Ndunguru said agricultural biotechnology was key to a ‘food-secure’ Africa, he added and encouraged science graduates to join the fight against crop diseases.
Dr Ndunguru pioneering work on cassava has tremendous impact on a crop which still suffers massive losses from virus attacks, notably cassava mosaic viral disease. Last year, he led a team of African scientists applying biotechnology technique discovered two novel DNA strains that are associated with cassava mosaic and cassava brown streak diseases, both known to cost Africa between $1.9 and $2.7 billion annually – in itself an opportunity “for translating science into food and cash for the poor African farmers;” he argued.
Agricultural biotechnology was key to a ‘food-secure’ Africa, he added and encouraged science graduates to join the fight against crop diseases, saying: “We have the capacity to train … we’re currently working with Masters and PhD students … cutting edge science is possible in Tanzania and we don’t need foreigners to do the job for us, ” he said.
Cassava is highly susceptible to viral diseases and the disease pressure had been mounting over the years. When a scientist started studying the DNA of these viruses in the 1980s, scientists knew about only a handful of species. “Today, there are more than 200 species – plus 600 or 700 isolates – affecting all kinds of crops, particularly in tropical countries where the insect vectors, which spread these viruses, are present year-round,” he said.
Cassava, a widely known and grown staple food in many parts of Tanzania, Africa and other parts of the world, has come under severe attack. This time around, it is not about climate change, but rather several biotic and abiotic factors, among which cassava mosaic disease (CMD) and cassava brown streak disease (CBSD) constitute the main threat to cassava productivity.
CMD is caused by cassava mosaic begomoviruses (CMBGs) where as CBSD is caused by cassava brown streak virus (CBSV). In Tanzania, for example, cassava is an important crop for both food security and income generation for low income people. In Coast Region, cassava is one of the main food crops. According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security and Cooperatives, the annual production of fresh cassava is seven million metric tonnes.
In sub-Saharan Africa and Asia cassava is a staple food and is eaten by over seven hundred million people. However, two thirds of more than 18 million hectares of cassava cultivated worldwide are produced in Africa. Cassava has potential for industrial use in production of starch and bio fuel.
The cassava leaves are also used for food in many communities in Africa including Tanzania. Despite its potential benefits, cassava is threatened by cassava mosaic disease (CMD) and cassava brown streak diseases (CBSD). The rate at which the viruses of the two diseases multiply is shocking, especially given the fact that the farmers are ignorant of the diseases.
As such, they would leave the already infected plant to spread the viruses without taking appropriate measures. According to Dr Ndunguru, CMD and CBSD have become a serious constraint to sustainable production of food and fibre crops in Sub- Saharan Africa including cassava. During the last decade, these plant pathogens have increased in number, distribution and importance and in some places, they have forced farmers to abandon their fields.
Dr Ndunguru who is a molecular plant virologist says at the moment, the diseases have no cure, however, efforts are undergoing by different scientists to research on the diseases which threaten the existence of the cassava crop. He says, meanwhile the farmers can only uproot the infected plants at its infant stage before it spreads the viruses to other plants.
He also says the farmers can also stop using the already infected plants as seeds for the next planting season to fight the infection. Chipping in, the Chairman, Department of horticulture, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT), Dr Elija Ateka says a recent quantitative survey conducted in four major cassava growing areas in Kenya to determine the status of cassava shows a presence of the CDD and CBSD.
He named the four provinces as Eastern, Nyanza, Western and the coast. Dr Ateka says the diseases have caused difficulties to sustain production and development of cassava in Kenya. He says as a result, when people venture into cassava related industries, they don’t last longer as they quickly close their industries because of poor quality or lack of raw materials to sustainably run their factories. “Even those who had just started, when they see their fellows closing their industries, they feel insecure or are simply discouraged. So, they can’t continue any more,” he says.
It is from this background that last week from 14th to 16th Feb this year, a total of 70 scientists and stakeholders from 11 countries in Africa launched this project of disease diagnostics for sustainable cassava productivity which is building on phase one.
The regional initiative is funded at a tune of 9,487,448m/- by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) and the Department for International Development (DFID) and it is led by national agricultural research scientists from Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Malawi, Mozambique and Zambia working together with a common goal and vision to manage virus diseases affecting cassava in collaboration with partners from centres and universities in the USA and UK.
When officiating at the launch of phase two of this project for diagnosing and managing important cassava viral diseases in Africa, the Deputy Minister for the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security and Cooperatives, Adam Malima said under normal circumstances, cassava yields could be as high as between 25 to 40 tons per hectare. In Sub-Saharan Africa, however, yields are very low and sometimes less than 5 tons per hectare due to the diseases.
The Deputy Minister says in 2005 for example, CMD alone caused crop losses of 4 M metric tons per year in Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi. On the other hand, CBSD caused estimated crop losses in Tanzania of between 35 and 70 million USD per year calculated at a price of 100 USD per metric tons of fresh cassava.

Conservative loss estimates based upon the minimum average prices of high quality cassava flour in Dar es Salaam would make this at least 70-140 million USD at wholesale and 175-350 million USD at retail. He said that for sustainable management of cassava virus diseases, we need to build the capacity of the national research institutions in terms of human and infrastructure as well as establishing and strengthening regional networks.
“This project addresses key aspects of improving cassava productivity and food security including: Understanding the threat from evolving viruses and vectors, support clean seed systems for farmers and building sustainable regional capacity. It also aims to minimise the persistent occurrence of cassava viruses and their associated vectors. It is anticipated that the project will benefit cassava farmers, commercial planting materials production, trade and the future development of a cassava-based industry in Africa,” he said.

Kenya Lifts Tanzania Flower Ban

Dar es Salaam — Kenya has lifted a ban on Tanzanian cut flower exports which transit through Nairobi for markets destined abroad.
The ban caused Tanzanian growers to lose key customers. It came into effect last May after Kenyan authorities worried about possible pest infestation originating from Tanzania.
“As a result of the ban, the Tanzania flower farmers had lost more than five clients of cut roses in UK, Australia, Japan, Russia and Italy,” TAHA’s Policy and Advocacy Manager, Anthony Chamanga said.
Chamanga said these countries were among the key customers of Tanzania cut flowers, but are willing to buy flowers only through arrangements of exportation whereby, Tanzania flower consignments are consolidated with others from Kenya. “In consequence of losing these customers, the Tanzania farms were compelled to look for other markets, which are however not reliable and give relatively lower prices,” he said.

The Tanzania Horticultural Association (TAHA) announced last week that the two governments had finally reached a deal to lift the ban after several rounds of negotiations. TAHA has also been putting pressure on the respective authorities to reach a compromise. A Memorandum of Understanding to end the standoff has now been signed.

The ban was imposed by Kenya in May, 2011 to protect the country’s flower industry from possible imported pests which might contaminate their local varieties. Kenyan authorities had some doubts about Tanzanian roses being infected and this also caused the European Union to raise concerns.
The agreement was signed between the Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Services (KEPHIS) and Tanzania’s Plant Health Services Section (MAPHSS), which is overseen by the agriculture ministry
According to a TAHA statement issued in Dar es Salaam last week, there are about 11 pests which are officially controlled for the purposes of the signed MoU.
The Pest Risk Analysis (PRA) has been completed and KEPHIS has concluded that, the importation of cut flowers from Tanzania may be permitted provided that Tanzania meets the requirements provided in the MoU aiming at minimizing pest risks.

The signing of the agreement therefore marks the conclusion of implementation of resolutions of the bilateral meeting between Tanzania and Kenya which was held in Nairobi, on September, 2012.
Chamanga thanked the Tanzanian government for taking up the issue. TAHA specifically thank the Ministry of East African Cooperation for coordinating the consultative meetings and the Ministry of Agriculture Food Security and Cooperatives for working on and signing the MoU, he said.

He said the association will continue to work with the government in identifying key challenges affecting trade and investment in horticulture..
“Our vision remains to create a conducive environment for the horticultural private sector practitioners to smoothly operate and contribute to poverty reduction and national economy,” he insisted.
Source: East African Business Week (Kampala)

Tanzania: Only Contract Farming and Biotech to Save Cotton Industry

Contract farming is agricultural production carried out according to an agreement between a buyer and farmers, was initially intended to commence in the 2011/12 season. However, full success is not expected to occur until 2015 due to some reluctance by ginners to get on board.
The system establishes conditions for the production and marketing of a farm product or products. Typically, the farmer agrees to provide established quantities of a specific agricultural product, meeting the quality standards and delivery schedule set by the purchaser. In turn, the buyer commits to purchase the product, often at a pre-determined price. In some cases the buyer also commits to support production through, for example, supplying farm inputs, land preparation, providing technical advice and arranging transport of produce to the buyer’s premises.

Another term often used to refer to contract farming operations is ‘out-grower schemes”, whereby farmers are linked with a large farm or processing plant which supports production planning, input supply, extension advice and transport. Contract farming is used for a wide variety of agricultural products. That is one system of farming that has been tipped to redeem the ailing cotton sector. However, researchers argue that it is through genetic engineering of crops that would see production increase.
Already, improved cotton varieties are expected, and by 2015, the new cotton variety – UK M08 – is also expected to be introduced which should improve yields. It is within this context that the introduction of Bt cotton is considered as one of the main avenues to increase yields via the adding on the licensed germplasm. According to Tanzania Cotton Board, the other avenue in seed breeding is to develop “new hybrid seeds according to various growing zones. One unanswered question regarding Bt is whether or not a hybrid variety is developed to be used, as UK M08 is believed to be an open pollinating variety.
Since the Bt transgene in Burkina Faso- purchased from Monsanto with a licensing fee – is attached to an open pollinating variety, it is feasible that a similar strategy is employed in Tanzania. While Bt cotton traditionally is not developed for increased yields, but rather for reduced pesticide costs and increased profitability, the Tanzanian Cotton Board believes that the strategy will have a strong yield impact.
This improved productivity, however, is not solely attributed to Bt cotton, but also to t the contract farming scheme and improved ability to provide credits and inputs as outlined above. According to the Tanzanian Cotton Board, each farmer should receive a per acre minimum input package, that contains six insecticide treatments and one bag of top dressing fertilizer. A pilot project funded by the Tanzania Gatsby Trust (TGT) in cooperation with the Tanzanian Cotton Board (TCB) provides some support for potential yield increases .
Combining improved input provisioning via contract agriculture with conservation agriculture, average yield per acre increased more than 50 percent from 2008 to 2010 . This was with the combined usage of conservation agriculture – minimum tillage, soil cover and crop rotation (of cotton with maize) – and fertilizer, herbicides and pesticides. In addition, push-pull methods are also applied. With the exception of one year, farmers obtained larger gross margins. Excluding labor cost from the gross margins or only focusing on gross revenue results in all three years having on average higher incomes .
As always, the challenge will rest in scaling up these successes to the intended nearly half a million cotton farmers across the Western Cotton Growing region. The TCB strategy will be key in that venture. For the purpose of this feature, what is important is that these increases were achieved without having gained access to the new seeds. Both with the usage of new hybrid seeds or the added Bt transgene (to hybrid or open pollinating varieties) further improvements are to be expected. Since open pollinated, hybrid and GM seed varieties should be available, a next step would include the careful comparison of all technologies under a managed contracting scheme like the one funded by the TGT.

This would allow evaluation of the Bt transgene’s benefit on yield and overall productivity and gross margins when accounting for the higher costs and potential dependence by farmers moving away from open pollinating seeds. Ghana government recognizes the potential of modern biotechnology in reviving the cotton sector. The country’s Minister for Environment, Science and Technology, Mrs Sherry Ayittey, said this while opening a two-day workshop in the capital city Accra on June 11, 2012.
The workshop, which was organized by the Ministries of Trade and Industry, Food and Agriculture, and Environment, Science and Technology in collaboration with UNIDO aimed to sensitize stakeholders on opportunities available to boost cotton productivity in Northern Ghana. Noting that Ghana’s cotton production had dropped drastically after the 1990s from 45,000 tonnes to 20,000 tonnes per year, the Minister said modern biotechnology holds the key to solving this problem.
A number of effective interventions have emerged to boost the cotton industry globally, including from neighboring Burkina Faso. Confirming the benefits of Bt cotton, Mr. KarimTraore, President of National Union of Cotton producers of Burkina Faso, said farmers are the biggest beneficiaries as they have been saved from exposure to harmful pesticides from eight to two applications, and from time spent in farm spraying.
“These hazards have greatly been reduced and we use the extra time to grow more food crops,” he said. The same sentiments were echoed by a South African farmer Frans Malela present and corroborated by Bhagirath Choudhary who shared India’s 10-year experience with Bt cotton. Mr Frank Van Rompaey, UNIDO Country Representative, said the partnership was aimed at supporting the government in improving competitiveness of cotton and exploring the various options available.

Key recommendations included the need to fasttrack development of a legal instrument for biosafety compliance; development of a communications strategy to systematically engage the public; explore possible suppliers of the Bt technology – their advantages/strengths; create and strengthen an independent farmers/ growers association and establish a national standard based on international standards to ensure high quality Bt cotton seed and lint once introduced. Approximately 160 million hectares of biotech cotton have been successfully planted since 1996, when first cultivated.
Insect resistant cotton, featuring Bt genes, and herbicide tolerant cotton were amongst the first products to be commercialized. Their impact has been substantial in all 13 countries growing biotech cotton, which was ~25 million hectares in 2011. India with 10.6 million hectares, USA 4.0 million, China 3.9 million, and Pakistan 2.6 million hectares are the world leaders.

Tanzania: Scientists Call for Modern Cotton Production

 
SCIENTISTS in the country want the strict Liabilities Act under the Environmental Management Act (2004) repealed to enable them start research on how the country can start using genetically engineered crops.
Speaking to ‘Daily News’ in Dar es Salaam, the chief researcher at Bio Self, Mr Peter Bagenda, urged that the government should institute a policy that allows agricultural scientists to conduct research and trials on Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) in different research centres.
He said that the Act under the Environmental Management Act does not allow the application of such research and that it should therefore be amended.”Scientists are interested in carrying out that research, but first, a change in legislation and policy should put in place that framework that allows the use of GMOs by researchers in the fields,” he said.

According to the Deputy Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security and Cooperatives, Eng Mbogo Futakamba, scientists have already conducted research on improved crops but notes that the existing legal framework has to be ammended to allow their application.
He noted that some research was being carried out on maize known as wema, cassava to identify whether they were resistant to diseases, pests and also drought-tolerant crops before using them to improve agriculture.
Recently, the Minister for Water and Irrigation, Professor Jumanne Maghembe, said the government recognised the potential of modern biotechnology in reviving the country’s cotton industry.
He argued that GMOs were one way to increase productivity and boost the income of African farmers and challenged scientists to do research to find out if GMOs are harmful to humans and the environment. “For example, cotton is not a food crop.
Why don’t we start with that so that we can increase yields and help farmers earn more from this crop?” he asked. This week, the bid to introduce genetically engineered technology got a boost in a meeting convened by the Ministry of State in the Vice- President’s Office responsible for Environment in Dar es Salaam, for stakeholders across the country.
Stakeholders immediately view cotton as the first crop in which genetic engineering should be introduced, to scale up production six-fold, among farmers and subsequent export.
In an interview, the Commission for Science and Technology (COSTECH) Senior Programme Officer for Agriculture, Dr Nicholas Nyange, told ‘Daily News ’ that from a number of interactions government had benefited from this technology, he understands they are working ways out on how such can assist here.

University of Dar es Salaam don, Dr Lenny Kasoga, told ‘Daily News ’ that the same way mobile technology has revitalized the communications industry in the country, biotechnology carries with it great potential to advance the agriculture sector.
Cotton was among best performing industries but it declined in the early 1990s due to an influx of cheap second- hand clothes, high cost of production, low purchase price and closure of ginneries previously owned by the government.

Stakeholders also expect that following the recent waiver window given by on Tanzania goods, increase in production of such usually exported produce as cotton would increase Tanzania’s exports. In an interview with ‘Daily News on Saturday’ , Dr Prosper Ngowi, a lecturer at Mzumbe University, said preferential treatment of market access recently given by China to such goods, is expected to increase the country’s exports to that part of Asia.
He said the implications are that Tanzanian businesses that are exporting the items that have received tax exemption will potentially export more to China. But if we are able to export more, it will be good for the economy because export earning will increase and contribute into improving the position of the Balance of Payment, said Dr Ngowi.
From University of Dar es Salaam, economist Dr Lenny Kasoga said there is a need to learn from the AGOA fiasco if the China tax exemption opportunity is to benefit the country and its business community.

The other 80 per cent are exported, thus, revealing a potential source of domestic value addition as an estimated 90 per cent of the profits are obtained abroad, according to Tanzania Cotton Board.
“The introduction of Bt cotton is considered as one of the main avenues to increase yields via the adding on of the licensed germplasm. The other avenue in seed breeding is to develop “new hybrid seeds according to various growing zones,” says Tanzania Cotton Board.

Tanzania: Compost Manure, Farm-Work Breakthrough to Fight Poverty

YOU look as good as you eat”, researchers at the University of Nottingham UK revealed in a recent study. The scientists established that eating vegetables makes you appear better looking to others.
Despite the many advantages to eating fruits and vegetables, including living longer, being smarter, avoiding chemical exposure (with organic foods), results from the university’s study claim that eating carrots, tomatoes and mangoes improves your skin and makes your face glow naturally.
But when it comes to war against poverty it is no longer a matter of having a glowing face but rather struggle for survival. Nutritionists may preach about the advantages associated with proper vegetable diet but the supply might be out of reach.

Liberate the Poor Tanzania (LPT) which is a non-profit organization working in Tanzania has taken a different approach in helping the poor. It provides services for people all over the country regardless of their race, or nationality. The organization under the leadership of committed young citizens, Mr Sadam Shayeff (President) and Buluhan Magembe, (General Secretary) realizes that poverty is number one challenge facing humankind as it brings social division, social unrest, and disharmony and hence high rate of crimes.
“Poverty affects not only the poor but rather the whole community and not only poor regions but the entire country. Studies by economists have shown that unless the real causes of poverty are uprooted, its eradication might not be achieved conclusively,” Shayeff says.
The interesting part of LPT is a steady community-oriented approach in doing research no matter how simple it might be, but well focused to understand the actual needs of the community. This is done basically for two reasons; first to offer the right support to the needy and secondly give “efficient tools” to fight poverty in a sustainable manner.
In this regard, LPT reached out villagers of Kisemvule on the outskirts of Dar es Salaam along Dar – Lindi road. The locality is in Mkuranga district, Coast region. It was established here that villagers wished to cultivate vegetables for family consumption as well as for commercial purposes but poor soil fertility deterred their ambition.
Quick thinking by LPT prompted an excellent idea to hold consultation with a local extension officer, Adam Rajab over the possibility to help villagers gain skills about improvement of the soil fertility. “This can be done. Under your support I can teach the villagers how to make compost manure as the lesson is easy for them to understand.
They will be able to improve the crop yield, free from industrial chemicals,” said Rajab early this year. Permission was obtained from the local authorities that also assisted in the appointment of representatives to attend the “class” and share information/ skills with others. A site was located and a shallow pit was opened. Grass which is readily available was slashed and left out to dry up.
These were placed in a shallow pit and mixed with green grass. Water was sprinkled on top and covered with soil to speed up decomposition process. The pile is left to decompose from 60 days (two months). After that the process is complete and a miracle has happened. The greyish sandy soil that appeared totally deficient in humus now looks dark and fertile rich.
Mariam Issa (38), who was among the “students” comes from a neighbouring Kibululu village in Mkuranga ward. She looks at the changed dark soil and says; “Waaoh, I never thought of this miracle before,” she exclaims. She has more; “We always think about expensive industrial fertilizers of which we cannot afford, while there is a quick, simple, cost effective and affordable process to make organic fertiliser for continuous gardening with good yield,” Mariam appreciates.
Another villager, Shaban Ashindo (58), holds a handful of darkish fertile soil and says; “why on earth do we allow wild fires to consume grass which is beneficial to our shamba work? From now on I will teach fellow villagers how to make compost manure because this will increase farm production at a minimal cost,” Ashinda explains.

He adds; “Sometimes we (villagers) need to be shown the way to fight poverty. Compost manure can end poverty at family level. This is a solution to a common cry that whatever we grow does not mature. Farming becomes an interesting activity if assured of harvests. I am extremely happy to gain this knowledge,” Ashindo says.
From the web we learn that manure is a valuable fertilizer for any farming operation and has been used for centuries to supply needed nutrients for crop growth. The use of manure has generally declined on many farms over the past 50 years due to: farm specialization with increasing separation of crop and livestock production, cost of transporting manure, which is a bulky and increased availability of high analysis synthetic fertilizers that usually provide a cheaper source per unit of nutrient than manure.

Despite these limitations, manure (and other organic nutrient sources) produced on or near a vegetable farm provide many benefits and should be beneficially utilized whenever possible. Manure and compost not only supply many nutrients for crop production, including micronutrients, but they are also valuable sources of organic matter.
Increasing soil organic matter improves soil structure, increases the water-holding capacity of coarse-textured sandy soils, improves drainage in fine-textured clay soils, provides a source of slow release nutrients, reduces wind and water erosion, and promotes growth of earthworms and other beneficial soil organisms.
Most vegetable crops return small amounts of crop residue to the soil, so manure, compost, and other organic amendments help maintain soil organic matter levels. The organization (LPT) therefore, provides help for the needy in social, economical, educational, medical, environmental and cultural fields as well urgent relief aids in case of war, natural, disasters, epidemics, famines, fire out break and similar circumstances. Donors who have extended support to LPT have never regretted as the assistance goes directly to the needy.

Africa: Is Africa About to Lose the Right to Her Seed?

ANALYSIS

Seed and the control of seed lies at the heart of agriculture.
In Africa around 80% of seed comes from local and community saved seed resources. This seed is adapted to local conditions. It forms an integral part of community food security and agricultural integrity. This entire traditional system is now under threat.
A broad front of commercial interests, aided and abetted by the World Bank, the American Seed Association and government agencies, along with front groups, academics and so-called philanthropists, are endeavouring to alienate this crucial resource.
The international seed industry, owned by massive multinational pesticide companies involved in promoting hybrid and genetically modified (GM) seed, is both a primary beneficiary and protagonist of this thrust. While the motivation is ostensibly to assist the development of African agriculture, the impacts will be widespread and dire.
Simply put, the proposal is to create a harmonised system of control around the presently fragmented African seed trade regime and create a system based on what is projected as modern best practice.
This includes uniform adherence to the strict 1991 Act of the International Union for the Protection of Plant Varieties (UPOV), across the board, for Africa. Because of the stringency of UPOV, the real impact of this will be the loss of control of the seed supply by indigenous small farmers. The consequences for food production and social cohesion across the continent will be dire.
Once locally adapted seed varieties are lost, dependence on outside seed suppliers will rapidly become unaffordable. The implications will reverberate far beyond food production.
Indebted farmers are at direct risk of losing land tenure. On the one hand this causes accelerating urbanisation and social dislocation. On the other, good agricultural land is appropriated by large conglomerates. There is already a massive thrust by nations and corporations to gain land tenure in fertile tropical African agricultural zones.
The impetus behind this change in the seed regime has been building for some time. Consolidation within the powerful South African seed industry - the biggest in Africa - was recently finalised.

Africa: "Enormous Opportunity" for Ending Hunger in Africa

Rome — Ministers and senior delegates from five African Nations met today with FAO Director-General José Graziano da Silva ahead of a High-Level meeting of African and international leaders in Addis Ababa next June set to create a renewed partnership for intensifying efforts to end hunger in Africa.
"There is an enormous window of opportunity," for eradicating hunger in the continent, Graziano da Silva told a side-event organized during a week-long Session of FAO's governing Council here. The key lies in capitalizing on the successes of the many African countries who have already found solutions for food insecurity and malnutrition.
"By building on these experiences we can eradicate food insecurity and malnutrition in Africa. Together we can stop the suffering of the estimated 23 percent of all Africans who remain undernourished, and 40 percent of children under five who are stunted or malnourished," he said.
One reason for optimism is the unprecedented political commitment of governments and the African people to end hunger. An example is the decision of FAO's regional Conference for Africa to set up an Africa Food Security Trust Fund. The Republic of the Congo, Angola and Equatorial Guinea have already announced they will contribute.

New, unified approaches
Together with political commitment, partnership is the key. "This is the reason why FAO joined forces with the African Union and Brazil's Instituto Lula to host a High-Level meeting in Addis Ababa from 30 June to 1 July called "New, unified approaches to end hunger in Africa".
The new approach will build on the work of the 10-year-old Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP), which is already running successfully in 30 countries, and UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's Zero Hunger Challenge, in order to harness strong and sustained political commitment to end hunger in Africa.
"Our aim is to see what works for Africans and non-Africans, to learn from those experiences, to scale up already successful activities, to fill gaps we identify and, if necessary, adjust or rethink our approach," Graziano da Silva said.

Innovative partnerships
"We intend to apply forms of innovative partnerships, to involve all sectors of society, to strengthen collective responsibility, and in this way to improve implementation of CAADP goals," he added.
Guests on the podium at the side event included Rigobert Maboundou, Minister of Agriculture and Livestock, Republic of Congo, and Chair of the 27th FAO Regional Conference; Amadou Allahoury Diallo, High Commissioner of the Republic of Niger's Nigerians Nourish Nigerians (3N) initiative; Jeffrey Luhanga, Principal Secretary for Agriculture and Food Security of the Ministry of Agriculture, Republic of Malawi; Florêncio Mariano da Conceição, Ambassador of the Republic of Angola; and Abreha Aseffa, Deputy Permanent Representative to FAO of the Federal Republic of Ethiopia. Laila Lokaseng, CAADP Advisor on Nutrition and Food Security, represented the African Union's Commissioner for Rural Economy and Agriculture Tumusiime Rhoda Peace.

Angola, Ethiopia, Malawi and Niger have asked FAO to enhance its support to their efforts to promote food security and nutrition in the framework of the New, Unified Approaches to End Hunger in Africa. The pilot phase of the partnership will therefore begin in those four countries.
Niger's Amadou Diallo told today's forum that although his country had a long history of droughts and food crises its 3N initiative aims to ensure that "drought no longer rymes with famine".

Africa: Poorest Countries Lead the Fight Against Hunger and Undernutrition

 

According to new research published by the Institute of Development Studies (IDS), low income countries like Malawi and Madagascar and lower middle income Guatemala, are leading the charge against hunger and undernutrition, whilst economic powerhouses such as India and Nigeria are failing some of their most vulnerable citizens.
Launched today, the Hunger and Nutrition Commitment Index (HANCI) measures political commitment to tackling hunger and undernutrition in 45 developing countries. It is the first global index of its kind showing levels of political commitment to tackle hunger and undernutrition in terms of appropriate policies, legal frameworks and public spending.

One of the key findings from the first round of results from HANCI is that sustained economic growth does not guarantee that governments will make tackling hunger or undernutrition a priority. This may help explain why many countries in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia remain blighted by high levels of hunger and undernutrition.

Globally hunger affects around 870 million people and undernutrition contributes to the deaths of 2.6 million children under five each year. Thereare many reasons for insufficient progress in reducing hunger andundernutrition. One of these is a "lack of political will" orpolitical prioritisation.
For the first time individuals and organisations in the Global South have a tool that will help to compare government action on hunger and undernutrition with government promises. They can also compare their government with others. In this way, HANCI makes government action more transparent and helps citizens hold their governments to account to ensure that they act to reduce hunger and undernutrition.
"The Hunger and Nutrition Commitment Index shines a spot light on what governments are doing, or failing to do, towards addressing hunger and undernutrition," explained lead HANCI researcher, Dr Dolf te Lintelo. "With millions of lives at stake it is essential that we create greater public accountability on this key development issue. Where high levels of political commitment exist, we could see dramatic decreases in the levels of illness and death caused by chronic hunger and to the irreversible damage to the physical and mental development of children caused by undernutrition. We hope that all those committed to combating hunger and undernutrition, whether in communities, NGOs or governments, will use HANCI as a rallying call for change."
HANCI uniquely analyses government efforts on hunger and undernutrition, rather than just hunger and undernutrition levels themselves. Hunger and undernutrition are not the same thing and the policies and programmes needed to address them differ. Hunger is the result of an empty stomach whereas undernutrition may result from a lack of nutrients in people's diets or illness caused by poor sanitation. So governments may support measures to improve sanitation to improve nutrition levels amongst children but this does little to reduce hunger. Likewise, emergency food aid may reduce hunger but it is not aimed at achieving balanced diets.
The new index therefore measures performance on hunger and nutrition separately. It compares 45 countries' performance on a total of 22 indicators of political commitment to reduce either hunger or undernutrition. These indicators span three areas of government: Policies and programmes designed to tackle undernutrition or hunger; legal frameworks, such as people's rights to food and social security; and levels of public spending on agriculture and health.

Tanzania: Govt Vows to Tackle Cashew Nut Farmers' Problems

 

Dodoma — THE government has promised to work on existing problems in a bid to protect cashew nut farmers and meet the purpose which the Warehouse Receipt Act was established.

Prime Minister Mizengo Pinda made the promise during a question and answer session before the National Assembly, when answering a query by Mtutula Abdallah Mtutula (Tunduru South - CCM). The legislator had explained that the Warehouse Receipt Act was established in the country with a view of ironing out problems for which farmers were facing.
He pointed out that instead of assisting them the law created more inconveniences to farmers, in particular cashew nut grower. Recently, he said, chaos erupted because of that problem and some other people were using the law as basis to create such disorders.

Mr Mtutula, therefore, sought to know whether it was high time the government reviews the law in question. In his response, the premier said it was true that such law was endorsed and the aim was for the government to come up with the best way of protecting farmers. He pointed out that the focus was to see farmers having a voice on prices for their agricultural products.
"We understand, maybe because this issue requires money and even obtaining loans from banks and in due process could lead to difficulties in the implantation of the law itself. But, let me insist that the aim is good," he said. According to the prime minister, the first time for him to encounter such issue was when he visited Mtwara and found a kilogramme of cashew nut being bought from farmers at 50/-.
"This pained me a lot. That is why we thought the best way was to do so (establishing the Act in question)," he said. The premier said the government would also look into possibilities of waiving levies that were being charged to farmers. He took an example of cashew nuts wherein there were 10 levies charged by different authorities amounting to 220/- per kilogramme. "So, farmers lose a lot of money that could have remained for them.
Some of the levies are unnecessary. You may be told of the board, but why should you pay the board while it is funded by the government. There are cooperatives, transporters, etc. It is true that they have created procedures of enriching themselves," he said. The prime minister was responding to a supplementary question by the MP, who sought to know whether the government would be ready to issue a directive to waive such levies that were introduced to exploit cashew nut farmers.

Meanwhile, the government is determined to increase budgetary allocation to improve water services in the country, particularly in rural areas, the prime minister told the National Assembly. The PM said they would look into possibilities of using some of the funds assigned for Other Charges (OC) to beef up the water budget. "It is true that the issue of water is critical for all Tanzanians.
You can see even when we created the project, funded by World Bank, that it was good will of trying to solve water problems. As the government, we are doing every effort to see how we can deal with the matter," the Prime Minister told the House. He was responding to Freeman Mbowe (Hai - Chadema), who wanted to know whether the government was considering establishing special fund in the water sector, taking into account that water was important for all Tanzanians.
Mr Mbowe, who is the leader of the Opposition Camp in Parliament, had alleged that water services were so crucial because they involve all Tanzanians. He said there were signs of hesitation by the government of implementing its pledges and the water policy of 2002.

Tanzania: Plans Underway to Protect Extinct 'African Potato'

AN alert has been circulated to the Ministries of Agriculture and Livestock, Natural Resources and Tourism and Health and Social Welfare as well as different experts on the possibility of the African potato going extinct from overharvesting.

The Ministry of Health and Social Welfare Acting Assistant Director (Traditional Medicine), Dr Paulo Mhame told the 'Sunday News' that the trend is very worrying and immediate action needed to be taken. "The two regions that the potato grows in are Iringa and Njombe.
Our biggest challenge at the moment is legislation, the potato grows only into a shrub of a foot and half and so people harvest the way they want while we have laws to stop them," he said.
The Forest Act of 2002 aims at providing for the management of forests and to repeal certain laws relating to forests and similar matters. It provides for the general legal framework for the conservation and management of forests, the African potato being a shrub is orphaned by this law.
The African wild potato is a bitter plant used for a wide variety of conditions including diabetes mellitus, haemorrhage, prostate problems and boost immune function.
Based on indirect evidence, it is said that sterols and sterolins (any of various alcohols having the structure of a steroid) in Hypoxis (African potato, Star-grass, Star lily, Yellow stars, Yellow stargrass) root have the potential to enhance immunity. Some believe its nutrient values are 50,000 times greater than modern vegetables.

Today, sterols and sterolins are still sought after and are preferred immune system boosters to HIV/AIDS sufferers. Traditional healers have used the African wild potato by boiling it into tea for its medicinal properties. In southern Mozambique, it was widely used during the Civil War (1976-1992) by both soldiers and civilians who lost blood through injuries. The tea from the plant is said to quickly replace lost blood.
The tea is used in conjunction with other plants to combat "bad blood" in patients with diabetes mellitus. The Shangaan used African wild potato in a mixture with other plants for endometriosis and premenstrual syndrome (PMS). The rootstock was one of the ingredients of an infusion taken as an "internal parasiticide" and purgative. The Manyika used the rootstock for medicinal and ceremonial purposes.
The Karanga used the rootstock as a remedy for vomiting, loss of appetite, abdominal pains and fevers. It was also used to treat delirium. Dr Mhame explained that his department was concerned because it takes five to six years for an African potato to be ready for harvesting.
He revealed that the potato was also found in other African countries like South Africa, Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Malawi but that in South Africa, Mozambique and Zimbabwe - the crop had been depleted and that it was widely available in Tanzania.
"I have written to Regional Medical Officers and other authorities and have received a very positive response on their support to curb this problem. What is desperately needed is an inventory to be conducted to know how much is grown and the amount which is being harvested and being exported to the Southern parts of the continent, "he said.

The traditional medicine expert said that he was striving to convene a meeting with different stakeholders, on how to deal with the crisis but was a little dumbfounded on the way forward, taking into consideration that there wasn't any legislation that the meeting can use.
Dr Mhame said that while a solution is being sought on getting some form of legislation that can reduce the harvesting, he urged seed breeders in the country to take up interest in coming up with varieties that will ensure by the time the whole country is ready to use traditional medicine without prejudice, the crop with many medicinal potential will be readily available.

Tanzania: Chinese Market Excites Tobacco Exporters

EXPORTERS have welcomed with a lot of interest the new Chinese market for tobacco as an opportunity that will contribute to the economic growth as well as increased income to farmers.

This was said in Dar es Salaam by the Tanzania Exporters Association (TANEXA) Executive Director, Mr Mtemi Laurence in an interview with the 'Daily News.'
"With millions smokers, China will provide a reliable market for the Tanzania's tobacco and reduce dependency on the traditional western markets," he remarked. Recently, it was revealed that the Least-developed tobacco exporters were likely to lose the traditional markets following the European Union (EU) plan to make cigarettes less attractive to new smokers.

The move is expected to impact negatively on the sector's growth which, according to a 2010 World Trade Organisation (WTO) survey, provides more than 60 per cent of the foreign earnings.
Mr Laurence said TANEXA has started to undertake research on the value chain of tobacco production to identify market constraints and establish the demand that will determine supply and price of the product.
He also said TANEXA will look for the need to maximise the surrounding tobacco markets in the region, like the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), South Sudan and Somalia. The research on the value chain of tobacco production will help the government to adjust itself in the provision of farm inputs, extension officers and other facilities which are necessary for sustainable farming.

The Minister for Agriculture, Food and Cooperatives, Eng. Christopher Chiza said an agreement on phytosanitary requirements for tobacco leaves to China was an important move that will assure farmers with a new and reliable market.
The agreement signed between two governments was on Phytosanitary Requirements for Tobacco Leaves from Tanzania to China between the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ). "By signing the agreement, it gives an assurance that they will buy tobacco from Tanzania.
This move will remove doubts created by traditional markets in the West where there are threats of banning tobacco importation," he said. Mr Chiza said in the 2010/11 season, farmers produced 130,000 tonnes but only 90,000 tonnes were procured. The next season saw declining production due to losses incurred.

List ya Members wanaotakiwa kuandaa SERA ZA TAFE.

GENDER POLICY

1. Happines Mshana

2.Luiza Henry

3.Steven Namahochi

4.Abdul Mwasha

                           

AGRICULTURE POLICY

1.George Makona

2.Halima Msitu

3.Joseph Mwindoi

4.Abdullatif Ayoub

HIV/AIDS POLICY

1.Charles Salu

2.Joseph Ambrose

3.Julietha Komba

4.Sara Kazumba

ANT- CORRUPTION POLICY

1.Barka Omary

2. Mr John

3.Sharif Muhib

4.Irene Massey Ibrahim

NB; Mwisho wa kuandaa sera kwa mujibu wa kazi mliyopewa na TAFE  ni Jumanne ya tarehe 9 mwezi huu ambapo jumatano kutakuwa kuna kikao cha members wote wa TAFE ili tuweze kuzipitisha hizo sera.

Does the future of farming in Africa lie in the private sector?

An Ethiopian farmer tills a field in the Amhara highlands.

African smallholder farmers are some of the most impoverished people in the world (43% are women) and they account for 80% of food production in sub-Saharan Africa. Some people argue their future will be driven by the private sector – the UK's Department for International Development has been working to link up businesses with smallholder farmers. Giant food retailers are also starting to realise that they need to look after African smallholders to safeguard their future.

David Hughes, professor of food markets at Imperial College London, says "there has been a sea change in the last 18 months" at a senior level in companies including Unilever, Nestlé, Kraft and Mars. "This is nothing to do with fuzzy CSR [corporate social responsibility]; this is that if they don't have profitable farmers then they won't have the raw materials they need to make their products. If there are 5 million cocoa producers in Africa, then we are looking at billions of dollars needing to be invested into their production."

This month more than 500 private-sector representatives, government officials, donors, civil society representatives, farmer organisations and academics met in Ethiopia for a conference organised by the Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Co-operation. They discussed the role of the private sector in upgrading smallholder agriculture to meet demand from foreign and emerging markets in developing countries. Investment interest is underscored by the IMF's forecast of 5.7% economic growth in 2013 for sub-Saharan Africa, which is being driven by rising commodity prices.

Rising food prices suggest global demand is still outpacing farmers' productivity, and resource-constrained smallholders need greater market access, training and technology to increase their agricultural production, according to the experts at the meeting in Ethiopia.

Development organisations are promoting the merits of a mutual partnership between large corporations and small farmers. John Moffett, director of policy and strategy for Self Help Africa, has been working with small-scale cashew nut farmers and those who commodify the nut in Benin, with support from PepsiCo, to supply Europe's markets. "Strengthening smallholder value chains is really about helping farmers to move from being subsistence based to enabling them to make a better profit," says Moffett.

Moffett says the role of NGOs is starting to change: he sees them playing more of a temporary role in facilitating trade between small-scale producers and the private sector. Once the supply chain links are in place he says, "the NGO will shift to being a watchdog".

"Development is now really focused on the economic development of Africa through trade," Moffat adds. "It is moving away from the constant injection of aid funding into Africa and focusing on something which, over time, should be more sustainable." Africa's population is expected to reach 2 billion by 2050, so some argue it cannot afford to be short-sighted when dealing with investors.

Large agriculture firms such as Cargill and Monsanto, partners of the G8 New Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition, are starting to offer farmers greater access to fertiliser, quality seeds, finance and other services such as phones and GPS systems to help cut out middlemen and guarantee a reliable production of goods for their consumers.

The majority of soil in sub-Saharan Africa is infertile. To achieve intensive productivity of cash crops, the use of inorganic fertilisers, pesticides and GM "high-yielding" patented seeds will be increasingly portrayed by these companies as indispensable to reducing hunger levels on the continent and providing food for export.

Yet Patrick Mulvany, co-chair of the UK Food Group, believes that behind this push for a stronger private-sector alliance are agribusinesses that depend on the imposition of an industrialised agricultural model in African countries based on chemicals and GM seeds for their own commercial success.

Such agricultural inputs "trash the farmer's ecology by making the soil addicted to the application of fertiliser, which kills integral micro-organisms and nutrients in the soil, making it lose its functionality … undermining smallholders in the long term", Mulvany says.

He also criticised the role of some NGOs in promoting the relationship between the private sector and small-scale farmers, saying: "NGO reps are like the missionaries in America before the Spanish invasion. They come to Africa to prepare entry for the barons."

The message from big buyers is becoming increasingly loud and clear for smallholders. If you can provide a reliable supply of commodities, then we will reward you with higher prices and guaranteed markets. And if private-sector investment in smallholder farmers is on the rise, "the role of movements such as Fairtrade could change and become less critical", says Moffett.

Fairtrade Africa's executive director, Michael Nkonu, says: "Fairtrade has always been about inclusive business and effective partnerships along the value chain. We know Fairtrade alone is not enough to create the change of scale required in Africa, so working with key industry partners is paramount to achieve success."

The notion that a partnership between big business and small-scale farmers is going to transform Africa's food economy has its detractors. "Agribusiness corporations see smallholder farmers of the developing world as only representing an opportunity for securing supplies of food at relatively cheap prices, using cheap labour and, most importantly, as representing a burgeoning market for proprietary agrochemicals, compliant GM seeds and fertilisers," says Mulvany.

Mulvany, who has extensive experience of working with small-scale food producers, says: "There are opportunities for smallholders to sustain a strong and vibrant biodiverse food system using agro-ecological approaches … yet the only value for agribusiness are the chains which bind the food serfs to the food barons."

East African Coastal Ecosystem Will Resurrect As Indigenous Plants Are Nurtured

A team of people is writing a book on the native plants of coastal East Africa.

The team includes members from International School of Tanganyika Roots and Shoots Club, Missouri Botanic Garden, Mkuki na Nyota Publishers, Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences Environment Committee, and University of Dar es Salaam Herbarium.

We thought it would take about six months and now we find we have been working on it for over two years, and are not finished yet. The aim of the book is to increase people's awareness of the value of indigenous flora wherever they live, and that of the coastal East African in particular.

The East African coastal ecosystem - the coastal strip running from southern Kenya, through Tanzania, to northern Mozambique - is uniquely wonderful in the world. East African coastal forests are one of the world's most biologically diverse regions, and home to many species specifically found only in this region. It is already about 90% destroyed. - and the destruction continues.

The book will be a reference to help people distinguish between which plants are indigenous and which are not. The hope is that the information provided will enable people living in the coastal areas of East Africa to plant the species which are unique to this area, which have evolved to provide particular ecosystem functions and are most conducive to the conditions found in Pwani.

If we would plant the indigenous flora, the original ecosystem would begin to restore, to mend, to heal. This book arose out of the authors' desires to be part of the resurrection (kufufuka) of the ecosystem. It was extremely difficult to figure out what belongs.

Most people living in Pwani region have no personal knowledge of what this region's original ecosystem is. Manyof the plants you see in coastal Tanzania that you might think are native, often are not. This book is being written because of the lack of common knowledge about the coastal flora of eastern Africa. The book is organized with an introduction to the East African coastal ecosystem.

The second chapter identifies about 100 native species specific to the ecosystem of southern Kenya, coastal Tanzania, and northern Mozambique. The plants were chosen from the 4,500 plants of the East African coastal region. They were chosen by consulting with the results of the Frontier-Tanzania Coastal Forest Research Programme and many experts.

We considered importance, rarity, and availability. We considered which ones are suitable for domestication. We verified plants with the actual plant specimens of UDSM Herbarium, and the Mobot (Missouri Botanic Gardent) data base. For each plant there are photos of the whole plant, leaves, and fruit. Preliminary research was done by the IST Roots and Shoots Club members.

The third chapter describes many of the ornamental non-native species. There are fewer details in this chapter because the non-natives are much more familiar and easy to find information about. Many are easily recognizable by their show-y flowers.

The fourth chapter gives tips about how to plant and garden in the unique patterns of coastal East Africa - months of drought followed by heavy rain. The fifth chapter gives suggestions about where to plant. Wherever they were once found, indigenous plants should be returned to gardens, byways, roadways, parks, traffic roundabouts, petrol stations, schools, places of worship, hotels, in residential and commercial garden spaces, at schools, in city open spaces including graveyards, and along streets throughout urban and residential areas.

At the back are references, and resources about where to find the plants, and appendices with recipes. People like plants with household uses. Such trees which are indigenous to coastal East Africa are Mkwaju (Tamarindus indica), Mbungo (Saba comorensis), Mhina (Lawsonia inermis), Mbuyu (Adansonia digitata), Mng'ongo (Sclerocarya caffra, Eng. Amarula), and Aloe (Aloe segundo).

Widely used household products made from these plants are: tamarind juice, paste, and condiment; ubungo juice; henna dye; ubuyu oil and juice; amarula jam and liqueur; aloe soap and drink.

Tanzania, Japan Sign 1,282 Million Shillings Tabora Water Project.

  

GOVERNMENTS of Tanzania and Japan have signed the exchange of notes for the well drilling and water pipe construction for Rural Water Supply in Tabora Region worth 1,282m /-.

Speaking after the signing ceremony, the Minister of Finance, Dr William Mgimwa, said that the project of rural water supply is in line with the objectives of the National Strategy for growth and reduction of poverty including improvement of people's well- being.

"The overall objective of rural water supply project is to improve access of Tabora residents to safe and reliable water, and the success of implementation of this project will contribute significantly to the welfare of beneficiaries and overall development in Tanzania,"Dr Mgimwa said.

Dr Mgimwa also assured the government of Japan that the Tanzanian government will conduct close monitoring in order to ensure the design and quality of work meets the acceptable professional standards. "These projects are expected to benefit 20 villages in Tabora region.

The number of people who will have access to clean and safe water in these areas will increase from roughly 7.8 per cent in 2009 to an estimated 48.5 per cent in 2020," said Mr Masaki Okada, the Ambassador of Japan to Tanzania.

Mr Okada said that the grant will be extended and financed through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), which signed the agreement with the government of the United Republic of Tanzania.