Home AFDB USD 2.5 mn AfDB fund to boost Tanzanian Horticulture

USD 2.5 mn AfDB fund to boost Tanzanian Horticulture

18

(3 minutes read)    

The African Development Bank Group (AfDB) has approved a USD 2.5 million grant to support approximately 10,000 small horticultural businesses in Tanzania. The funds are from the Global Agriculture & Food Security Program (GAFSP), a multilateral financing platform dedicated to improving food and nutrition security worldwide.

The African Development Bank Group (AfDB) has approved a USD 2.5 million grant to support approximately 10,000 small horticultural businesses in Tanzania. The funds are from the Global Agriculture & Food Security Program (GAFSP), a multilateral financing platform dedicated to improving food and nutrition security worldwide. The primary goal is to assist food system service providers in rural areas. The program will increase the production and marketing of horticultural products to address the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. It will promote sustainable agricultural techniques and strategies for biodiversity and landscape management, including production, climate consultancy services, and post-harvest management.

The scheme would be implemented in four regions. These include the rural district of Morogoro, Mvomero district in Morogoro region, Wanging’ombe district in Njombe region, and Kaskazini districts in Unguja, Zanzibar. The project targets five value chains: spices, tomatoes, peas, green beans, and potatoes. It also plans to build climate-resilient facilities for sorting, packing, and storage in Morogoro district to reduce post-harvest losses. The project aims to improve the efficiency of small operators in Tanzania, increasing the volume and quality of products. This is expected to benefit other farmers and contribute to the country’s agricultural sector.

Read Also:

https://trendsnafrica.com/tanzania-rides-on-a-steady-economic-growth-grew-by-5-2pc-in-q2-of-2023/

https://trendsnafrica.com/tanzania-invites-investors-in-feed-production/

https://trendsnafrica.com/lindi-to-develop-as-a-blue-economy-hub-of-tanzania/

The main horticultural crops of Tanzania include tomatoes, cabbages, onions, carrots, round potatoes, mangoes, oranges, and flower seeds, among others. Tanzania’s horticultural industry largely depends on smallholder farmers who own less than 2 hectares of land. The value of Tanzania’s current horticultural export is USD 700 million, and this subsector is growing at a rate of 11% per year versus 4% for the overall agriculture sector.