Photo credit: Business Insider Africa
The East African country has achieved 128% food security.
Business Insider Africa reports that the country now exports some of its export products to other African countries, according to President Samia Suluhu Hassan. She announced welcome development on October 31 at the World Food Prize Norman E. Borlaug International Dialogue in Iowa.
The session, titled “Bold Measures to Feed Africa,” was moderated by Akinwunmi Adesina, President of the African Development Bank Group. It also featured Sierra Leone’s President, Julius Maada Bio.
Hasan explained that after achieving food sufficiency, “we are now working on quality, accessibility and affordability, and how to minimize post-harvest losses.
“We realized that investing in agriculture is much more costly than investing in the sector.”
Adesina praised President Hassan’s leadership and determination. He also credited her strong political will as key to facilitating Tanzania’s success in food security. He revealed that other African states are following suit, signalling the continent’s readiness for major investments in agriculture and food production.
Tanzania also achieved a new milestone by becoming a processor and net exporter of cashew nuts, which is rare among African nations. Cashews are typically processed in Asia. According to the president, Tanzania made remarkable strides in rural electrification, with nearly 100% of its 12,300 villages now connected to the grid.
Tanzania has made good use of the investment from the African Development Bank. It is creating jobs for youth and women through a program that targets the country’s 65% youth population with training in farming, agriculture, livestock, and crop farming.
The Tanzanian leader said each youth is given 10 acres of land and is supported by training. 11,000 people have already benefited, and this year’s harvest has begun.
The President said, “We thank the African Development Bank for supporting this program.”
