The African Development Bank Group has approved a USD 2.5 million grant to support approximately 10,000 small horticultural businesses in Tanzania.
The funds, approved on 19th October 2023, 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.
Alexis Adélé, from the Communication and External Relations Department, stated 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.
