Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security National Food Director Karimu Mtambo talking to media during the SERA Policy project workshop in Dar es Salaam today.
Senior Agriculture Advisor at SERA Policy Project, Alex Mkindi (R ) briefs journalists at a one day seminar on food security in Dar es Salaam today. SERA is the policy arm of the Feed the Future Initiative supported by the American people through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) with him is the USAID supported Feed the Future Senior Advisor, Tom Hobgood.
A cross section of journalists during the SERA Policy Project workshop on Food Security in Dar es Salaam today.
A cross section of participants attending the USAID supported SERA Policy Project workshop to present the results of cutting edge research studies on food security in Dar es Salaam today.----
U.S. Embassy Tanzania
Press Release
Policy Research Helps Inform Food Security Decisions
On Wednesday, September 11, the SERA Policy Projecthosted a workshop in Dar es Salaam for food policy stakeholders to present the results of cutting edge research studies on food security. The research, which was conducted at the request of the Government of Tanzania, providesinformation on important policy issues affecting food security.
The SERA Project is the policy arm of the Feed the Future Initiative supported by the American people through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).The Project’s mandate is to provide the Government of Tanzania and other stakeholders with substantive research on policies affecting food security that the Government can use to make sound policy decisions.
In 2012 results of research conducted by the SERA Policy Project on the maize export banspurred Prime Minister Pindato lift the export ban in September 2012. As a result, earnings for farmers especially in rural, Southern Tanzania have increased.
One of the studies presented at the Wednesday workshop showed that the while the warehouse capacity of the National Food Reserve Agency is 241,000 tons only about100,000 tons of maize is needed to cover a shortfall occurring once every five years. This is significant given that the cost of storing the maize is exponentially higher than importing it if there was a severe shortage.
Based on findings such as this the researchers offer a number of recommendations that can ensure food security without disrupting markets. The dissemination of SERA Policy Project research findings helps raise awareness and demonstrate that Tanzania has a unique opportunity to become a major exporter of food crops, especially maize and rice, to the East Africa region. The workshop on the 11th will be followed by a presentation to Government of Tanzania officials on Friday, September 13th.
The Feed the Future Initiative is the U.S. Government’s response to global hunger and poverty. It seeks to lift one million Tanzanians out of poverty. The SERA Policy Project is the policy arm of the Feed the Future Initiative in Tanzania.
USAID Mission Director Sharon L. Cromer’s Remarks Feed the Future Policy Public Meeting
Serena Hotel, September 11, 2013
I am delighted to join you this morning. When I first arrived in Tanzania earlier this year, I was struck by the enormous potential this country has for economic growth. I have worked in many developing countries in Africa and Asia and it is very evident to me that Tanzania is on the path to becoming a middle-income country.
I am continually impressed with the strength of the Agriculture sector and I believe that better agriculture policies and practices are at the heart of building a stronger Tanzania. I was able to see the hard work of farmers in progress during a recent trip to Morogoro, visiting Feed the Future projects. A supportive and consistent policy environment plays into the success of small holder farmers, which can translate into a stronger economy for all of Tanzania.
In May of 2012, the G8 countries invited the Government of Tanzania to be one of three original countries as part of the “New Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition”. The intention of the “New Alliance” is to work together to generate greater private sector investment in agricultural development. As well as to scale innovations that will result in the reduction of poverty and end hunger.
USAID intends to support the GOT’s achievements in policy reforms initiated under the New Alliance with assistance to the operationalization of the Big Results Now! Delivery Unit structure. USAID, through its ongoing development programs, will continue to support Government of Tanzania institutions responsible for the development and implementation of these policies.
The U.S. Government’s Feed the Future Initiative is supporting the Government of Tanzania’s priorities in several ways. Today we will learn more from the Sera Policy Project. The research that the Sera Policy Project has conducted creates an environment to better understand policy options. The research shared today builds on previous research presented to the Government of Tanzania in June 2012. That research had several major conclusions:
- The regional market is expected to be in a food deficit for at least the next decade and that provides export opportunities for Tanzanian food crops.
- The export ban was not effective in controlling exports. In fact, the ban discouraged production, limited the market opportunities of farmers, and prevented Tanzanian from benefiting from exports to the region.
- The research also showed the dietary diversity in Tanzania and the need for additional research on the cost of a typical food basket in each region and the appropriate role of the National Food Reserve Agency and the Tanzania Social Action Fund.
I am happy to report that the Government of Tanzania acted on the knowledge gained from that research and Prime Minister Pinda announced the lifting of the export ban in September 2012. Additionally, the President and Government have committed to finding alternative approaches to the food security challenges.
Today, the SERA Policy Project with support from the NAFAKA Staples Value Chain Project and the U.S. Department of Agriculture will present new research on:
- A new methodology for estimating the cost of a typical food basket at the regional level, which will allow better targeting of food deficit regions.
- An estimate of the level and costs of the National Food Reserve Agency maize stocks needed to cover a production shortfall or disruption in international food grain markets.
- Further work on the impacts of export and import permits on food trade.
- The importance of a stable and transparent policy environment to private sector investment and operation, and the policy challenges facing Tanzania due to new East Africa Community rice tariffs.
- And, a presentation by the Executive Director of the Tanzania Social Action Fund on how it is contributing to food security.
These policy considerations, made at the high levels of Government and with input from farmer organizations and other non-state actors, influence the success of rural farmers and their livelihoods. The work you are doing extends farther than the doors of the Serena, and farther than the outskirts of Dar es Salaam; the discussions today and follow up over the coming months help dictate the strength of agriculture throughout the entire country.
I welcome these presentations and look forward to a healthy conversation about real solutions that will uplift Tanzanians out of poverty and provide a more food secure country.
Asanten isana.
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