COLLABORATION between the Ministry of Agriculture and the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) has reached a milestone in enhancing global market access for Tanzania’s agricultural crops.

This is through implementation of ‘Strengthening Plant Health in Tanzania for Enhanced Food Safety’ (STREPHIT) project which has facilitated handover of a market access dossier for eight priority crops to representatives from 14 countries.

Funded by the European Union, the project aims to enhance access to safe and high-quality agricultural produce for both local and international markets.

Deputy Minister for Agriculture David Silinde officially presented the market access dossier to representatives in Dodoma late last week in an initiative which is expected to open new markets valued at approximately $3.4 billion.

The ceremony was attended by ambassadors from the export countries, underscoring the importance of the initiative for Tanzania’s agriculture sector.

The 14 countries involved in the initiative include EU member states, tUSA, Zambia, Pakistan, South Africa, India, Brazil, Mexico, Singapore, China, Malaysia, Canada, Turkey, Iraq and Israel.

“This handover marks a crucial turning point for Tanzania's agriculture sector,” Silinde said.

Idrisa Abdallah, Deputy Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture –Zanzibar, highlighted the significance of this step for Zanzibar's agricultural exports, particularly for cloves, one of the island’s primary exports.

“Securing access to this substantial share of the global market will certainly benefit our farmers and strengthen our thriving agriculture sector which contributes about 85 percent of export earnings in Zanzibar and 27 percent of the GDP,” he said.

STREPHIT project is dedicated to ensuring that Tanzania’s agricultural products comply with international standards, particularly phytosanitary standards essential for export markets. By meeting the standards, Tanzania aims to enhance its agricultural exports, especially to the EU and other global markets.

Lamine Diallo, head of Natural Resources Section at the EU Delegation to Tanzania and the East African Community, emphasised the EU’s commitment to supporting Tanzania's agriculture sector.

“The development of these market dossiers highlights the European Union's dedication to improving safety and health standards, boosting market access and promoting investment in Tanzania’s agricultural produce. This will stimulate growth in the export business and benefit Tanzania's agriculture and farmers,” he said.

Dr Nyabenyi Tipo, FAO Country Representative and Dr Monday Ahonsi, technical adviser at FAO, praised the collective efforts that led to the achievement.

“The accomplishments are a result of joint efforts under the STREPHIT project which focuses on strengthening Tanzania’s plant health services to meet the stringent phytosanitary standards required by global markets,” Dr Tipo said.

The Ministry of Agriculture through TPHPA in collaboration with the EU and FAO, remains committed to ensuring that Tanzanian agricultural products are competitively positioned in international markets, fostering growth and development across agriculture sector.