Govt signs new Sh1.8bn deal with UN food agency

Dar es Salaam. Tanzania has signed a Sh1.8 billion ($867,000) agreement with the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) to, among other things, fight toxic fungi found on crops such as maize (corn), peanuts, cotton seed, and tree nuts.

Under the partnership called Country Programming Framework (CPF), the two would implement a number of agricultural programmes, including tackling aflatoxins, the fungi associated with various diseases, and said to be causing several deaths in the country.

FAO country representative Fred Kafeero and the permanent secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries, Eng Mathew Mtigumwe, signed the deal at a function held in the city yesterday.

Eng Mtigumwe said Sh327.5 million ($151,000) would be spent on fighting aflatoxins.

“The funds will be used to tackle major challenges facing the agriculture sector, including the aflatoxins outbreak that caused several deaths in Dodoma recently,” he said.

The rest of the funds would be used in two other projects, including empowering Kagera women groups after earthquake (Sh648.8million), and value addition to agriculture crops Sh904.9million ($417,000).

He said agriculture plays a critical role in the country’s economy, and FAO is one of the key partners in improving the sector, which remains the biggest employer in the country.

Mr Kafeero said the framework would guide FAO’s support and partnership with Tanzania from 2017 to 2020.

“The framework aims to improve agriculture, food security and nutrition in the country,” he said. According to him, the collaboration between FAO and the government aims to reinforce priorities through evidence-based agriculture policy, planning, investment and sector coordination.