SoC04 Enhancing food availability in Tanzania

Baraka Danson · 2024-06-26T13:07:22+00:00

Our country Tanzania has been passing through a period of different case's of shortages of food for the entire population this may be due to the production of small amount of food products that can't be enough to feed it's people although many factors such as deficiencies in agricultural policies can cause the situation. The aim of this story is to ensure that measures are taken by the country to ensure food availability for Tanzanian citizens and the non Tanzanians that live in our country or those who visit the country. The process by which people can get the readily available and enough food at any time and any place is what we refers as Food availability. The absence of food is shown by many indicators for instance the high price of food and rapidly fluctuations in price of food products sold in markets that cause high cost of ready processed and manufactured foods sold in restaurants, hotels and in food markets by the food vendors. For example, I asked the price of rice with fish (wali samaki) in one of the street food vendors in dar es salaam and the food vendor said it's Tsh 4000/=, The price was high for me that I decided to eat rice with beans ( wali maharage) that cost Tsh 2000/= but because the portion being very small I couldn't get satisfied. The problem of unavailable food supply within the country start with the initial production of that kind of food. Example currently there is a rapid fluctuations increase in price of onions in all markets over the country, Few month ago we used to buy onions for only a thousand Tanzanian shilling for a kilogram but recently it's cost is more than 3,000Tsh for every kilogram of onions. This shows that there is a rapid scarcity in initial production of onions that can be due to presence of some challenges with the onion farmers which should be resolved as fast as possible. I prefers my for country to ensure food availability to it people by ensuring that there is high supply of food within the country by facilitating large production so that the higher expenses used in buying food can be reduced from the national to the household level, by so doing other expenses can be used in the development issues apart from buying foods. We need Tanzania that will stop talking but act on agricultural policies, expanding the agricultural production by modern farming and animal husbandry as well as stocks and food preservation to prevent food losses. Employing the agricultural experts such as the horticulturalist, agronomists and crop producers in the national farms and agricultural sectors with a systematic supervision can expand the agricultural production. Range managers and animal scientist together with aquaculture students should be given chance to expand their skill to expand the animals and fish production respectively. We still have many areas where new farms can be opened and fish ponds can be build to increase fish production. All related experts in these food production fields should be given chances and opportunity to exercise their knowledge and skills and be innovated so that to reach a level of high production within our country but this should not discourage the task played by the unskilled personnel and those with informal experience and awareness on a certain issue such as Fishermen, they should not be harassed but should be informed on proper manner on how to perform their daily activities because their experience is helpful if kept in considerations. There are some places, institutions and companies that produces a lot of food for the country but the coordination and supervisor in those areas is very poor than the expected. Forexample Kilombero Plantation Limited ( KPL) was known by its efficient in cultivating so many acres of almost 12000 acres of paddy and some acres for maize which led to production of many tones of rice and corn, But since the initiators were out, the Tanzanian SUMA JKT owned the firm, But since the day SUMA JKT started it's operation at that place, there have been a disorganized supervisor and very poor coordination, production has declined due to decline of cultivation area to less than 7000 acres of paddy out of the totally area that of the Kilombero valley has of more than 15000 acres. Does this means that we Tanzanians we are unable to supervise our firms and increase in production?, certainly we can its the matter of mind changes of people and full support from the government and its policies toward our firms so that to increase the food production and availability. Lastly, there should be a control of national food export to enable enough food to be left back in the country. Food producer should be taught not to export all of their foods and remain with little or no food. The control of food imports should be considered too so as to ensure that the imported food is not much expensive. we as Tanzanians we should reduce the expensive food importation from other country as possible. We need a country that can have readly available food that is less expensive in the coming years with many stocks where the produced foods can be kept with a maximum care . If this not considered the price of food will keep on increasing due to dependence on external importation of food to a point that will lead to problems to the Tanzanians and other all people within the country. To end up my story of change, food availability can not be separated from agriculture although accessibility, stability and utilizability of the available food is important to be considered for the better changing Tanzania and its people.

Thread starter Baraka Danson
Start date Jun 26, 2024
Tags

agriculture in tanzania

Tanzania Tuitakayo competition threads

Baraka Danson

JamiiForums uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register.
By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our use of cookies.

Accept Learn more…

Back

Top Bottom

Forums

New posts

SoC04 Enhancing food availability in Tanzania

Baraka Danson

New Member

Our Community

Regional Communities