EAST AFRICA NEEDS MORE INVESTMENTS IN AGRICULTURE

 

More investments in agriculture are needed in the East African region to enable member countries to attain food security.

The call was made in Arusha last week at the start of TanzFood Expo which attracted exhibitors from the region and beyond. 

Arusha regional commissioner John Mongela said time has come for the banks and the private sector to increase investments in the sector.

"Agricultural sector has the potential to assist Tanzania and the East African Community (EAC) countries to attain food security", he said.

For many years, budget allocation to agriculture in the EAC bloc had remained low besides low investments in the sector. 

In Tanzania, the figure was 5.3 percent, 2.9 percent (Uganda), 7.9 percent (Rwanda), 2.3 percent (Kenya) and 13.3 percent in Burundi.

Stakeholders in the sector have repeatedly demanded the EAC partner states to  allocate and disburse at least 10 per cent of their national budgets to agriculture.

This should go alongside operationalizing the agriculture investment banks that would support  commercial agriculture for higher yields.

Mr. Mongela expressed hope that the Expo, organized by the EAC in collaboration with the Moshi-based Kilifair company, would grow into a regional event. 

GIZ, the German agency for international cooperation,is one of the main sponsors of the three day event at the Magereza grounds in Arusha.

German Ambassador to Tanzania Mrs Regina Hess challenged Tanzanians to ensure the Expo enabled them to network with investors from within the region and beyond. 

"Such trade fairs provide opportunities for exhibitors to sell and market their products in addition to networking with investors", she said.

She urged the EAC to convene more trade fairs, saying such forums would strengthen the regional economy " and enable producers and innovators to tap into the international markets".

Gracing the event, the EAC deputy secretary general (Productive and Social Sectors) Christophe Bazivamo said the region was irked by huge post-harvest losses

According to him, up to 30 percent of cereal products, 50 percent roots and tubers and 70 percent fruits are lost in the region during and after  harvesting.

He called on six partner states in the bloc to reverse the trend through deployment of better storage and processing technologies.

Enhanced packaging techniques can greatly contribute to the regional development objectives, ensure food security and result in higher earnings to the farmers.

He added that the EAC has developed clear policy directions for the investors and established a public private sector fruits and vegetables platform to drive faster development in the sector.

Agricultural sector in the EAC employs the highest number of East Africans and contributes over 20 percent to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the EAC.