Tanzania, FAO, and partners discuss the follow-up to the National Roadmap to transform agrifood systems
4 April 2023 (Dar es Salaam) – The series of national and local dialogues on food systems during 2021 allowed a renewed outlook into strategic action pathways needed to build sustainable food systems. With support from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), other UN Agencies and partners, the Government of Tanzania, and other national and local actors came up with the Pathways and the Roadmap to transform agrifood systems in Tanzania.
The National Roadmap calls for the preparation of an Action plan and Monitoring and Evaluation Framework for the implementation of the outcomes of the dialogues.
Leveraging the momentum
The Tanzanian Government’s decision to host Africa’s Food Systems Forum in 2023 gave impetus to the country’s efforts to transform agrifood systems through a sustainable development aim. The Forum will be held in September in Dar es Salaam, following two previous annual editions aligned with the global United Nations Food Systems Summit in New York in 2021.
“The result of the Dakar summit where the president of the United Republic of Tanzania H.E Dr. Samia Suluhu Hassan actively participated set a precedent in changing the narrative of Food Systems transformation and investment in our country.” Gerald Mweli, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture
Tanzania’s President Samia Suluhu Hassan herself has championed agrifood systems transformation in Africa, calling for strong actions and localized solutions to strengthen food security across countries in the continent. She has particularly urged greater participation of young people in agriculture.
In line with these calls, Tanzania’s Ministry of Agriculture has launched a bold initiative to enhance the involvement of 200,000 young people in the sector. The Building a Better Tomorrow: Youth Initiative for Agribusiness (BBT-YIA) aims to promote motivated youth engagement, strengthen their capacities, and provide them with mentoring and coaching, as well as improve the agribusiness environment to enable more youth-led enterprises.
Joining forces and acting together
Over the past two weeks, an FAO joint delegation in Tanzania met with representatives from ministries, civil society organizations, the private sector, academia, and other partners to assess needs, map priorities, articulate support and outline a plan of action for the next few years. The delegation included experts covering the project Governance Innovation for Sustainable Development of Food Systems, supported by the Government of Norway and the coordinator of the flagship FAO Hand-in-Hand (HiH) Initiative and,
Today, the senior representatives of the Government, including the Prime Minister’s Office, FAO and other UN agencies, Embassies, and other actors gathered in Dar es Salaam to discuss how to take the six Food Systems Pathways forward, work more effectively across public and private sectors, to advance the preparation of an Action Plan and M&E framework for agricultural and food systems transformation in Tanzania, under the leadership of the National Convener.
The Action Plan called the Implementation and Sustainability Plan will facilitate the interlinkages and complementarities across the ongoing initiatives such as Tanzania Agro-industrialization Flagship, BBT, AGCOTs, Hand in Hand Initiative, One Country one Crop Initiative, Dairy Nourishes Africa and Africa Food Future Initiative.
The results of this process will inform the upcoming stocktaking planned in July and Tanzania hosted Africa’s Food Systems Forum in September 2023.
“Through our Implementation and Sustainability Plan, to be developed together with our FAO, UN and other partners, we are taking our transformation food systems development forward with an effective Monitoring and Evaluation framework to ensure impact for all Tanzanians.”
Dr. Kassey, National Convenor, Food Systems, Ministry of Agriculture
“Under ASDP, we are looking also for planning indicators for improved food security and health, including increased availability of legumes, protein and other nutritious foods as we improve food systems transformation in the country. The office of Prime Minister will join hands with partners to move this forward and look forward to more and better investments and returns under ASDP 2.”
Dr. Salim, ASDP Co-ordinator, Prime Ministers Office.
“We stand ready to co-ordinate and support the needed integrated planning across multiple sectors in Zanzibar and look forward to the next steps for food systems development.”
Dr. Salhina Ameir, Deputy Permanent Secretary, Second Vice-Presidents Office
“We need to transform our agri-food systems to ensure they are sustainable, equitable, and able to provide healthy food for all. And here I would like to express my greatest compliments to Tanzania for preparing to host Africa’s Food Systems Forum 2023. This will be an imperative and unique opportunity to mobilize the country and all of Africa on the transformational change needed in our food systems.” Nyabenyi Tipo FAO Country representative Tanzania
“The United Nations has been a key partner in supporting Tanzania's pathway towards the Sustainable Development Goals – the SDGs. The UN has been working on areas such as poverty reduction, healthcare, education, gender equality, environmental protection, and many others. And these efforts often intertwine and crosscut themselves, urging us all to work more and more together. You simply can’t have Zero Hunger if you don’t also encompass climate mitigation and adaptation strategies.” Zlatan Millisic, United Nation Residence coordinator
FAO is also supporting Tanzania to review Agriculture Sector Development Programme – Phase 2 (ASDP II) and the mid-term review of the National Development Vision 2025 – the overarching development framework setting national priorities and identification of investment needs. The mid-term review is the opportunity to ensure food system transformation is included in ASDP II.
Together with a wide range of partners, FAO is supporting Government in its efforts to promote more efficient, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable agrifood systems in Tanzania,” said Dubravka Bojic, FAO Programme Officer. “This participatory approach motivates the development of priority policies, influencing and shaping rules and practices that impact rural people and the society as a whole.”
“Using innovative Hand in Hand tools and approaches such as the Geospatial Platform and advanced data management and digitalization, Governments such as Tanzania can bring in investments at scale for needed food systems transformation. We look forward to having Tanzania present its prioritized value chain investments at the FAO Hand in Hand Investment Forum, to be held in Rome, Italy in October 2023,” advised Anthony Bennett, Hand in Hand Co-ordinator, FAO-HQ, Rome.