ABOUT 400 young people in 10 regions of Tanzania are expected to benefit from post-harvest technological skills training which focuses on controlling aflatoxin contamination in maize and ground nuts.
A five-year project, called ‘Tanzania Initiative for Preventing Aflatoxin Contamination (Tanipac)’ will be implemented by the Vocational Education and Training Authority (VETA) in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture.
The youth will be trained in artisanal skills in fabrication of metal silos as storage facilities effective in controlling germ contamination.
The project targets all stakeholders in Mainland Tanzania and Zanzibar who are involved in the production of maize and groundnuts and where evidence indicates high likelihood of aflatoxin contamination.
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the project to be implemented from 2019 to 2023 was signed January 9, this year, in Dodoma between VETA Director-General, Dr Pancras Bujulu, and Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture Mathew Mtigumwe.
The project document mentions the regions as Dodoma, Morogoro, Mtwara, Ruvuma, Tabora, Kigoma, Mwanza, Manyara, Simiyu, Geita and Zanzibar.
Speaking after signing the MoU, Dr Bujulu said the implementation of the project, which has some exceptional components, was an opportunity for VETA to extend its training to those engaged in agriculture and would be used as pilot training to other Tanzanians beyond the project area.
“We are ready and committed to training 400 young people and believe this will spread the technology. But we won’t be limited to the project area. We will go beyond and reach other Tanzanians in need of such training,” Dr Bujulu said.
On behalf of the Permanent Secretary, Director of Human Resources and Administration Hilda Kinanga expressed hopes that collaboration in the implementation of the project would result in significant outcomes in food security and value addition of selected crops.
