Africa-Press – Tanzania. THE National Coffee Development Strategic Plan 2020/21 to 2024/25 aimed at increasing coffee production to reach 300,000 tonnes by this year, increasing the production of coffee which fetches premium prices from 39 per cent to 70 per cent, strengthening the country’s position in international markets, looking at new markets while expanding the local market and improvement of the coffee trading environment.
To achieve the above aims of the Strategic Plan, it was anticipated that some activities were to be implemented and at the end activities which were implemented were outlined.
Revealing this was an Agricultural Planning Officer at Tanzania Coffee Board (TCB), Mr Geofrey Francis when addressing the 15th National Coffee Stakeholders Conference held at Saint Gaspar Hotel and Conference Centre in Dodoma on 3rd -4th July this year.
Mr Francis started by outlining to the stakeholders’ activities which aimed at increasing coffee production to 300,000 tonnes by 2025 that were to be implemented, naming them to be production and distribution to farmers a total of 95,025,300 coffee seedlings of the new varieties of both Arabica and Robusta coffee.
There is an issue of expansion of the existing coffee farms and establishment of new farms; strengthening of research results dissemination to farmers and extension officers and realising an increase in youths and women participation in coffee production.
He further said on these which were supposed to be implemented the following activities were actually implemented naming them as the fact that a total of 97,346,579 equivalent to 102 per cent of what was supposed to be implemented was realised detailing this number to be the new varieties of both Arabica and Robusta coffee seedlings produced and distributed to farmers.
“In 2020/21 a total of 11,388,474 of such seedlings were produced and distributed to farmers, 2021/22- 17, 866,980, 2022/23- 22,628,919 while in 2024/25 a total of 31,346,033 of such seedlings were produced and distributed to farmers” he said.
Coming to activities which were earmarked to be implemented so as to increase the amount of coffee which fetches premium prices, he named them to be encouraging small holders’ coffee farmers to adhere to the 10 commandments of producing good quality coffee.
Also on cards is capacity building to the coffee sector stakeholders so that the same can get sustainable verification and certification and initiating and strengthening of the use of Coffee Pulpery Units (CPUs) at the Agricultural and Marketing Cooperative Societies (AMCOS) level. On what actually was implemented as to the above he mentioned the establishment of 218 Pilot Coffee Farms; training of a total of 98,216 farmers on the ten commandments of producing good quality coffee; drilling of irrigation wells in Mbozi district whereby already the contractor has already drilled 10 od such wells whilst preparation for drilling other ten wells is in progress.
In addition he said the country has witnessed the establishment of large farms in Kagera, Mara, Songwe and Ruvuma regions; TCB has already appointed a total of 51 coffee inspectors stationed in each coffee producing district council countrywide; training and capacity building to a total of 108 youths on coffee grafting techniques and the fact that the Tanzania Coffee Research Institute (TaCRI) have been facilitated to able it continue with providing extension services through its sub- stations countrywide.
Giving details on which activities were planned to be implemented so as to strengthened the country position in the international markets while also looking for new markets, he named such activities to be strengthening of the relationship between producers and special markets; encouraging Tanzanian Coffee Branding worldwide and formulating a special strategy of advertising the country’s coffee in China and other new markets.
As to this he said what was implemented was encouraging local consumption of coffee; establishment of mobile coffee shops; establishment of the World Coffee Drinking Day and Kahawa Festival not forgetting participating in various coffee exhibitions worldwide whenever possible.
Lastly, he named the activities already implemented to improve the coffee trading environment which he mentioned to be the facts that TCB have continue with preparing and staging the annual National Coffee Stakeholders Conference; improvement of the country’s existing digital markets and the establishment of the Tanzania Trade Portal.
Responding to this address stakeholders unanimously passed a resolution to the evaluation of the implementation of the National Coffee Development Strategic Plan 2020/21- 2024/25 while also agreeing to the formulation of the National Coffee Development Strategic Plan 2025/26 to 2030/31.
Source: dailynews
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