Africa-Press – Tanzania. SMALL scale sunflower farmers from Singida Region have been encouraged to participate in various business forums and exhibitions to gain necessary information for increasing productivity and tapping new market potentials.
This was said by Iramba District Commissioner Suleiman Mwenda in the just ended stakeholders’ sunflower exhibitions urging the fair was an important platform for getting market information and benefit from the sunflower value chain.
The stakeholder’s sunflower exhibitions that took place between August 10 to 15 this year was organised by the Tanzania Trade and Development Authority (TanTrade) in collaboration with development partners.
“Through the exhibitions, sunflower producers from Singida Region which is the biggest producer of sunflower oil in the country can learn from various experts including manufacturers of farm inputs, modern farming technology and financial institutions that lend to farmers,” he said.
Mr Mwenda said farmers are important stakeholders in the whole sunflower value chain, thus urging TanTrade to partner with his district to organise forums and exhibitions to reach more farmers.
On her part, the Acting TanTrade Director General, Latifa Khamis said the exhibitions went alongside the forums that aim to bring together all stakeholders in sunflower farming to discuss the development of the sector. Also, sunflower producers were offered training aiming at tapping efficiently the market potentials.
Also during the exhibitions, farmers and other stakeholders participated in the business to business virtual meeting aiming at linking sellers and buyers from within and outside the country.
“The Cooking oil sector is one of the strategic sectors for which the government target to increase production and reduce imports,” she said.
Ms Latifa said the project is being implemented by the Industry and Trade Ministry through TanTrade in collaboration with other institutions from various ministries financed by the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) and European Union (EU).
