In a groundbreaking development in northern Tanzania, thousands of local farmers are celebrating the attainment of their well-deserved Global G.A.P. certifications. This accomplishment signals a monumental shift towards safer, sustainable, and more rewarding farming practices for these dedicated agriculturalists.
Specifically, four groups of horticultural farmers, comprising nearly 1,000 members in the Arusha and Kilimanjaro regions, have successfully secured Global G.A.P. certificates. This achievement is particularly significant for smallholder farmers who export their crops to international markets.
Global G.A.P. stands for Good Agricultural Practices and is an internationally recognized set of farm standards developed by European countries. It is dedicated to ensuring food safety, promoting safe farming practices, safeguarding workers and animal welfare, and facilitating international trade.
The Kilimanjaro Regional Commissioner, Mr. Nurdin Babu, recently presented Global G.A.P. certificates to Shamkeri growers and Umoja Arusha from the Arusha region, as well as Mamba Miamba ginger growers cooperative and Umoja Kilimanjaro from the Kilimanjaro region in Moshi Municipality.
Expressing gratitude, Mr. Babu thanked the Tanzania Horticultural Association (TAHA) and Food and Forestry Development Finland (FFD Finland) for facilitating the accreditation process. He emphasized that this achievement would unlock a treasure trove of opportunities for the horticultural farmers, enabling them to access lucrative global markets with discerning buyers eager for their high-quality, responsibly farmed produce.
The Global G.A.P. certifications mean that French beans, peas, bitter gourd, chilis, ginger, avocado, and capsicum growers from Arusha and Kilimanjaro regions are no longer confined by geographic boundaries. They can now tap into premium prices and reliable demand across the world.
Ezekiel Ndika, a ginger farmer from Same district in Kilimanjaro region, expressed hope that the Global G.A.P. certification would open lucrative markets for their crop. "It’s like a miracle; we are extremely happy for the feat. We are now sure that our horticultural crops will be competitive in the world market. Thank you TAHA and FFD-Finland for your generous support," added Prisca Kimaro, a farmer from Arusha region.
Zacharia Kiputa, the TAHA Food Safety and Standards Coordinator, highlighted that the globally trusted emblem serves as a testament to the farmers' unwavering dedication and the transformative power of sustainable practices. He emphasized that their commitment to excellence ensures the health and well-being of consumers worldwide, fostering long-term trust and loyalty.
TAHA, a pioneer in Tanzania's horticultural excellence, is actively supporting the accredited local farmers through the Quality Standards for Enhanced Market Access for Small Holder Farmers in Tanzania (SEMA) project. This initiative equips farmers with the necessary preparations to comply with and meet international market requirements on food safety and standards.
Since 2012, TAHA has collaborated with FFD in various interventions to support smallholder farmers and the Tanzanian horticultural industry. The ongoing SEMA project (2021 – 2024) aims to improve, increase, and diversify production; reduce post-harvest loss, and build market linkages in the local horticultural value chain.
Simon Mlay, the Executive Associate to TAHA CEO, explained that the collaboration with FFD aimed to enhance TAHA’s capacity to deliver different services and support the horticulture industry in the country. The SEMA project has strengthened TAHA's Agronomists' capacities in quality standards, including GLOBAL G.A.P., widely applied in international horticultural trade.
Through SEMA, TAHA has trained 15 Agronomists licensed on GLOBAL G.A.P. standards, recognized as registered trainers, and five auditors in its portfolio. The goal is to build a critical mass of GLOBAL G.A.P. standards experts and auditors, enhance export market compliance, raise food safety awareness, promote sustainable farming practices, and reduce certification costs for farmers, producers, off-takers, and exporters in East Africa.
Mr. Mlay noted that through the project, TAHA established the Tanzania National Technical Working Group (NTWG) tasked with adopting universal standards into a local scale or context by developing guidelines called National Interpretation Guidelines (NIG) for the GLOBAL G.A.P. standards.
As a result of the SEMA project, more than 3,500 farmers, with 41% being female and 35% youth, were trained in GLOBAL G.A.P. standards. About 1,200 farmers received Global G.A.P. certificates for various export value chains to the EU and US markets in the project areas of Arusha, Kilimanjaro, Njombe, and Unguja in Zanzibar.
Notably, avocados produced under certified environments by the project groups saw a significant increase. About 10,800 metric tonnes worth $27 million were exported in 2022, compared to 9,000 metric tonnes worth $22.5 million before the project interventions in one project region of Njombe, according to TAHA Research Information Centre (TARIC).
Additionally, 663 metric tonnes of vegetables worth $6.36 million were exported in 2022, compared to 110 metric tonnes valued at $1.06 million exported two years before the project intervention. The SEMA project continues to make strides in promoting sustainable agriculture and facilitating access to international markets for Tanzanian farmers, marking a transformative journey toward agricultural excellence and global recognition.