Dar es Salaam, September 7, 2023 - President Samia Suluhu Hassan of Tanzania has highlighted the government's commitment to engaging youth and women in the agricultural sector through the Building a Better Tomorrow (BBT) program. This initiative aims to enhance the livelihoods of young people while addressing challenges in the agricultural sector.
President Samia made these remarks during the Africa's Food Systems Forum 2023 Summit held at the Julius Nyerere International Convention Centre (JNICC) in Dar es Salaam. She emphasized the importance of open discussions with youth and women to identify barriers that hinder their participation in agriculture, thereby making it a more productive sector.
The BBT program was developed through collaboration between the government, researchers, private sectors, youth, and development partners. Its vision is to create three million direct and indirect jobs by 2030, along with establishing 12 thousand profitable youth enterprises.
Since its launch in 2022, the BBT program has successfully recruited 1,252 young people and women. Currently, 812 participants are enrolled in a four-month agribusiness training program, with 13 incubation centers for crops, 240 for livestock, and 200 for fisheries.
President Samia stressed that the youth can be pivotal in transforming Tanzania's food systems with the genuine support and commitment of the private sector and other development partners. The BBT program is designed to inspire youth to engage in sustainable and profitable projects, including crop production, livestock keeping, and fisheries, through training, mentoring, and coaching. It aims to enable youth-led enterprises by improving their business environments.
In a dialogue with the youth at the event, Hadija Jabiri, the founder and MD of GBRI Business Solutions in Tanzania, inquired about the government's efforts to help farmers access markets.
President Samia Suluhu Hassan also announced that nearly three-quarters of seeds in Tanzania will be locally produced by 2025. She made this statement during a dialogue session with youth at the Africa Food Systems Forum 2023 in Dar es Salaam.
President Samia emphasized that the seeds currently produced in Tanzania have the capacity to withstand challenges posed by climate change and are compatible with the country's soil. The government has been investing significantly in strengthening research centers and seed production farms to facilitate the production of high-quality seeds.
To support agricultural production and improve access to quality seeds, the government plans to conduct soil health tests for each farmer periodically. This initiative aims to determine the specific fertilizer and seed requirements for individual farmers, ultimately enhancing crop yields and food security.