Tanzania event highlights US$154M IITA investment, showcases agricultural innovations
IITA also supported 60 PhD and 80 MSc students and hosted more than 500 undergraduate students.
TANZANIA – The International Institute of Tropical Agriculture has organized a stakeholder engagement event in Tanzania, highlighting approximately US$154.57 million in investments over the past 12 years, supporting research, infrastructure, equipment, and capacity-building across the country’s agricultural sector.
Former Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete attended as the Chief Guest and reviewed exhibition booths focused on research and farmer applications.
“I saw the wonderful work being done, not only by scientists but also by young people and farmers. This shows the transfer of knowledge and technologies,” he said.
To begin with, these agricultural innovations create new investment opportunities across multiple value chains.
For instance, more than 1.39 million farmers have adopted improved technologies, while over 10,000 young people and 11,000 farmers have received training in agricultural practices.
Additionally, IITA also supported 60 PhD and 80 MSc students and hosted more than 500 undergraduate students. Consequently, a pipeline of trained agribusiness professionals is emerging, ready to lead commercial farming ventures and supply chain enterprises.
Several digital tools are transforming Tanzanian agribusiness. Exhibition booths showcased advances in cassava and banana breeding, tissue culture, seed systems, and digital agriculture platforms used by farmers. Seed entrepreneurs and trained youth also presented agribusiness activities linked to these technologies.
Furthermore, resilient seed varieties and tissue culture technologies are enabling farmers to combat climate change and disease pressure.
More importantly, youth-led innovation is having a significant impact on regional food security. The event brought together IITA’s Board of Trustees, government institutions, research organizations, private-sector representatives, and farming communities.
“The future of African agriculture will depend not only on resources, but on our ability to work together with governments, research institutions, the private sector, farmers, development partners, and young innovators to scale solutions with urgency, ambition, and purpose,” said Simeon Ehui, IITA Director General.
For MEA fresh produce stakeholders, the Tanzania model shows how collaborative research can drive sustainable profitability.
By focusing on private-sector partnerships and infrastructure, the initiative aims to address regional challenges, including climate change, population growth, land degradation, and food insecurity.
Investors should monitor IITA’s seed systems and digital agriculture programmes as potential entry points for scaling technological solutions across East Africa’s fresh produce supply chain.
The economic potential of scaling these innovations remains substantial, with improved varieties and digital tools delivering measurable returns through higher yields, reduced post-harvest losses, and enhanced market access.
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