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Tanzania's Agriculture minister criticises US food donation amid abundant harvest

By Gelle Dheere | 17 Mar 2024

The initiative received mixed reactions from Tanzanian citizens, with many questioning the need for food donations in a country with a vibrant agricultural sector.

Tanzanian Agriculture Minister Hussein Mohamed Bashe has urged the US government to buy Tanzanian produce instead of sending heavily subsidised food aid to the country, which is making significant progress towards achieving food self-sufficiency.

The Minister’s comments were in response to an announcement from the US Embassy in Dar es Salaam yesterday, revealing that the US Department of Agriculture, in partnership with the NGO Global Communities, has donated "fortified rice, pinto beans, and sunflower seed oil sourced directly from American farmers to schools in Tanzania’s Dodoma region."

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"We have communicated with the NGO overseeing the school feeding programme in primary and secondary schools to relay the message to Americans that there is an abundance of rice and beans in our country," stated Hussein yesterday.

"Our country is self-sufficient; we don’t need to import food from the US,” Hussein said, adding that there was ample food available locally for Tanzanian pupils.

“Consequentially, the money that they are using to give American farmers should be given to Tanzanian farmers instead.”

The announcement from the US Embassy regarding food aid to Tanzania hit a raw nerve and sparked a contentious debate on the country's social media platforms.

In response, the Minister has directed the Ministry's Permanent Secretary to ensure that the NGO refrains from utilising US food aid in its school feeding programme.

Tanzania has invested enormous resources and efforts to combat food insecurity within the country. This year, the nation achieved a remarkable milestone by yielding a bumper harvest, bringing it closer to achieving food self-sufficiency.

The country is expecting a rice harvest of 5 million metric tonnes this year, a significant increase from the previous estimate of 2.3 million metric tonnes, while the national demand for this staple food is slightly over 1 million metric tonnes.

In 2022, Tanzania produced close to 2.5 million tonnes of beans and other legumes, surpassing the annual demand of 1 million metric tonnes.

Despite these commendable achievements, Tanzania continues to face challenges due to the US’s persistent practice of flooding the African market with heavily subsidised food surpluses.

Many in Tanzania, as well as across Africa and the Global South, view this approach as a form of food imperialism that undermines local agricultural economies and self-sufficiency efforts.

Part of the food donation by the US Department of Agriculture, in collaboration with Global Communities to Tanzania. (Photo: US Embassy Tanzania)

Here are some of the reactions.

Hii ni NGO gani inafanya huu mradi, possibly wametukosea sana. How comes Tanzania tukawa na shida kufika kugawiwa chakula, they should have relocated this fund to other agricultural projects like @kilimo tija etc, ambayo impact zake tunaona.
— Fadhili kisusange (@Fazo_di_matteo) March 17, 2024

Food donation to a country that is basically agricultural?! Something is basically not right 🤔
— Aloys Mwanga (@AloysMwanga) March 15, 2024

I'm sure you would never do this under Magufuli regime. This is your chance. For the best of my knowledge, In Tanzania there is enough food. There is nutrients food. There is technology too. Only we lack committed leaders who would serve our interests.
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. C. C
— ALLY WARYOBA (@AllyMonge) March 17, 2024

Hivi Tanzania tunahitaji msaada wa Chakula kweli??

Chakula??? MAHARAGE, MCHELE, MAFUTA YA ALIZETI???.

Ndugu zetu Marekani njoni tushirikiane katika mambo mengine muhimu ya kuinua uchumi. Tanzania kusaidiwa Chakula HAPANA. Natamani kufahamu kiongozi wangu aliyeomba msaada wa…
— Elias G. Balimponya💪 (@Balimponya) March 15, 2024

Kama mnatupenda tupeni dhana za kisasa za kilimo,tuna mito,mvua za kutosha,mashamba ya kuiilisha hata marekani nzima, changamoto yetu ni dhana za kilimo.
— Onesmo Shoo (@OnesmoShoo) March 15, 2024

mchele wote uliojaa Ifakara, Mbarali, Magugu, Shinyanga, Chato haututoshi mpaka tuukubali wa msaada?? Kwanini wasingenunua mchele wa hapa hapa ndio wautolee msaada?
— ɥɐᴉɯǝɹǝſ 𝕏 (@jeremykilato) March 15, 2024

Kiufupi Watanzania hatutaki misaada ya aina hii , kwa ardhi tuliyonayo sisi ndio tunatakiwa kutoa misadaa ya chakula kwa nchi zingine. Hatutaki pelekeni huko huko kuna nchi nyingi sana zinapitia changamoto ya chakula sio Tanzania , acheni kutudharau na kutuwekea mambo yenu
— ☆ⓙⓞⓝⓐⓢ ⓜⓐⓗⓤⓝⓓⓞ☆ (@jonamahundo) March 16, 2024