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Trade Policy for enhanced export competitiveness

Posted on: March 31, 2021

The TCII Grant action “Trade Policy for enhanced export competitiveness”, implemented by REPOA, aims to support exporters, trade support institutions (TSIs), the government officials and other development stakeholders to enhance the capacity of Tanzania as an ACP country to formulate and implement suitable trade policies, including strategies for strategic measures to harness the opportunities arising from effective implementation of regional and international trade agreements.

As part of the activities carried out under this Grant Action, REPOA conducted 2 capacity building trainings on “Strengthening exporters’ capacity to sustain and enhance export competitiveness and diversification”.

Rice Millers Training (Kahama, Shinyanga)  

This was the first of a series of three-day intensive short-term training of rice millers aimed at building their capacity in good rice milling practices (GMP), and to inculcate entrepreneurship and skills to transform millers from being not only service providers but also business operators, which in turn will facilitate growth and transformation. The training was conducted from 20^th – 22^nd January 2021 in Kahama, Shinyanga region. The location was purposefully selected because Kahama is one of the districts with the highest rice production in Tanzania and it was officiated by the Kahama District Administrative Secretary (DAS) Hon. Timothy Ndanya who represented the Shinyanga Regional Commissioner Hon. Zainab Taleck and the Kahama District Commissioner Hon. Anamringi Macha.   

The capacity building followed a training needs assessment of 100 millers that determined various operational gaps that millers are currently experiencing in the production of quality rice that is competitive in the domestic, regional and international markets. The gaps identified included: 

• Awareness on good rice milling practices 
• Tanzania Bureau of Standards (TBS) certification 
• Food safety and personal hygiene in rice processing 
• Financial management, record keeping and filing tax returns 
• Rice standards and grades 
• Packaging and branding 
• Milling machine maintenance and spare parts 
• Warehouse management 
• Compliance issues.                                                   

Prior to the training each miller had to indicate their willingness to be involved in the project which included attending the milling training on improved milling technology, upgrading their milling machine components, and improving the workplace environment.                                                       

Competitive Trade Capacity Building Programme for Seaweed Farmers

This was a seven-day short term training of trainers (ToT) aimed at stimulating local production and trade of seaweed was conducted on 14^th -20^th December 2020 in Pemba, Zanzibar and officiated by the minister responsible for agriculture in Zanzibar (ZMANRLF) Hon. Soud Nahoda Hassan, the outgoing minister of Marketing, Trade and Investment (ZMTI) Hon. Amb. Amina Salum Ali, and ZMTI’s Permanent Secretary Mr. Juma Reli. The training focused on competitive farming methods and trade for comprehensive deep-water seaweed which is key to the production and trade of high quality and high value Cottoni specie in Zanzibar. The training included both classroom-based instructions and field demonstration in onshore subtidal waters with depth of between 4 and 6 metres. Skills imparted by the training included appropriate site selection, preparation of farming materials, farm setting and planting of propagules/seeds. The training followed year-long engagement with ZMTI and ZMANRLF leading to the joint-identification of capacity needs at the upstream of the value chain, and the design of the training using the beneficiaries’ seasoned seaweed experts. The training worked with 30 seaweed and aqua farming trainers— 19 women and 11 men. A second phase of the training on farm management and good harvesting practices will be conducted in early February 2021 in Unguja, Zanzibar, and will work with the initial clusters of trainees as well as additional 30 processors and exporters of seaweed who did not participate in the first phase of the training.