EIGHT Tanzanian exporters have secured agreements to deliver 960 metric tonnes of fruits and vegetables to Britain, estimated at $2.8m annually if it is sustained. Anthony Chamanga, the Tanzania Horticultural Association (TAHA) chief development manager, said at a press conference yesterday that horticultural farmers are staring at an export windfall as the UK’s broad and lucrative market opens its gates. The UK, renowned as one of the world's most lucrative marketplaces, has approved eight Tanzanian horticultural export companies for entry, offering a promising opportunity for local farmers. The rising demand in the UK for fresh produce, fueled by the health-conscious middle class, has positioned fruits and vegetables as the top performers in imported food items. Mbelwa Kairuki, the country’s high commissioner to the UK, played an essential role in linking local exporters with UK buyers, with dedicated collaboration from TAHA. Experts predict this venture will create approximately 3,800 job opportunities along the supply chain, helping to boost agro-sector unemployment. The Horticulture Exports Accelerator Program (HEAP), a newly developed initiative in partnership with TAHA, was facilitated by a delegation of eight local companies making the trip to connect with leading UK importers and explore collaboration opportunities. The TAHA executive led the delegation, participating in a key event held by the Fresh Produce Consortium to present their products and finalize contracts with potential buyers. During their visit, the Tanzanian delegation also explored Spitalfields Market, a central wholesale hub for horticultural imports in London, setting up networking contacts with traders for future partnerships....

(Togo First) - On October 28 and 29, the city of Aneho, near the border with Benin, hosted a training workshop for 50 women and young traders from Togo’s maritime region. Participants learned about customs procedures and regulatory requirements for cross-border trade, particularly along the Abidjan-Lagos corridor. The workshop was organized by the Ministry of Trade and Crafts, and backed by the World Bank's West African Food System Resilience Program (FSRP). The training aimed to improve understanding of the rules governing cross-border trade, making it easier to export goods. Batchassi Katchali, Director of Foreign Trade, underscored women’s role women in regional trade and noted the challenges they face, such as a lack of information on trade opportunities. FSRP representative Nator Koffi Edoh emphasized that workshops like the recent one will help participants enhance their trading activities along the corridor. Also, they align with the government’s efforts to build trade capacity across Togo, covering topics like customs procedures and the African Continental Free Trade Area (ACFTA).

The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), established in 2018, is the world’s largest free trade agreement, uniting 54 of Africa’s 55 countries under a common market of 1.3 billion people. The agreement is designed to drive economic growth, enhance intra-African trade, and attract investment across the continent by reducing trade barriers. Kenya, a key player in Africa’s agricultural exports, is looking to leverage this agreement to expand its tea trade and improve the livelihoods of its farmers. CNN’s Victoria Rubadiri recently visited Kericho, one of Kenya’s renowned tea-growing regions, to explore the role of tea in the AfCFTA. During her visit, she spoke with Antony Kinara Margia, an experienced tea farmer who expressed hope that the agreement could unlock new opportunities for Kenyan farmers. “Better returns for farmers may come from adding value to the tea and finding better markets. Let them not stick to one particular market; they can go elsewhere where they can get a better price. Currently, the prices offered are not very favorable to us as farmers,” said Margie. Farmers like Margia’s sentiments underscore the importance of diversifying trade opportunities beyond traditional markets. By expanding into new African markets, tea producers could realize better returns, enhancing the sector’s overall sustainability. Kenya is one of seven countries chosen to lead tariff-free trade under the AfCFTA’s Guided Trade Initiative. However, despite the promise of the initiative, logistical challenges remain. Lindah Oluoch, CEO of the Kenya Tea Growers Association, highlighted the difficulties experienced during the initial implementation of...

The strategy aims to boost trade across member states, with a focus on trade facilitation, regional integration, and capacity building. TradeMark Africa (TMA), an organization focused on promoting trade and economic development across African nations, has launched a new initiative aimed at enhancing value addition in Uganda’s agricultural sector. Since its establishment in 2011, TMA has been working to reduce trade barriers and foster regional integration, and this latest move marks a significant step toward increasing Uganda’s agricultural productivity. Speaking to journalists, Monica Hangi, regional director for East and Central Africa at TradeMark Africa, outlined the organization’s ambitious seven-year strategy, running from 2023 to 2030. The strategy aims to boost trade across member states, with a focus on trade facilitation, regional integration, and capacity building. Ms Hangi revealed that TMA has secured USD 1 billion in funding from 13 donors to support the program. "Discussions in Uganda have centered around value chain enhancement within the agricultural sector, particularly empowering and supporting youth in this area," she explained. With agriculture contributing 24% of Uganda’s GDP and employing over 70% of its workforce, the potential for growth through value addition is immense. The initiative is designed to improve the competitiveness of Uganda’s agricultural products, which could significantly increase farmers’ incomes and generate jobs. Ms Hangi also highlighted TMA’s broader impact, noting that their infrastructure investments across Africa have spurred a 12.8% growth in regional trade, largely due to streamlined trade processes and better market access for agricultural products. During a two-day stakeholder...

ARUSHA: TANZANIA’S High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Ambassador Mbelwa Kairuki, in partnership with the Tanzania Horticultural Association (TAHA), has effectively connected local exporters to potential UK buyers. As a result, eight Tanzanian horticultural export companies have finalised agreements to export a total of 960 metric tonnes of fruits and vegetables to the UK. This initiative is expected to bring in an estimated 2.8 million US dollars (about 7.6tri/-) annually to Tanzania’s economy. Experts predict that this endeavour will generate 3,800 decent jobs throughout the supply chain—from farms to packaging facilities—marking a significant advancement in tackling the unemployment challenges in the country. Expressing his satisfaction, Ambassador Kairuki stated, “I take great pride in having connected our horticulture exporters with UK buyers, aligning with our broader strategy of economic diplomacy under President Dr Samia Suluhu Hassan’s leadership.” Through the newly established Horticulture Exports Accelerator Programme (HEAP) and in collaboration with TAHA, Ambassador Kairuki facilitated a business mission to London for eight local companies. The objective of this visit was to engage with leading UK importers and explore potential business opportunities. The delegation, prominently led by TAHA’s Chief Development Manager, Mr Anthony Chamanga, took part in a prestigious event organised by the Fresh Produce Consortium (FPC). In his remarks, Mr Chamanga expressed gratitude to Trademark Africa (TMA) for supporting the UK trade mission through its programme for market enhancement of horticultural products (EMAHP). “This esteemed gathering enabled our companies to showcase their products and interact with potential buyers to strike business deals,” noted...

La Commission de la Communauté économique des États de l'Afrique de l'Ouest (CEDEAO), en collaboration avec la Banque africaine de développement (BAD), a récemment organisé à Accra, au Ghana, un atelier de consultation et de validation des parties prenantes pour l'étude de l'Initiative de développement spatial (IDS) du rapport intérimaire pour le corridor Abidjan-Lagos. Les experts ont délibéré sur les résultats de l'étude SDI, y compris une feuille de route complète pour le développement du corridor Abidjan-Lagos, en tenant compte des facteurs économiques, sociaux, environnementaux et logistiques, ce qui leur permettra d'obtenir le financement et le soutien des organisations internationales, des gouvernements et des investisseurs privés. Sediko DOUKA, Commissaire de la CEDEAO pour l'infrastructure, l'énergie et la numérisation, représenté par M. Chris APPIAH, Directeur par intérim des transports de la CEDEAO, à l'ouverture de l'atelier, a souligné que le projet d'autoroute du corridor Abidjan-Lagos était mis en œuvre non seulement comme un projet routier, mais aussi comme un "corridor de développement économique" intégré qui catalysera également le déploiement d'autres secteurs importants tels que le commerce, l'industrie, l'agriculture, l'énergie, l'environnement, les TIC et le tourisme. Le projet de développement du corridor routier Abidjan-Lagos, mis en œuvre par la CEDEAO, est une autoroute supranationale de 1 028 km qui constitue une partie importante du réseau routier transafricain. Le corridor autoroutier reliera les principaux ports et zones urbaines d'Afrique de l'Ouest, à savoir Lagos, Abidjan, Accra, Cotonou et Lomé. Il contribuera ainsi à stimuler le commerce et l'intégration en Afrique de l'Ouest, en...

TradeMark Africa (TMA) has signed a technical and financial support agreement with the National Horticulture Taskforce (NHT). The two partners committed to strengthen and sustain investments in Kenya's fresh produce exports. The agreement was signed as part of the EU-funded Business Environment and Export Enhancement Programme (BEEEP), which is among other areas supporting the transition of 50% of fresh produce exports from Kenya from air to sea-freight by the year 2030. The agreement was signed at an event which brought together stakeholders from the logistics sector to assess the state of agro logistics in Kenya and review development of Kenya’s Masterplan on the modal shift of fresh produce exports from air to sea freight. Kenya’s transitioning from airfreight to seafreight is not only an environmental choice but a vital economic advantage to secure its fresh produce exports, as supermarkets in the UK and Europe seek to diminish their climate footprint. Airfreighting from Kenya to Europe generates substantially higher greenhouse gases compared to sea freight (1 kilogramme of airfreighted green beans emits as much as 177 kilogrammes of sea freighted green beans). Part of the targeted initiatives by the NHT include building the capacity of producers of horticultural products to utilise sustainable processes including the use of renewable energy in farms, implementing various water conservation methods and transitioning exports of fresh produce from air freight to sea freight. Henriette Geiger, Ambassador of the European Union to Kenya said, “We are fully in support of the NHT as we transition the avocado, mango and vegetable value chains towards more sustainable production processes from farm to fork. This also aligns with our...

President Hakainde Hichilema joined President Antoine Félix Tshisekedi of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to inaugurate the Kasomeno-Kasenga-Chalwe-Kabila-Mwenda Road. This monumental project, part of the One Stop Border Post initiative, also includes the construction of the Luapula River Bridge, cementing the strong bilateral relations between Zambia and the DRC. The Kasomeno-Mwenda Road Project signifies Zambia’s dedication to enhancing connectivity and economic integration in the region, while fostering economic growth through innovative Public Private Partnerships (PPP). President Hichilema stressed that this approach not only alleviates fiscal pressure but also encourages private sector involvement in Zambia’s economic development. President Hichilema and President Antoine Félix Tshisekedi of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) inaugurating the Kasomeno-Kasenga-Chalwe-Kabila-Mwenda Road. This project, which links the DRC to Africa’s east coast through Zambia’s Nakonde border and Tanzania, is poised to become the shortest route connecting the DRC to the Indian Ocean, opening up vast trade opportunities. It is expected that more than 400 trucks will utilize the Luapula River Bridge, providing a crucial trade link between Luapula province in Zambia and Lubumbashi in the DRC. In addition to facilitating trade and economic growth, the Kasomeno-Mwenda Road and Bridge Project holds the promise of job creation and infrastructure development. The local communities, particularly in Mwense, are set to benefit from increased economic activity in the region, as well as job opportunities during the construction phase. President Hichilema and President Antoine Félix Tshisekedi of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) during the inauguration of the Kasomeno-Kasenga-Chalwe-Kabila-Mwenda Road. The...

The East African Community is prioritising infrastructure development in the next fiscal year, signalling a break from a three-year lull blamed on the Covid-19 pandemic. The EAC on Tuesday tabled before the East African Legislative Assembly (Eala) budget estimates totalling $103,842,880 for 2023/2024, out of which 43 percent ($44 million), funded by development partners, will be used on infrastructure projects to spur intra-EAC trade, which increased by 13.4 percent to $74.03 billion in 2022 from $65.268 billion in 2021. The bloc has this year secured funding for road projects connecting Kenya and Tanzania though Lunga Lunga; Tanzania to Burundi through Kasulu; and Kenya to Uganda through the Busia border. It has also prioritised railway, air and water/port transport. “The secretariat will continue implementing successor multinational road projects linking partner states and the Phase II OSBP (One Stop Border Post) programme including the design, construction and operationalisation of prioritised OSBPs within the region to enhance regional integration and trade facilitation,” said council chair, Burundi’s minister for EAC affairs Ezechiel Nibigira. The Kenya-Tanzania road sections are in different stages of completion after the two governments secured €375 million ($410 million) from the African Development Bank (AfDB) and the European Union (EU). But some remaining sections still need funding to connect the entire stretch of the coastal corridor. “Construction of the multinational Tanzania/Burundi road: Kabingo-Kasulu-Manyovu (260 kilometres) in Tanzania and Gitaza-Rumonge (45km) in Burundi is ongoing following Burundi and Tanzania securing financing amounting to $322.35 million in the form of grants and loans from...

The European Union (EU) has invested GH¢75 million (€6.2 million) to help boost the competitiveness of the country's exports on the international market. The investment, made in the last four years, focused on three main value chains which included cassava, fruits (mango and pineapple), cosmetics and personal care products. It was a contribution to the West Africa Competitiveness Programme (WACOMP), a partnership initiative between the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the EU. The programme seeks to strengthen the competitiveness of West African products and to enhance the integration of ECOWAS countries into the regional and international trading system, including the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) The EU Ambassador to Ghana, Irchad Razaaly, who made this known at WACOMP Ghana SMEs Product Exhibition in Accra yesterday, observed that the investment would help Ghanaian businesses to build  better access  and become more competitive in regional and international markets. “The EU has contributed around GH¢75 million to the programme, with the aim to boost the competitiveness of Ghanaian exports and support sustainable production and processing. “We are focusing on three main value chains: cassava, fruits (mango and pineapple), cosmetics and personal care products,” he said. The exhibition was held by WACOMP in partnership with the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) for more than 50 EU-supported SMEs of fruits, cassava and shea butter products. Some of the firms that showcased their products included Unique Solution Farms, Ghana Home Foods, NyCa Pro Beauty, Leam Shea Products, Agape Cosmetics, Exotic and...