During International Tea Day 2023 in Dodoma, CARE International in Tanzania was awarded the Shield Trophy as one of the substantial contributors to the tea sub-sector development in Tanzania.
Also, Hon. Hussein Bashe, the Minister of Agriculture in Tanzania, launched the first-ever Tea Good Agricultural Practice training manual. The manual was developed through the collaborative efforts of CARE International in Tanzania, Kazi Yetu, and key stakeholders in the tea sub-sector in Tanzania, i.e. The Tea Board of Tanzania (TBT), Tanzania Smallholders’ Tea Development Agency (TSHTDA), Tanzania Tea Research Institute (TRIT), and representatives of tea farmers from Join Enterprises. The manual includes a facilitator’s guide and a participant’s workbook, which the TSHTDA plans to distribute to tea Extension Officers and farmers in tea-producing regions to improve tea productivity in Tanzania.
CARE International in Tanzania has actively supported the Tanzanian government’s initiatives to promote agricultural value chains, including Tea. The Her Money, Her Life project, which aims to increase independence and economic opportunities for women and youth farmers in the tea sub-sector, is implemented in four regions of Tanga, Iringa, Njombe, and Mbeya under the support of Bloomberg Philanthropies.
The Tea commemorating event was attended by various stakeholders, including the Deputy Minister for the Ministry of Investment, Industry, and Trade, Hon. Exaud Kihage, and the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture, Mr. Gerald Mweli. The event showcased innovations in specialty tea products, which Mr. Mweli showed a keen interest in scaling up in Tanzania.
Overall, developing the Tea Good Agricultural Practice training manual will significantly contribute to Tanzania’s tea sub-sector.
