IITA takes part in annual national farmers’ exhibition in Tanzania
From 1 August, IITA joined tens of hundreds of stakeholders in the agriculture sector in Tanzania that took part in this year’s annual farmers’ exhibition dubbed Nane Nane, which means “Eight Eight”. IITA exhibited its technologies and innovations at both the national event, which was held in Simiyu District, Northern Eastern Tanzania and at regional exhibitions in areas in which the institute is active.
IITA’s exhibitions comprised its various innovations to boost agricultural production in Tanzania. These included various mobile and web-based applications to address some of the challenges the sector is facing.
IITA exhibitors explaining the various innovations developed by the Institute including apps..
Web and mobile apps for agriculture displayed
IITA exhibited NURU, the mobile application to detect diseases and pests of plant. IITA partnered with Penn State University to develop the app to detect cassava pests and diseases. The IITA team also exhibited the Akilimo application developed by the Africa Cassava Agronomy Initiative (ACAI) to support cassava farmers in making informed agronomy decisions. The App gives site-specific advice on fertilizer use, best planting date, weed control, intercropping, how to improve the quality of cassava root starch, and how to ensure a year-round supply of cassava—the latter are particularly important for cassava processing industries.
The team also demonstrated the Seedtracker app, the web-based platform for tracking cassava seed production in real time. The platform is active in Tanzania following a series of trainings for the Tanzania Official Seed Certification Institute (TOSCI) by IITA and currently has over one hundred certified cassava seed producers registered.
Aflasafe TZ01
Another innovation IITA displayed was Aflasafe TZ01, the safe and effective natural product developed by IITA and the agriculture ministry to make food safe by controlling aflatoxin contamination in the country. The product has been fully registered in the country with a private sector company, AtoZ, selected to mass-produce the product, which is expected to be in the market for the beginning of the 2019/2020 growing season in October.
IITA staff explaining how the all natural Aflasafe TZ01 works.
Tanzania Youth Agripreneurs
Tanzania Youth Agripreneurs also took part in the national exhibition at Simiyu and showcased various products made from processing agricultural crops. These include high-quality cassava flour and products made from the flour, soymilk and yoghurt, and poultry feed.
The Institute participated in the regional exhibitions in Zanzibar, Morogoro, Dodoma, Lindi, Mtwara, and Iringa. IITA has been taking part in these exhibitions every year as part of efforts to create awareness on its activities and technologies.
