As Tanzania proudly hosted the Africa Food Systems Forum in September 2023 – the continent’s largest gathering on agriculture and food systems – the Sera Bora Project seized the moment to spotlight a critical conversation. On the sidelines of the Forum, Sera Bora convened a high-level agribusiness roundtable titled “Positioning Tanzania as Africa’s Food Basket: Fertilizer and Seed Security Initiative (FSSI).”
This dynamic side event brought together over 200 key players across the agriculture value chain—policymakers, development partners, seed growers, seed and fertilizer companies, and other critical stakeholders. The roundtable focused on identifying investment opportunities in Tanzania’s fertilizer and seed systems—two foundational pillars of agricultural productivity, food security, and regional trade competitiveness.
Distinguished participants included Hon. Hussein Bashe, Minister of Agriculture; Hon. Abdalah Ulega, Minister of Livestock and Fisheries; Hon. Mizengo Pinda, former Prime Minister and Advisor to the President on Food Security; Prof. Riziki Shemdoe, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries; Mr. Elijah Mwandumbya, Deputy Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Finance; and Mr. Lawrence Mafuru, Executive Secretary of the Planning Commission in the President’s Office.
By convening this strategic dialogue, the Sera Bora Project reinforced Tanzania’s commitment to transforming its agricultural landscape and advancing the Fertilizer and Seed Security Initiative (FSSI)—a bold step toward realizing Tanzania’s potential as a regional food powerhouse.
