In Tanzania, The Netherlands has been an important stakeholder in promoting and developing the production and use of the potato crop, as Jafari Juma reports for the Citizen. Speaking with the Citizen during the commemoration of the World Potato Day, which was held at the Dutch Embassy in Tanzania on August 19, was the Ambassador of the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to Tanzania, Wiebe de Boer.
He said the day was designated to draw attention to the importance of the potato crop and bring out critical issues in the production and supply chain, while ensuring the potato’s contribution to sustainable agriculture and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially goals relative to hunger, achieving food security, improving nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture.
He says in Tanzania, potato crops is predominantly smallholders in a low input-output farming system. As a crop, the potato has the potential to make a significant contribution to food and nutrition security because it is a nutrient-dense food and can be well suited to the local farming systems.
With the availability of improved Dutch potato seed varieties, farmers have an opportunity to increase efficiency in farming which will trigger more investments and trade within and across the sector creating an immediate and long-term impact on income generation, employment and entrepreneurship, food insecurity, and climate change resilience, especially for the participation of small-holder farmers.
Given that, de Boer has urged youth to prioritize and take up potato farming due to its numerous benefits as well as the growing demand for the product locally and in the international market.
Source: The Citizen. Read the full story here
Photo: The Ambassador of the Kingdom of The Netherlands to Tanzania, Wiebe de Boer hands over a gift to the winner of the Potato Recipe Challenge, Elice Lekasino. Credit the Citizen
