A few years after its inception, TAPBDS recognized the need to align its services with agriculture, Tanzania’s largest economic sector, involving over 80% of the population. Nane Nane has become the premier event where farmers and supporting agencies showcase progress and investments in agricultural research, mechanization, and various inputs and outputs.
TAPBDS collaborates with SMEs, farmer groups, local governments, and cooperatives to support the agricultural value chain. By providing essential business development services, the organization reinforces and strengthens input and output markets and financial systems. While TAPBDS does not offer direct services to farmers, it works through last-mile service providers to enhance their efficiency and reduce costs for farmers, leading to increased economic value.
This year, TAPBDS is participating in Nane Nane exhibitions in Dodoma with its partners, including AGRA, USAID, CIMMYT, and other development agencies. The organization is showcasing beneficiaries of its services from various parts of Tanzania, particularly the Njombe, Iringa, and Morogoro regions, where its 2023 efforts were concentrated. TAPBDS plans to bring the expertise and experience gathered in the value chains of maize, rice, sunflower, horticulture, and soybeans.
“We should use the Nane Nane exhibition to showcase our agricultural advancements and regional strengths. It’s important to highlight local technologies, innovations, and agricultural products and services. I encourage the organizers to provide more space for micro, small, and medium enterprises in the supply chain to display their offerings. It would be a mistake to fill the exhibition with vendors of yeboyebo, second-hand clothes, and plastics, while a vendor selling roasted peanuts is placed outside. We should support local businesses that add value to our agricultural products. This event is also important for showing the impact of global agricultural aid. The public should be able to see these contributions and share their thoughts,” said Mr. Joseph Migunda, the Chief Executive Officer at TAPBDS.
He further emphasized that the event should showcase collaboration between different sectors. For example, if banks offer agricultural products, they should be able to engage with agricultural stakeholders and farmers, explaining their services and making connections. This also applies to manufacturers and suppliers of mechanization equipment and others who support efficient agriculture.
In essence, Nane Nane is a major networking opportunity. The agricultural sector has many stakeholders who often lack a central meeting place. Nane Nane has become that venue where partners can easily find and collaborate. Therefore, TAPBDS invites SMEs, farmer groups, local governments, cooperatives, and stakeholders to contact them to continue strengthening the agricultural value chain through its business development services essential for reinforcing and strengthening input and output markets and financial systems.