DAR ES SALAAM, Feb 11 (NNN-DAILYNEWS) — TANZANIA, through its Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries and the Netherlands Embassy in Dar es Salaam, has launched a collaborative poultry disease diagnosis project aimed at enhancing knowledge exchange and utilising modern technology to control poultry diseases nationwide.
Speaking at the launch event in Dar es Salaam, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries, Professor Riziki Shemdoe said that the project is crucial in addressing animal health challenges through the Tanzania Veterinary Laboratory Authority (TVLA).
“This partnership marks a major milestone for both the Tanzanian government and the Netherlands Embassy in Dar es Salaam. Together, we aim to improve and control poultry diseases, ensuring food security across the country,” said Prof Shemdoe.
He said that the initiative would not only accelerate the fight against poultry diseases but also enhance laboratory diagnostics and introduce new technologies to support sustainable animal health management.
He also said that the poultry disease diagnosis project will focus on the comprehensive exchange of knowledge and investment in modern technologies, particularly in sample collection and analysis techniques.
Prof Shemdoe underscored the importance of poultry in unlocking economic opportunities, particularly for young men and women and addressing employment challenges.
He also pointed out that under the leadership of President Samia Suluhu Hassan, the government had launched a national livestock vaccination campaign with a budget of 28.1bn/-.
This initiative is aimed at boosting livestock trade and related products both domestically and internationally.
Furthermore, he revealed that the vaccination campaign is part of the broader National Livestock Vaccination Strategy, a five-year programme (2024-2029) to be implemented in phases.
“I encourage Tanzanians, especially the youth, to participate in the Building a Better Tomorrow (BBT) programme, which promotes youth involvement in agribusiness activities, including poultry farming,” he added.
Ambassador Wiebe de Boer of the Kingdom of the Netherlands commended the collaboration, noting that the project is financed by the Netherlands Enterprise Agency and implemented by TVLA and Royal GD, a Dutch organisation specialising in animal health diagnostics.
“I applaud the ministry and TVLA for their dedicated efforts to develop the poultry sector, though there is still more work to be done,” Amb de Boer said.
He added, “Royal GD, with its vast expertise in animal health diagnostics, can conduct up to five million laboratory analyses annually and serves clients worldwide.”
He also stressed the importance of effective disease management for the success and sustainability of the poultry sector, emphasising the need to strengthen TVLA’s diagnostic capabilities.
Amb de Boer also underscored the significance of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that formalises the collaboration in areas such as poultry health.
He pointed out that, in September last year, two delegations from the Netherlands, comprising 11 prominent poultry companies, visited Tanzania to provide specialised training and explore business-to-business opportunities.
An expert from Royal GD, Robert Molenaar described the poultry sector as essential for sustainable farming and the social wellbeing of communities.
“The Netherlands is the second-largest agricultural exporter of animal products globally, after the United States, due to our significant investments in technology for animal farming,” he noted. — NNN-DAILYNEWS