Feed the Future Provides Tanzania Horticulture Association with $4 Million Grant

In December 2012, Feed the Future awarded a four-year, $4 million grant to the Tanzania Horticultural Association (TAHA) to help develop the country’s horticulture sector. This commitment is part of the New Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition launched at the G-8 Summit in May 2012.

TAHA provides technical support, market analysis and political advocacy services to a wide range of Tanzanian businesses in the horticulture sector. The Feed the Future grant will support TAHA in expanding its membership and services to the Southern Agriculture Growth Corridor of Tanzania (SAGCOT), a region identified by the Government of Tanzania as having significant potential for growth in horticulture.

TAHA has played a critical role in representing this $350 million industry by providing technical guidance to farmers, advocating for policy changes and promoting Tanzanian horticulture products both locally and abroad. Currently, TAHA member-companies represent about 10,000 smallholder farmers.

Recently, TAHA was part of a successful effort to encourage the Government of Tanzania to waive the 18 percent value-added tax placed on airfreight for horticulture goods, allowing Tanzanian businesses to become more competitive while increasing their earnings. TAHA has also engaged with the Government of Kenya, successfully cutting the road-toll fee in half and removing Kenya’s import ban on cut roses so that Tanzanian horticulture firms can further increase exports.

With the help of the Feed the Future grant, TAHA will be able to increase its staff by 50 percent and double the number of smallholder farmers that it represents.