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<h2>From Vision to Action: Highlights from the 2025 KRTA Strategic Forum</h2><figure id="figure-vnrgg6ufvqmab2anau"><img id="vnrgg6ufvqmab2anau" src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/7w7Ir1Ewote3lrwiOSzN9fj1HJpbIh4cRR7jk9s9ZQOX1hffs7FP8OaSvbrbeviy.jpg" alt="" title="" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 rounded-sm md:rounded-md lg:rounded-lg" style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/7w7Ir1Ewote3lrwiOSzN9fj1HJpbIh4cRR7jk9s9ZQOX1hffs7FP8OaSvbrbeviy.jpg" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"></figure><h3>"If Tanzania can feed Africa, it can feed the world." </h3>These bold words from keynote speaker Mr. Geoffrey Kirenga captured the energy and urgency of this year’s Kilimo RoundTable Africa (KRTA) Strategic Forum, co-hosted with Uchumi Institute in Dar es Salaam.Held in March 2025, this landmark gathering brought together over 100 changemakers—from youth agripreneurs and farmer organizations to policymakers, researchers, and financiers—to map out a shared vision for agricultural transformation. At the heart of it all was a simple but powerful commitment: building a data-driven, inclusive, and future-ready food system.<h3>&nbsp;Uchumi Institute: Grounding Policy in Data and Grassroots Realities </h3>Uchumi Institute played a central role in shaping the dialogue. Our message was clear:"Without hard data, we cannot make smart investments. Without research, we cannot design policies that empower real farmers — not just theoretical ones." We led discussions on how evidence must translate into market access, land security, fair input pricing, and true empowerment for rural communities. Our partnership with KRTA—formalized through an MoU during this forum—signals a long-term commitment to data-informed advocacy, youth engagement, and grassroots policy transformation.<h3>What the Participants Said: Voices That Matter </h3>The forum wasn’t just about policy papers—it was about people. Over 100 participants shared reflections on what it will take for Tanzania to truly feed itself and the continent."If Tanzania wants to actually feed Africa, we must stop romanticizing agriculture and start treating it like infrastructure." — Servas Ngoi, SUGECO "We must close the gap between research and real farm practice." — Christian Mushi, AMETA Tanzania "Startups that innovate solutions for agriculture should be empowered." — Selestine Mushi, Tanzania Youth Alliance for Food Systems "Investments must go beyond cash crops… maize, rice, and beans should receive equal support." — Tabitha Kintingu, Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries These reflections, drawn from youth, women-led enterprises, cooperatives, and private investors, reflect a growing demand for practical tools, not just promises.&nbsp; Key Forum Takeaways ✔ Mechanization and cold chain investment are no longer optional — they are essential. ✔ Youth must lead—with land, finance, and startup support. ✔ Post-harvest losses can be reduced with storage, traceability, and agro-processing near farms. ✔ Policy consistency and regional market integration are needed to unlock trade potential. ✔ Food safety isn’t just for export—it's a public health issue at home. ✔ Private sector readiness is high, but enabling infrastructure and policy must catch up.<h2>&nbsp; The Road Ahead</h2> The 2025 Strategic Forum was just the beginning. As Uchumi Institute and KRTA roll out follow-up activities, including regional workshops and joint policy briefs, we are keeping one goal in mind: translating strategy into action—especially for those at the grassroots.Want to be part of the movement? 👉 Join our mailing list to stay informed. <a data-mce-href="https://kilimoroundtable2025.pixieset.com/sftyjoi/" href="https://kilimoroundtable2025.pixieset.com/sftyjoi/">📸 Explore event photos &amp; videos</a> 📝 Read our upcoming Forum Policy Brief for government and development partners.&nbsp; Together, we’re not just feeding Africa—we’re redefining how.

Highlights from the 2025 KRTA Strategic Forum

<h2>Coming Soon: Poultry Pro App – Powering Smart Poultry Farming in Tanzania</h2>At Uchumi Institute, we believe in harnessing data and technology to empower farmers, improve livelihoods, and drive sustainable growth across food systems. That’s why we’re excited to announce the upcoming launch of our Poultry Pro App—a smart tool designed to support smallholder and commercial poultry farmers in Tanzania and beyond.Why Poultry Pro? 🐣 Poultry farming is a fast-growing sector with incredible potential to boost food security, generate income, and create jobs—especially for youth and women. However, many farmers struggle with challenges like disease outbreaks, feed management, and market access. The Poultry Pro App aims to change that by putting actionable insights and tools directly in the hands of farmers.What Will the App Do?🚀&nbsp; Whether you're just starting with a small backyard coop or scaling up to a commercial layer operation, Poultry Pro is being built to help you at every stage of the poultry value chain. Key features will include:<figure id="figure-y4warxyuqcm9css40n"><img id="y4warxyuqcm9css40n" src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/1cO3dfZHO8GaAoDrcGhBvOwlkPmqPUrOdDJB9s0dDZdbThFngsMcbXlnRfqSjEc9.jpg" alt="" title="" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 rounded-sm md:rounded-md lg:rounded-lg" style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/1cO3dfZHO8GaAoDrcGhBvOwlkPmqPUrOdDJB9s0dDZdbThFngsMcbXlnRfqSjEc9.jpg" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"></figure>📊 Farm Dashboard: Monitor production, feed usage, and health metrics in real time.📅 Reminder System: Automate vaccination schedules, feed routines, and egg collection. 🐔 Breed &amp; Batch Tracking: Easily manage flocks, track growth, and monitor performance. 📚 Knowledge Hub: Access best practices, disease prevention tips, and market advice. 📈 Profitability Insights: Track your costs, sales, and returns in a clear, farmer-friendly format. Built for Farmers, With Farmers🤝&nbsp; What makes Poultry Pro unique is that it’s being co-designed with local poultry farmers. Field-tested on real farms—including our own pilot urban and rural poultry units—the app is tailored to Tanzania’s realities, including offline functionality for areas with limited connectivity.Looking Ahead🌍 As we prepare to roll out the beta version, our vision is to integrate Poultry Pro into training programs, farmer groups, and extension services. We're building a tool that doesn’t just track data—it helps farmers make better decisions, avoid losses, and grow stronger businesses.Stay tuned for updates on the launch date, testing opportunities, and how to get early access.

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Building Capacity for Safer Food Systems in Arusha<figure id="figure-t7r81guk3em9cj368w"><img id="t7r81guk3em9cj368w" src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/36oRTHqEmdq1hJCUSgNSOOwIlsi53VnTz7OWIRl4pNXBLfgNPDKhMPgkJmvdneI7.jpg" alt="" title="" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 rounded-sm md:rounded-md lg:rounded-lg" style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="null" data-positiony="null" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/36oRTHqEmdq1hJCUSgNSOOwIlsi53VnTz7OWIRl4pNXBLfgNPDKhMPgkJmvdneI7.jpg" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"></figure>In our ongoing commitment to strengthening food systems governance at the local level, our team in collaboration with Rikolto recently concluded a targeted capacity-building workshop with members of the Arusha City Council. The focus: food safety and food systems a cornerstone of public health, market development, and sustainable urban agriculture.Why Food Safety Matters Now More Than Ever Urbanization, growing consumer awareness, and increasing demand for traceable, high-quality food have made food safety a critical policy area. For a rapidly developing city like Arusha&nbsp; with bustling markets, growing agribusiness potential, and a vibrant hospitality sector — strong food safety systems are not just about compliance; they’re about unlocking value, protecting livelihoods, and fostering trust from farm to fork.What We Did Our capacity-building sessions were designed to address critical knowledge gaps in the city council’s current food systems oversight. Through presentations, case studies, and interactive group work, we tackled:<ul style="list-style-type: circle;" data-mce-style="list-style-type: circle;"><li>Key principles of food safety regulations and international benchmarks </li><li>The role of local government in monitoring, enforcing, and promoting good practices </li><li>Risk assessment frameworks to guide decision-making </li><li>Opportunities for integrating food safety into urban planning and food market management </li><li>Cross-sector collaboration models between health, agriculture, and trade departments </li><li>We also introduced practical tools to support inspection routines, vendor education, and early-warning systems for contamination risks in informal markets.</li></ul>Outcomes and Next Steps The engagement revealed strong enthusiasm within the Arusha City Council to not only implement best practices but also champion a system-wide approach to food safety. Participants expressed interest in:<ul><li>Establishing a cross-department food safety working group </li><li>Improving market infrastructure to meet hygiene standards </li><li>Piloting traceability programs in priority value chains </li><li>Hosting regular training for food vendors and handlers </li></ul>Looking Ahead This session is part of a broader push to enhance food systems governance in urban Tanzania. We are proud to support local councils like Arusha in taking bold steps toward safer, more resilient, and more inclusive food environments.At the heart of it all is a simple belief: safe food is smart policy — for health, for trade, and for the future of our cities.<figure id="figure-5i2q8rlx5a5m9cizt1c"><img id="5i2q8rlx5a5m9cizt1c" src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/2exkK4pVvXigsa9Kpxs0zs5ILYz0JawBzrnq42OMGeFhbsQxvxSJCUPuMoZzyA89.jpg" alt="" title="" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 rounded-sm md:rounded-md lg:rounded-lg" style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: undefined undefined;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/2exkK4pVvXigsa9Kpxs0zs5ILYz0JawBzrnq42OMGeFhbsQxvxSJCUPuMoZzyA89.jpg" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: undefined undefined;"></figure>

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Highlights from the 2025 KRTA Strategic Forum

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Building capacity for Arusha City council