Deputy ag minister visits WorldVeg in Arusha

On 2 July 2020, the World Vegetable Center Eastern and Southern Africa team welcomed Tanzania’s Deputy Minister of Agriculture, the Hon. Hussein Mohamed Bashe, to its premises in Arusha. Minister Bashe was accompanied by the Aru Meru District Commissioner, Mr. Jerry Muro, and CEO of the Tanzania Horticultural Association, Mrs. Jacqueline Mkindi.

WorldVeg Country Director for Kenya, Dr. Ralph Roothaert, guided the visitors on a tour of the genebank, entomology laboratory, and demonstration gardens. Minister Bashe was intrigued by the large amount of genetic diversity managed by WorldVeg; he stressed the importance of preserving varieties of traditional African vegetables that originate from Tanzania and other countries and the need to make them available to consumers in Tanzania.

Ralph explained how WorldVeg distributes seed kits and collaborates with local seed companies to ensure farmers have access to quality seed. Tens of thousands of farmers each year plant local varieties that have been selected by WorldVeg for their superb agronomic and nutritional properties.

In the laboratory, researcher Dr. Simon Boniface demonstrated the efficacy of non-toxic strains of the fungus Aspergillus to control aphids on vegetables including cowpea. With this and other new biopesticides WorldVeg is able to produce vegetables that are safer to eat because they do not need to be sprayed with chemical pesticides.

“The type of research conducted here is incredibly important for Tanzania and the whole region,” said Minister Bashe at the end of the tour. “Not enough people are aware of the good work carried out here. It will be important that WorldVeg’s funding is not entirely dependent on foreign donors, but that Tanzania and other African countries also support its work so that we can ensure continuity.”