ILRI’s Amos Omore (left) and Tanzania President Jakaya Kikwete (seated) during the launch of the Tanzania Livestock Modernization Initiative on 20 July 2015 (photo credit: ILRI/Mercy Becon).

By Mercy Becon.

A recently unveiled Tanzania Livestock Modernization Initiative (TLMI) is expected to contribute to the improvement of the livelihoods of the country’s smallholder livestock farmers and increase their contribution to national food security.

Launched on 20 July 2015 by President Jakaya Kikwete, the initiative, which is the biggest and most comprehensive plan of its kind in the country, draws on expertise from livestock experts in the country and from across the world. It proposes strategic measures for growing Tanzania’s livestock sector including by improving livestock breeds and feeds to boost dairy production.

President Kikwete said ‘proper use of Tanzania’s livestock resources will transform livelihoods among farmers and other stakeholders in the livestock value chain.’ He challenged livestock researchers to ‘develop laboratories for livestock research and increase artificial insemination centres in the country’.

The report was prepared after week-long deliberations by scholars and livestock experts and also drew input from pastoralists and farmers representatives. It says strategic focus areas for enhancing livestock sector production in Tanzania include:

• Rangelands conservation and management
• Genetic improvement of livestock breeds
• Improving beef, poultry and dairy production
• Improving livestock markets
• Establishing responsive veterinary systems
• Livestock research and extension
• Improving resilience in pastoral communities
• Boosting investment for livestock sector development, and
• Mainstreaming livestock sector development in national agriculture and rural development initiatives

The initiative also recommends the setting up of a one-stop shop for livestock sector investors at the Tanzania Investment Centre.

International and national experts in the livestock sector, ambassadors and top government officials attended the launch.The preparatory work for the TLMI was funded by the Danish embassy in Tanzania and the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI).

ILRI is implementing various livestock projects in Tanzania including the Irish Aid-funded MoreMilkIT project in Morogoro and Tanga that is developing scalable dairy market hubs that help smallholders access inputs and services so they can achieve a critical mass of milk supply.

Download the Tanzania Livestock Modernization Initiative report.

Read a related story in the ILRI Livestock Systems and Environment blog.

Read a blog article on the launch.