Dr. Mwinyi said at the opening of the horticulture knowledge hub in Zanzibar that the administration will improve critical infrastructure, create a business-friendly environment, and provide extension services to boost the industry.
“Horticulture is one of the priority industries, because of its importance to our economy. Our priority is to create a conducive business environment, improve productivity, facilitate access to markets, build infrastructure for irrigation and markets, facilitate access to information, research, and improve the provision of counseling services. The president said.
At the Abeid Amani Karume International Airport, the president of Zanzibar announced plans to build a horticultural logistics center with ultra-modern cold storage facilities for perishable goods destined for the external market.
According to the president, the establishment of a green belt to provide a special window for the handling of perishable exports at the key port of Zanzibar to speed up the clearance of fresh products is one of the steps to be taken.
He also went on to give some insight into the horticulture market in Zanzibar, including the fact that 90% of the country’s horticulture is actually consumed domestically by the 1.9 million Zanzibar residents and 600 hotels that accommodate 0.5 million tourists a year on the island , creating a huge market for horticulture.
“For example, the annual demand for vegetables and fruits in Zanzibar is about 276,000 metric tons for each resident who consumes 146kg according to the recommendations of the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) every year,” he said. said.
“Taha’s contribution to women and youth employment, increasing income for small-scale farmers, nutrition, and the economy in general deserves appreciation,” the president added, after applauding Taha for his contribution of almost a decade to the development of the island nation’s horticultural sector.
In response, the chairman of the Taha board, Mr. Zebadiah Moshi, praised the organization’s relationship with Zanzibar and thanked the Zanzibar administration for allowing the organization’s health cooperation since its establishment in 2012.
“It is our commitment to honor our partnership with the government of Zanzibar to realize the great horticultural development of Zanzibar together,” the chairman of the board said.