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President Museveni Hails Tanzania’s High-Quality Rice, Calls for Quality-Based Competition
Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa has highlighted the confidence expressed by African leaders in Tanzania's strategies for producing high-quality food crops, particularly rice and maize.
Speaking today (Saturday, January 11, 2025) at the Special Summit of African Heads of State and Government on the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP 2026–2035) in Kampala, Uganda, Majaliwa assured his counterparts that Tanzania will continue to invest in agricultural research and strengthen partnerships with private and public institutions to cement its position as a key food producer on the continent.
The Prime Minister conveyed his pride in the recognition Tanzania has received, particularly from Uganda’s President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, who praised the superior quality of Tanzanian rice and maize. “This recognition underscores the great strides we’ve made in transforming our agricultural sector,” Majaliwa said.
President Museveni, addressing the summit, lauded Tanzania’s rice for its exceptional quality and affordability. He encouraged African nations to embrace competition through quality improvement rather than restrictions. “There was a time I was advised to block Tanzanian rice from entering our markets, but I insisted we should focus on competing by enhancing the quality of our own products,” Museveni said. He emphasized that Tanzania’s role as a reliable supplier creates valuable opportunities for other countries to benefit from its agricultural output.
Majaliwa reaffirmed Tanzania’s commitment to ensuring food security both domestically and regionally. “Our agricultural focus has shifted from subsistence farming to commercial production,” he noted, adding that the country aims to consistently produce surplus food for export.
President Museveni also used the platform to urge African leaders to prioritize value addition in agriculture to maximize returns and create jobs, especially for young people. He cited coffee as an example, noting that in Uganda, a kilogram of raw coffee sells for $2, whereas processed coffee fetches up to $40.
The summit emphasized the importance of collaboration and innovation in driving Africa’s agricultural growth and positioning the continent as a global food production leader.
