Tanzania may inn the next 15 years experience acute shortage of red abd white meat as well as milk, the Tanzania Livestock Master Plan (LMP) has warned
LMP has therefore, in its assessment of
the country’s demand for the main livestock products in the next 15
years suggested strategic measures to increase the sector’s production.
The assessment indicates that there will
be a shortage of about 1.7 million tonnes of red meat, an equivalent of
33 per cent of the demand while the shortage of white meat is estimated
at about 234,000, which is 47 per cent of the demand.
Milk scarcity is forecast at 5,870,000
tonnes, 38 per cent. A Senior Economist from the Department of Policy
and Planning of the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries, Mr
Steven Dalali said in Dar es Salaam yesterday that the plan focuses on
improving production in the livestock sector to contribute to household
and country’s income.
Mr Dalali said the government has created enabling environment by devising the strategies to avert the meat scarcity.
He said there will be proper management
of statistics collection that will point out areas of investment to
reduce poverty and boost development. “In the plan assessment, there is a
proposal in the area of policy and technology for the next 15 years and
the need for livestock products to help the country attains its
ambitious plan of becoming a middle income economy,’’ he stressed.
On the scarcity of red meat, Mr Dalali
said the main challenge remains on getting land for livestock keeping
due to chronic disputes between farmers and pastoralists in the country.
“The conflicts pitting pastoralists
against farmers have so far been derailing production ... our plan
therefore is to revamp the sector and bring positive changes as well as
reduce poverty through increased food security,’’ said Mr Dalali.
Tanzania Association of Pastoralists
Secretary General, Magembe Makoye appreciated the plan as a positive
move, giving proper direction for pastoralists in the next fifteen
years. However, he decried land availability as the critical challenge
impeding production among pastoralists.
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