MWE Correspondent
KAZI Starfunding Tanzania, in collaboration with the Small Industries Development Organization (SIDO), has trained beneficiaries and entrepreneurs involved in food processing and value addition as part of efforts to strengthen entrepreneurship and income-generating opportunities.
The five-day training was held at the TTCIH Hall in Ifakara, where participants received practical skills aimed at improving their ability to process, package and add value to various food products.
The training covered several areas of food processing, including the preparation of bites, juice production and baking of different food products. Participants were also encouraged to apply the acquired skills to develop products that can be produced commercially and generate sustainable income.
The initiative comes amid growing emphasis on value addition as a way of enabling small-scale entrepreneurs to move beyond the sale of raw agricultural products and earn greater returns from locally available resources.
For many small businesses, food processing provides opportunities to extend the shelf life of agricultural produce, reduce post-harvest losses and create marketable products for consumers. Skills in processing, quality control, packaging and product development can also help entrepreneurs improve the competitiveness of their businesses.
Also Read: Tanzania Joins GPE Push To Mobilise More Education Financing
The training therefore sought not only to equip participants with technical knowledge but also to encourage them to use food processing as a pathway to self-employment, increased production and expansion of their economic activities.
Participants expressed appreciation to KAZI Starfunding Tanzania and SIDO for providing the training, describing the practical skills as an opportunity that could improve their livelihoods and create new sources of income.
They said they intend to use the knowledge gained to establish new businesses or improve existing production activities, particularly through adding value to locally available food products.
The collaboration between KAZI Starfunding Tanzania and SIDO highlights the role of practical vocational and entrepreneurship training in supporting small businesses and strengthening local economic activity.
By equipping entrepreneurs with hands-on food processing and value-addition skills, such programmes can contribute to the development of small enterprises, increased household incomes and greater utilisation of locally produced agricultural products.
