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The Tanzania Plant Health and Pesticides Authority (TPHPA) has successfully protected 1.1 million tons of food from destruction during the last farming season by effectively controlling a large-scale pest invasion.
This initiative was spearheaded by TPHPA’s Director General, Prof. Joseph Ndunguru, who emphasized the critical role of pest management in securing the nation’s food supply.
The pests, which included rodents and armyworms, posed a severe threat to crops across more than 358,000 hectares of farmland in nine regions. The situation was exacerbated by a massive infestation of over 80 million quelea birds that invaded key agricultural zones.
In response, the TPHPA implemented targeted pest control measures, including the use of biological pesticides, to mitigate the damage. Prof. Ndunguru highlighted these efforts during the handover ceremony of a state-of-the-art biological pesticide laboratory in Kibaha, which was constructed at a cost of over TZS 3 billion.
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“Our goal is to protect crops without compromising human health or the environment,” said Prof. Ndunguru, emphasizing the importance of sustainable agricultural practices. The Tanzanian government has also banned 44 pesticides identified as hazardous to human health and the environment, as part of a broader strategy to enhance food safety and promote the use of less harmful pest control methods.
These initiatives are further supported by international collaborations, including the European Union (EU) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), through the ongoing “Strengthening Plant Health Services in Tanzania for Enhanced Food Safety” (STREPHIT) project.
