November Issue No.024
In this issue, you will find:
Message from the Director General: P1
COSTECH disburses 8 mil. to Nkasi beef cattle cluster: P2
Uganda's Ministry of ICT delegation visits COSTECH: P3
COSTECH Zanzibar Office presents the draft of the ZRA: P4
Microsoft signs partnership with the COSTECH & DTBI: P5
COSTECH participates in the 2013 LOCS for Africa Congress: P6
`Witch weed’ striga new threat to Tanzania`s maize farmers: P7
ICT could greatly develop Tanzania farmers: P8
Microbes ‘cheaper, fairer’ fairer boosting yields than GM: P9
Meet Ms. Zainab Bakari: P10
Scientific research report: P11
Pictorial: P12
Upcoming Events: P13
Message from the Director General
Dear readers,
Welcome to the November issue of the e-Newsletter for the Tanzania Commission for Science and Technology (COSTECH). This
monthly e-newsletter covers a number of changes and events that take place at COSTECH and other science, technology and
innovation related trends that are happening in the world.
This month, COSTECH Zanzibar Office presented the draft of the Zanzibar Research Agenda to the Presidential Research
Committee of Zanzibar. This is a big step for COSTECH toward assisting the realization of the President of the Revolutionary
Government of Zanzibar, H.E Dr. Mohammed Shein’s dream of establishing the Directorate of Policy, Planning and Research in
every ministry with the aim to enhance the importance of using research findings in planning, monitoring and evaluation as well
as for guiding the government in establishing evidence-informed decisions for policy making, good governance and for sustainable
development. Once the document is reviewed and completed, it will help the government set research priorities in each sector
based on limited resources at hand, rather than dealing with all priorities at once.
The COSTECH through her autonomous entity, Dar Teknohama Business Incubator (DTBi) signed a collaborative Memorandum of
Understanding with Microsoft Corporation. The DTBi which was launched on October 31, 2011 has achieved a lot so far, the
efforts that attracted Microsoft Corporation to provide support services in BizSpark Network Partner membership where free
software and online services to startups will be provided for 3 years , Training for Trainers to selected trainers of the incubator
to develop their technical skills around the software development using Microsoft technologies, provision of devices to the
incubator so that developers can have a multiplicity of platforms to test their inventions on, and many more.
I am also grateful to the Microsoft for agreeing to build the DTBi and the Microsoft Innovation Center at the University of
Dodoma, whereby DTBi will help build entrepreneurs who will be job creators rather than job seekers and give them Business
Development Services for them to grow and become companies playing a role in the Tanzanian economy.
This month also, COSTECH participated in the 2013 Congress for Local Climate Solutions for Africa (LOCS), where the Commission
presented our contribution on how STI can be utilized as the main tool for sustainable and inclusive development in rural and
urban areas in Tanzania.
Other events that took place at the COSTECH include: the disbursement of 8 million to Nkasi beef cattle cluster and the meeting
we held with the Uganda's Ministry of Information Communication and Technology delegation visits COSTECH.
With these few words, let me take this opportunity to thank you for continuing to be part of the COSTECH community, and
welcome you to contribute to our e-newsletter in the future issues.
Regards,
1
Dr. Hassan Mshinda
DIRECTOR GENERAL.
By Festo Maro
On 14th November 2013, the
Tanzania Commission for Science
and
Technology
(COSTECH)
presented a cheque worth 8
million Tshs as seed fund for
improving management and
productivity using science
technology and innovation
to Nkasi beef cattle cluster
in Nkasi districts, Rukwa
region.
The handing over ceremony
which was held at Kalambo
ranch and graced by the
Rukwa
Regional
Commissioner (RC) Eng.
Stella Manyanya who was
accompanied by othe Nkasi District
officials. The event was also
attended by more than 250 people
including government officials,
villagers and farmers.
Speaking at the event prior to
handing over the seed fund
cheque, COSTECH Senior Research
Officer Mr. Festo Maro alluded that
the fund is not a panacea to all
cluster problems but is something
that adds value to cluster’s
business plan.
“It is very important for you to
prioritize where to invest the fund
in order to achieve quick gains that
will strengthen the cluster and also
facilitate technology transfer,” he
added.
He also stressed on the importance
of working together in cluster
where he pointed out that cluster
facilitates efficiency, innovations,
transparency,
product
development, technology transfer,
competitiveness and ability to
supply
clients
with
quality
products.
He advised the cluster members to
strive making their cluster become
a model for others to follow.
Fig. 1: Group picture featuring the Rukwa
Regional
Commissioner
Eng.
Stella
Manyanya (center), COSTECH Senior
Research Officer Mr. Festo Maro (second
left) together with Nkasi beef cattle cluster
members.
Eng. Stella Manyanya handed over
the cheque to the Cluster Secretary
Mr. Jisena Bilia and advised the
cluster leadership on the core
values
of
cluster
initiative
particularly on having common
vision and financial prudence.
She eloquently educated Nkasi Beef
Cattle cluster members that cluster
is all about working togetherness
and at the same time competing to
provide
best
services
and
innovative
products to
the
customers and emphasized the
importance of working in harmony
with farmers to avoid unnecessary
conflicts.
“We plan to come up with a master
plan that makes land use for the
region clearly indicate areas for
grazing,
farming,
residence,
recreation and other investments.
Land is scarce and therefore it is
2
important to protect it and
distribute
it
equally
to
accommodate productive activities
and ourselves” said Eng
Manyanya.
She also said her office, as
well as Local Government
Authority office will keep a
close eye on the funds
expenditure to make sure
the fund is spent within the
agreed business plan. She
also commended COSTECH
for availing the fund to Nkasi
pastoralists cluster and
promised
to
continue
working with the cluster for
the improvement of the diary value
chain.
Parallel to handing over the seed
fund cheque, Eng. Manyanya used
the same opportunity to handing
over the certificate of registration
to the cluster.
Nkasi beef cattle cluster is a
registered association located in
Nkasi District, Rukwa Region. It has
205 members and a total of 33,232
herds worth Tanzania Shilling 18
Billion. The cluster was formed in
2012 after the effort of the
Regional Commissioner Eng. Stella
Manyanya. She was enthusiastic on
cluster approach for value chain
development after attending one of
the
seminars
organized
by
COSTECH in the late 2011. She
pioneered formation of the clusters
and training of officers from district
to regional office to become cluster
facilitators.
Currently COSTECH has registered
54 clusters and provided seed
funds
worth
more
than
256,000,000 million so far.
By Merchades M. Rutechura
nd
On 22
November 2013, the
Uganda’s Ministry of Information,
Communication Technology visited
the Tanzania Commission for
Science and Technology (COSTECH),
with the intetion OF learning
the best practices that are
implemented by the COSTECH
in Tanzania.
Led by the Permanent
Secretary of the Ministry of ICT
in
Uganda,
Dr.
Jimmy
Saamanya, the delegation
composed of the Principal
Economist in the Ministry of
Finance
Mr.
Ashaba
Hannington, the Assistant
Commissioner Telecoms and
Posts in the Ministry of ICT Mr.
Charles Lwanga, and the Principal
Systems Analyst in the Ministry of
ICT, Mr. Silas Nagirano.
Presenting the topic, “What do We
do Concerning ICT in Tanzania,” the
Acting Director General of COSTECH
Dr. Flora Tibazarwa noted that one
of
the
COSTECH’s
strategic
objectives is to increase access of
information and use of knowledge
and technologies in society.
Dr. Tibazarwa pointed out that
currently,
the
COSTECH
is
implementing
the
Shared
Mechanism network through the
national research and education
network (NREN) – a platform
whereby higher education and
research institutions (HERIs) will
share resources through ICT while at
the same time help other
stakeholders share vision and
passion on ICT resources.
“Shared Mechanism is intended to
provide
good
ICT
network
infrastructure and ICT shared
applications in order to facilitate
advanced teaching at universities
using video conferencing facilities
and tele-medicine technologies,”
she added.
She also noted that the Commission
is implementing the Education and
Management Information System
(EMIS) and E-library systems for
higher education and research
institutions in Tanzania.
Fig. 2: COSTECH Acting Director General
Dr Flora Tibazarwa (right) prepares for a
brief presentation about different
COSTECH activities. Concentrating on is
the Permanent Secretary of the Uganda
Ministry
of
Information
and
Communications Technology Dr Jimmy
Pat Saamaya.
The EMIS and E-library systems,
intends on collect and register all
theses and dissertations from 128
sampled higher learning and
research institutions so that they
could be published and shared.
“Having these two systems will help
the country reduce the risk of
duplicating researches among the
HERIs,” she revealed.
She also revealed that today’s
industrial sector needs a wellrounded mix of foundational crosscutting skills, advanced technical
skills, and skills needed to convert
ideas into successful start-ups, the
Commission is collaborating with
more than 50 world’s renowned
universities to provide a platform of
knowledge-network
through
Coursera – whereby 140 students for
the SMART skills course have been
selected from the Dar es Salaam
Institute of Technology (DIT), and
3
Institute of Finance Management
(IFM) to start the course program.
“This e-learning platform is expected
to facilitate availability of such
training in empowering Tanzanian
students so that they get equal
opportunities like those students
who study in famous universities
in the world.”
Dr Tibazarwa also noted that
using ICT to support research and
education activities in building
skills for new economy in the
country, the Commission is also
administering the establishment
of the Technology Park, the
online research management
tool (CRWeb), COSTECH eLibrary, the TanBIF portal, and
the ICT incubation while at the same
time developing internal ICT services
such as Electronic Document
Management System, Accounting
Software, and other databases.
The Permanent Secretary of the
Ministry of ICT in Uganda, Dr. Jimmy
Saamanya said that Uganda, like
many other sub-Saharan countries
has developed a long term national
vision 2040 which aims at
transforming the country into
becoming a middle income country.
“National ICT Development Plan is
one of the milestones that are
included in the vision 2040. We
thought before we could launch
ours, we needed to benchmark it
against our fellow East African
Community counterparts and see
what challenges and opportunities
we can approach together.”
Dr. Saamanya thanked the COSTECH
management for sharing experience
with the Ugandan delegation. The
delegation had also an opportunity
to visit the Dar Teknohama Business
Incubator (DTBi), - an incubator
rd
located on the 3 floor of the
COSTECH building.
By Merchades M. Rutechura
On 28th November 2013, the Tanzania
Commission
for
Science
and
Technology (COSTECH), Zanzibar
Office, presented the draft of the
Zanzibar Research Agenda to the
Presidential Research Committee, in
Zanzibar, an event which was held at
the Zanzibar Ocean View Hotel.
The workshop brought together
researchers and other stakeholders
from various sectors so that they can
review the document and register its
ownership prior to its presentation at
the national workshop which is
scheduled to take place in mid
December, before it is being
submitted to the Zanzibar
Planning Commission and to
the
President
of
the
Revolutionary Government of
Zanzibar for implementation.
Delivering
the
welcome
remarks, the COSTECH Director
General, Dr Hassan Mshinda
thanked
the
Zanzibar
researchers, scientists and
other
stakeholders
for
participating in the research priority
setting exercise in Zanzibar.
He also hailed the President of the
Revolutionary
Government
of
Zanzibar, H.E Dr. Mohammed Shein
for establishing the Directorate of
Policy, Planning and Research in every
ministry with the aim to enhance the
importance of using research findings
in
planning,
monitoring
and
evaluation as well as for guiding the
government in establishing evidenceinformed decisions for policy making,
good governance and for sustainable
development.
He pointed out that the president’s
commitment to make sure research
governs most of the decisions made
by his government is also seen
through his effort to establish the
Presidential Research Committee that
supervised the formulation of the
Zanzibar Research Agenda.
He promised the Chairperson of the
Presidential Research Committee
(PRC), Professor Ali Mshimba that
COSTECH will continue to provide
support to make sure the committee
fulfill its mission, and revealed that
the Commission has received the fund
from DFID – part of which will be used
to strengthen the component of
promoting evidence-based decisions
to Zanzibar policy and decision
makers.
Fig. 3: The Chairperson
of the PRC,
Professor Ali Mshimba addresses Zanzibar
researchers (not pictured) during the
presentation of the zero draft of the
Zanzibar Research Agenda. On his left is the
COSTECH Director General Dr. Hassan
Mshinda while on his right is the Deputy
nd
Permanent Secretary at the 2
Vice
President’s Office Mr Said Shabani together
with the COSTECH Zanzibar Office’s Senior
Research Officer, Dr Afua Mohammed.
He urged scientists and researchers to
share their findings with the
community and encouraged them to
use a language that a common man
will be able to understand.
Delivering the opening remarks, the
Deputy Permanent Secretary from
the 2nd Vice President’s Office Mr.
Said Shabani noted that Zanzibar is
facing many problems which need to
4
be researched in order to find
solutions but due to limited resources
at hand, the government saw the
need to set research priorities in each
sector, rather than dealing with all
priorities at once.
He commended researchers and
research stakeholders for devoting
their time and efforts in order to
come up with identified research
priorities based on the Zanzibar
Strategy for Growth and Reduction of
Poverty (MKUZA II), and revealed that
this exercise will help the country to
know exactly which areas should be
given most priorities in doing
research
for
sustainable
development.
He also commended the
COSTECH for taking initiatives to
facilitate the process in both
Tanzania mainland and islands,
and promised that whatever will
be recommended by the
committee will be incorporated
into the Zanzibar Planning
Commission programs and be
implemented by the government.
The draft of the Zanzibar Research
Agenda contains 19 sectors, each of
which containing at least 10
subsectors known as researchable
areas. Sectors identified include:
Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries, Food
security and nutrition, Climate
change,
environment
and
conservation, Land management and
human settlement, Energy, Health,
Water
and
Sanitation,
Land
Management
and
Human
Settlements,
Education,
Sports,
Tourism, Historical Culture and
National
Heritage,
Information,
Labour and employment, Macroeconomy and Financial management,
Private sector, business environment
and PPP, Democratic governance, and
Gender.
By Theophil L. Pima.
On 15th November 2013 the
Microsoft Corporation company
signed
a
Memorandum
of
Understanding with the Tanzania
Commission
for
Science
and
Technology (COSTECH) and its
autonomous
entity
Dar
Teknohama Business Incubator
(DTBi) to cooperate and enable
technology based startups,
innovators and the software
developer
community
in
Tanzania to grow their skills
and build businesses with
Microsoft support.
The
memorandum
of
understanding
which was
signed
at
COSTECH
Headquarters in Kijitonyama,
Sayansi area Dar es Salaam,
aims
at
offering
incubator
communities with increased access
to software. It will also create skills
development opportunities and a
means through which innovative
start-ups
can
access
capital
investment,
benefit
from
international outreach and scale
their businesses to the world through
Microsoft’s
cloud
computing
solutions.
Speaking during that event, the
Minister for Communication Science
and Technology Prof. Makame
Mbarawa said the Memorandum of
Understanding which was signed on
that day is a great opportunity for
COSTECH, DTBi and Microsoft as it
will have great positive impact on the
economy of the country and the
stakeholders.
“Today, technologies like mobile
banking are still very young, but the
room for innovation in this and other
ICT space is enormous. It is time we
became technology entrepreneurs in
Tanzania in particular and Africa in
general. There is a new, giant,
untapped market in Tanzania, just
waiting to be served. Both the
economic and social benefits will be
tremendous,” he said.
Fig.4: The COSTECH Director General, Dr
Hassan Mshinda (middle) together with the
Microsoft General Manager for East and
Southern Africa, Mr. Eric Odipo (left), and
the DTBi CEO Eng. George Mulamula (right)
sign an MoU while the Minister for
Communication Science and Technology
Prof. Makame Mbarawa (right standing)
together with the Microsoft Director of
Imorato Partnerships Ms. Leila witness the
event.
Prof.
Mbarawa
insisted
that
institutions like COSTECH/DTBi and
supporters like Microsoft are key in
enhancing
innovation
and
entrepreneurship
to
young
innovators and start-ups to create
locally-inspired solutions to local
problems, which in most cases are
bankable.
On his part the Microsoft General
Manager for East and Southern
Africa, Eric Odipo explained that with
that new cooperation, Tanzania
technology
developers
and
technology-based entrepreneurs will
now have an opportunity to incubate
5
their ideas and develop them into
successful enterprises that solve
challenges facing the communities
we live in.
“Through the 4Afrika Initiative, we
are deeply committed to helping
accelerate African innovation and
we hope these efforts will help us
reach more people who are
looking to turn their great ideas
into reality that can empower
their community, their country
and Africa at large”, he added.
Meanwhile the COSTECH Director
General, Dr Hassan Mshinda
explained that the Memorandum
of understanding has a unique
enterpetation
to
Tanzanian
economy.
He
said
the
Memorandum of Understanding
will enable COSTECH/DTBi to get
support from Microsoft in the areas
such as training, BizSpark Network,
Devices, International volunteers to
train start-ups, access to Microsoft
networks of incubators, Top-up
competitions and internship.
In collaboration with Microsoft, DTBi
will now have access to work closely
with the University of Dodoma to tap
innovative ICT youth who will be
admitted in the DTBi incubation
program to become the future
entrepreneurs.
The Dar Teknohama Business
Incubator (DTBi) is an independent
autonomous entity of COSTECH with
its own Board that promotes the
growth of ICT technology-based
emerging companies contributing to
job creation and enhanced economic
health of the nation and operates as
a nonprofit Company. It is based at
COSTECH Headquarters, Sayansi area
in Dar es Salaam.
By Merchades M. Rutechura
From 30th October to 1st
November, 2013 the Tanzania
Commission for Science and
Technology
(COSTECH),
participated in the Congress for
Local Climate Solutions for Africa
(LOCS) 2013 held at the Kunduchi
Beach Hotel, in Dea es Salaam.
Hosted by the City of Dar es
Salaam in partnership with the
ICLEI – Local Governments for
Sustainability – Africa, the
congress aimed at building on
the successes achieved at the
inaugural LOCS 2011, an event
which attracted an audience
from over 25 African
countries.
Briefing the COSTECH
management
after
attending the congress,
the
Senior
Research
Officer who is also the
Tanzania
Biodiversity
Information
Facility
(TanBIF) Node Manager,
Ms. Hulda Gideon, said
that this year’s Congress
drew over 440 delegates
from more than 25
African countries whereby of
those 300 were local government
representatives, and of that 170
were heads of local governments
represented
by
Mayors,
Governors and Chairpersons.
“This mixture along with
academics, NGOs, private sector,
development
partners
and
institutions, meant that there
was fruitful discussion, learning,
networking and transfer of
lessons across the continent,”
she added.
Ms. Gideon also noted that over
120
local
government
representatives
signed
the
Durban Adaptation Charter and
over 50 signed the Mexico City
Pact.
“The
majority
of
these
representatives
were
from
Tanzania, which means that this
was a momentous occasion for
Tanzania as a whole to respond
to, and prepare for climate
change; and this imply that our
local government leaders are
keen, willing and ready to do
what it takes to help their
citizens be prepared for climate
change,” she emphasized.
Fig. 5: Katavi Regional Commissioner Dr
Rajabu Rutengwe signs the visitors’
register after paying a visit to the
COSTECH booth during the Local Climate
Solutions for Africa (LOCS) 2013
Congress. Looking on is the TANBIF
Program Officer Mr. Godfrey Oyema.
Parallel to the Congress, the
COSTECH, through the Global
Biodiversity Information Facility
(GBIF), conducted a training
workshop
whereby
several
Tanzanians participated in the
training.
6
“Awareness on the important of
data publishing and use was
created. A mayor from Ghana
was exited with what is
happening in Tanzania, and he
would like the same to happen in
Ghana. Additionally, we had
some discussion with ICLEI on
biodiversity data publishing and
use, focusing on modelling and
prediction of spread of Invasive
Allien Species (IAS) at local level,
preferably a pilot in the Dar es
Salaam City,” Ms. Gideon
reported.
The COSTECH was among local
sponsors,
presenters,
and
exhibitors that showcased some
of its research projects and its
most recent publications to
the congress participants.
Local governments, especially
large urban metros have
ability to support national
governments and agencies to
meet their international
sustainability objectives, to
reduce overall greenhouse
gas emissions, and ensure
that communities are able to
cope with the impacts of
flooding, sea- level rise and
other climatic impacts.
The biennial LOCS Congress
series provides a unique and
accessible platform for Tanzanian
local leaders, and all African local
leaders,
their
associations,
national governments, technical
experts, development partners,
business, industry and research
agencies to engage on the
complex issues and innovative
solutions related to urbanization
in Africa through the broad
context of climate change.
By Gerald Kitabu
2nd November, 2013
While Tanzania still struggles to
smoke out maize lethal necrosis
(MLN) in several parts of the
country a new problem has
occurred among maize farmers.
This time around, it is striga or
‘witch weed’ that has affected
more than 15 regions, The
Guardian
has
learnt.
others.
The plant breeder said loss due to
striga is a major contributor to
food insecurity, especially among
rural people whose diet comprises
mainly of cereal staples and
particularly maize, estimating that
the lost 1.7 million tonnes of maize
per year can feed more than 10
million
people.
The striga weed, a parasitic plant,
is causing loss of about 1.7 million
tonnes of maize every year in
Tanzania valued at 356 million
dollars.
Dr Gospel Omanya, a plant
breeder from Kenya, made the
shocking revelation in Dar es
Salaam on Thursday when
presenting a paper: “The role of
seed systems in revitalization of
agricultural productivity in Africa:
The case study of Strigaway maize
in
Tanzania.”
Parts of the country whose maize
crops were attacked by MLN
included Manyara, Arusha and
Kilimanjaro
regions.
“Striga attaches to the roots of
cereal plants siphoning water and
nutrients and has been a major
problem in sub-Saharan Africa
daunting farmers for over seven
decades and Tanzania is said to
have the highest number of
affected by striga weed in the
entire Sub-Sahara,” he explained
Omanya, the African Agricultural
Technology Foundation (AATF)
seed systems manager, was
presenting a paper at the meeting
organised by Open Forum on
Agricultural
Biotechnology
in
Africa (OFAB), Tanzania Chapter,
attended
by
agricultural
researchers, and media among
“The weed is highly prolific with
each striga plant being capable of
producing 50,000 to 200,000 seeds
causing large increase in the striga
seed bank in the soil each year”,
he said.
Commenting on the solution to
smoke out the disease, the Kenyan
agricultural researcher said that
innovations such as Strigaway
(IRMaize)
technologies
area
available
for
control.
“It is apparent that innovative
technologies be adopted by
farmers
if
the
numerous
challenges
to
agricultural
productivity as to be adequately
addressed,”
he
said.
Fig. 6: A maize farm affected by striga
weed
Omanya said that the parasitic
weed striga has infested over
960,000 ha of farmland, which
accounts for almost 70 per cent of
the striga weed infested area in
East
Africa.
He named the 15 most affected
regions in Tanzania as Mwanza,
Shinyanga, Mara, Tabora, Singida,
Dodoma, Morogoro, Coast, Tanga,
Lindi, Ruvuma, Iringa, Mbeya,
Mtwara
and
Rukwa.
Citing other affected countries in
terms of hectares, he said they
include Malawi (268,000), Kenya
(246,000), Ethiopia (80,000) and
Uganda (38,000). Explaining how
the Striga affects the crop, he said
it damages the plants by releasing
phytotoxins that attack the plant
even before the weed striga
emerges from the soil.
“There are two types of the weed
and the striga hermonthical is
known to be more dangerously
than the other type, Striga Asiatic.
7
He explained that experiences
from commercialization efforts of
the Strigaway (IR) maize further
stress the need for a functional
formal seed system to reach the
farmers. In this regard, he said the
seed systems should play a crucial
role
towards
revitalizing
agricultural productivity, he said.
Earlier, opening the OFAB meeting,
the Director General of Tanzania
Commission for Science and
Technology (COSTECH) Dr. Hassan
Mshinda said that in this period of
several
challenges
facing
agriculture such as climate change
and increased diseases, there was
a need to intensify and promote
agricultural biotechnology.
OFAB Tanzania organizes evening
meeting every month for all key
stakeholders to know one another,
share knowledge and experiences,
make new contacts and explore
new avenues of bringing the
benefits
of
agricultural
biotechnology in Tanzania.
Source: The Guardian
By Waryoba Yankami
11th November, 2013
Farmers are among poor people
in many developing countries
who grapple with agricultural
challenges to make little progress
in their lives. There are cases
where they are conned and
mislead during the selling season
by unscrupulous middlemen.
They normally lack market
information. However experts
believe that incorporation of
Information and Communication
Technology (ICT) in agriculture
could be of great advantage to
farmers.
Millions of people, the majority
of them being farmers across the
developing countries including
Tanzania do not have access to
banking services.
Tanzania which has a population
of over 40 million, is one of the
world’s poorest countries with a
Gross Domestic Product (GDP)
per capita of USD 1,400 and its
economic growth however, is
strong with annual GDP growth
rate
of
6-7
percent.
Tanzanian economy is heavily
dependent on agriculture which
makes 40 percent of GDP, 85
percent of exports and 80
percent of employment.
ICT is an opportunity that
needs to tempt into active
food production value
chain. So far, there are
many mobile telephone
farming innovations that is
a manifestation of a true
revolution in the country’s
agricultural production.
However, despite the fact
that many farmers and
entrepreneurs use ICT in
different
developed
countries in the world, it is not
always clear and simple to youth
in Tanzania particularly, on how
they could apply ICT in
agriculture to make farming an
easier and a more interesting job
due to several factors including
low level of technology growing
in their country compared to
other countries.
Revenues from the mobile sector
feature largely in the estimated
20 per cent that the ICT sector
contributes to some of most ICT
user countries including Kenya
whereas the economy to some
extent depending much on ICT.
because of the majority of
Tanzania population are farmers,
mobile agriculture must be
identified by mobile companies
as a great opportunity for their
prosperity.
Femi Adewunmi an agricultural
researcher noted 12 ways how
mobile technology can boost
African agriculture and these are
Mobile payment systems, Microinsurance systems, Micro-lending
platforms, Mobile information
platforms, and farmer helplines.
Other ways according to her are,
Smart logistics, Traceability and
tracking
systems,
Mobile
management
of
supplier
networks, Mobile management
of
distribution
networks,
Agricultural trading platforms,
Agricultural
tendering
platforms and Agricultural
bartering
platforms.
Recognizing this opportunity,
TIGO Tanzania has vowed to
invest in mobile agriculture in
its programme known as Tigo
Kilimo due to a big population
engaged in agriculture.
Fig. 7: Experts believe that incorporation
of Information and Communication
Technology (ICT) in agriculture could be
of great advantage to farmers.
Following
the
share
of
experiences
from
other
technological
advanced
countries,
different
mobile
companies in the country have
started to show interests to
initiate mobile agriculture to
empower farmers in Tanzania on
the use of ICT in agriculture.
Mobile companies in the country
can add mobile agriculture to be
one
of
their
corporate
responsibility to the community
8
In the agricultural sector, annual
grow is only four percent
indicating
a
lagging
of
agricultural productivity.
Leveraging on this key insight
and the big growth of mobile
telephony in recent years
(currently at 43 percent) Tigo has
decided to develop a market
centered information system
providing: weather forecasts,
agronomy best practices and
market prices for the major crops
grown in the country.
Continued on pg. 10
By Jan Piotrowski
September 9th, 2013
Microbes may offer a more
equitable choice for smallholder
farmers,
Improvements
in
technology must continue to get
them from the lab to the field, and
Melon yields in Honduras have
already benefited from microbes
Adapting microbes that dramatically
increase crop yields while reducing
demand for fertilisers and pesticides
through selective breeding orgenetic
engineering could be cheaper and
more flexible than genetically
modifying plants themselves, says an
author of a report.
Microbes, such as beneficial
bacteria, fungi and viruses, could be
produced
locally
for
smallholder farmers to significantly
improve food security and incomes
in developing regions, believes Ann
Reid, director of the American
Academy of Microbiology and coauthor of a report published by the
organisation last month (27 August).
"Genetic modification of crop plants,
which has seen a huge investment, is
closed to all but the biggest
agricultural companies," she tells
SciDev.Net.
"Optimisation of microbes could be
done at the level of the local
community college and is much
more obtainable for a smallholder
farmer."
Her comments echo the findings of
the report — the product of an
expert meeting in 2012 — which
underscored the significant impact
microbes could have on food
production by increasing crops'
absorption of nutrients, resistance
to disease and environmental
stresses, and even improving
flavour.
“Optimisation of microbes could be
done at the level of the local
community college and is much
more obtainable for a smallholder
farmer,” noted Ann Reid, American
Academy of Microbiology.
As well as to accentuate naturally
occurring traits such as the secretion
of pest-killing toxins or nitrogenfixation, the modification of
microbes is often needed to allow
them to be grown in large numbers
out of their natural environment.
For
example,
researchers in
Colombia could only produce large
quantities of a fungus that improves
the nutrient absorption of cassava
once they bred a strain of that
fungus that was capable of growing
on
carrot
roots.
Recent technological developments
in rapid DNA sequencing, imaging
and computer modelling can help
provide further solutions, as well as
building a greater understanding of
the complex environment that
microbes themselves need to
flourish,
the
report
says.
These advances raise the possibility
that, within two decades, microbes
could increase food production by a
fifth and reduce fertiliser demands
by the same proportion, it finds.
But to achieve this ambitious goal,
the research community must
engage in curiosity-driven basic
research, develop even cheaper
sequencing
techniques,
and
establish a process to move
discoveries from the lab to the field,
it says.
Reid adds that, unlike genetic
modification, which requires farmers
to regularly buy improved seeds,
microbes may be able to stay in the
soil indefinitely.
But larger universities are still
needed to drive more-complex areas
9
of investigation, which inevitably
requires funding, she says. "We
wanted to get the word out that this
could be a big-bang-for-your- buck
area
for
funding
agencies."
Matteo Lorito, a professor of plant
pathology at the University of
Naples,
Italy,
agrees
that
sophisticated research centres must
be involved in identifying and
selecting suitable microbes and
techniques.
But
once
this
groundwork has been done, growing
microbes will require as little as a
fermenting
tank,
he
says.
The impact of this approach is
already being seen in areas such as
Honduras, where melon yields have
been improved by 15 per cent by
applying a fungus that boosts the
plants'
defence
mechanisms.
Other crops such as maize, tomatoes
and wheat could see rises in
production of more than 50 per cent
from such techniques, he believes.
But Ken Giller, professor of plant
production
systems
at
the
Netherland's
Wageningen
University, says that much more
work needs to be done, particularly
on how to get the microbes into the
soil, before farmers will benefit, he
says.
"Molecular biology has been
incredibly
important
in
understanding biology in general,
which has helped when thinking
about
solutions
[for
food
production]," he tells SciDev.Net.
"But in terms of the manipulation of
these processes to make an impact
in the field, we have yet to make any
great inroads."
Source:
http://www.scidev.net/global/gm/n
ews/microbes-cheaper-fairer-forboosting-yields-than-gm.html
From pg. 8
The special programme manager
of Tigo Kilimo, Yaya N’djore says
that this programme will
ultimately be available through
three key mobile channels which
are unstructured Supplementary
Service
Data
(USSD)/SMS,
Integrated Voice Response (IVR)
and Call center.
N’djore says “Tigo Kilimo service
has gone through a round of
regional pilots and surveys with
moderate success, the goal being
to deploy it over the entire
country” adding that the results
in the pilot show that one farmer
can request ten to 15 times per
week.
The manager noted that Tigo
Kilimo programme initiative will
help farmers provide information
of market and price to farmers
who are over 60 percent
conducting their activities in
villages where more information
on weather, market, price and
transport is needed to enable
them to do well in the sector.
He said that any information of
Tigo kilimo to farmers through
their mobile phones on market,
price, weather, will be coming
from recognized ministries and
government sectors while will
help to sweep away middle
people who tend to con farmers
on their products especially on
prices.
He affirmed that the programme
will work closely with the
ministry of agriculture and
ministry of Trade to give correct
information needed by farmers
as he noted that farmers are
lagging behind in development
because of lack of adequate
information.
According
to
him,
the
information will be very cheap as
249 shilling per week and would
enable the farmer to receive the
information three times a week.
Although the company has
promised such incentive to
farmers to help them to match
with information world, many
villages
in
Tanzania
are
challenged with network and
electricity. To solve this and help
villagers (farmers) to access
information, N’djore said that
Tigo has prepared well to enable
villagers to get the services by
solar panels as the initiative to
them to get markets and price
information.
Networks in villages have
improved, towers and boosters
are added in villages something
that will help much network
coverage in rural areas where
farmers
are
found.
He further said that his company
has come up with health
insurance scheme known as (Tigo
Bima) aimed at helping farmers
in their pursuit for better health
stating that the move could
correct a perception that
insurance was just for rich
people.
Currently Tigo Bima is operating
in Dar es Salaam where the
service has a network with 28
hospitals and expected to expand
to other regions.
Source: The Guardian
10
COSTECH’S Principal Legal Officer
Zainab Bakari is a registered and
practicing
advocate
now
employed as Principal Legal
Officer at COSTECH.
She
received her Master’s degree in
Law (LL.M) from University of
Cape Town, South Africa in 2007
and eventually earned her spot
as Assistant Lecturer at Tumaini
University, Iringa and later at St.
Augustine University of Tanzania,
in Mwanza.
After more than 6 years of her
career as a lecturer, she decided
it was time for a change and
moved to practicing law at the
East African Law Chambers were
she was a practicing Attorney.
Later on she moved to Ocean
Road Cancer Institute as Senior
Legal Officer before joining
COSTECH on 1st November 2013.
In her position as Principal Legal
Officer at COSTECH she is tasked
with regard to implementation of
policy, plans and procedures
regarding Commission’s Goals
and Objectives.
Apart from COSTECH holding
annual open and competitive
call for research based on
national research priorities and
topical issues pertinent at the
time, it also calls for
Commissioned research since
competitive grants do not
always attract submissions from
expert
researchers
with
established grants.
A portion of the National Fund
for the Advancement of Science
and Technology (NFAST), is
committed
to
sourcing
expertise to address specific
areas of concern that are of
immediate need and relevance
to national goals.
In the year 2012/2013 COSTECH
supported two researches
namely, “Assessment of the
effectiveness of the root extract
from Carissa spinarum for the
treatment of diabetes mellitus
type II and HIV/AIDS patients as
claimed by Retired Pastor
Ambilikile Mwaisapile from
Samunge village, Ngorongoro
district, Arusha,” and “The
impact of community policing
“Polisi Jamii, by the Tanzania
Police Force (TPF).”
Below is a synopsis of the
Carissa spinarum study carried
out by Dr. Sayoki Mfinanga
from the Department of
Traditional Medicine, Muhimbili
Medical Research Centre –
National Institute for Medical
Research:
Carissa spinarum is a medicinal
plant widely distributed in
Africa. In Tanzania this plant
species is common used by
pastoralist tribes (e.g. Sanjo,
Gogo, Maasai) as dietary food
additive and medicine.
In 2010 a Retired Pastor
Ambilikile
Mwaisapile
of
Evangelical Lutheran Church of
Tanzania Northern Central
Diocese (ELCT NCD) from
Samunge village, Ngorongoro
district, Arusha claimed that,
the roots extract from Carissa
spinarum
(engamuariakiMaasai tribe) is a cure of many
diseases including the chronic
diseases such as HIV/AIDS,
cancer,
Diabetes
mellitus,
asthma etc.
These claims gave hope to
many people in Tanzania and
some of its neighboring
countries. However there was
no scientific evidence about the
effectiveness of this remedy,
which had been proved.
In lieu with the above facts, the
research team from National
Institute of Medical Research,
Muhimbili Research Centre
conducted
a
clinical
observational study to assess
the effectiveness of the root
extract from Carissa spinarum
for treatment of diabetes
mellitus type II and HIV/AIDS
patients following single oral
administered (kikombe cha
11
babu) as claimed by Pastor
Mwaisapile.
During their observational
study, the two case studies
used
retrospective
and
prospective approaches. The
study
population
was
categorized into two groups,
the cases and control.
The cases group were diabetes
mellitus type II and HIV/AIDS
patients
who
took
the
concoction
from
Pastor
Mwaisapile and continue to
attend their respective clinics in
the five selected hospital for
continuation with their medical
treatment while the control
group were the diabetes
mellitus type II and HIV/AIDS
patients who have continue
attending their clinics but they
did not take the concoction
from Pastor Mwaisapile.
The study was conducted for 9
months at 3 months interval
assessment based on the
patients’ progress in terms of
their CD4T cells, hematological
indices, body weight and
quality of life between the two
groups.
The study results reveal that for
both cases and control groups
assessed, there was no
statistical significant difference
observed based on the assessed
criteria.
Fig. 8: Mr. Godfrey Oyema (middle), from TANBIF
demonstrates to a visitor on how researchers from
COSTECH prepared the distribution of Biodiversity
Occurrence data in Tanzania. COSTECH was one of
exhibitors during the Local Climate Solutions for Africa
(LOCS) 2013 Congress that was held from October 30th –
November 1st, 2013 at Kunduchi Beach Hotel.
Fig. 9: The Acting Director General of COSTECH Dr. Flora
Ismail Tibazarwa presents a special gift to the Permanent
Secretary of the Ugandan Ministry of Information and
Communications Technology Dr Jimmy Pat Saamaya during
a courtesy visit paid by Ugandan delegation to COSTECH on
nd
22 November 2013.
12
Fig. 10: The COSTECH Zanzibar Office’s Senior Research
Officer, Dr Afua Mohammed stresses a point during the
presentation of the draft of the Zanzibar Research Agenda
to the Presidential Research Committee. She is flanked by
the Deputy Permanent Secretary at the 2nd Vice
President’s Office Mr Said Shabani (right), together with
research Officer, Ms. Neema Tindamanyire (left) from
COSTECH Headquarters. The event tookplace at the
th
Zanzibar Ocean View Hotel on 28 November, 2013.
Fig. 11: Minister for Communication, Science and
Technology Prof. Makame Mbarawa speaks before the
Signing of the Memorandum of Understanding between
COSTECH/DTBi and Microsoft Corporation. He is flanked by
Microsoft Director of Imorato partnerships, Ms. Leila Charfi
(left), together with Microsoft East Africa LTD, Country
Manager East and South Africa, Mr. Erick Odipo. The event
th
tok place on 15 November, 2013.
Announcement
We invite news, features, letters, opinions and
analyses about science, technology and
innovation for socio-economic development
Write to:
The Science Editor,
COSTECH,
P.O. Box 4302,
Dar es Salaam.
Or email:
mrutechura@costech.or.tz
So, what do you think of this e-Newsletter?
If you have any comments or suggestions on how we can improve
this newsletter, or have any feature story to share, please email
the editor at mrutechura@costech.or.tz
13