It is unusual to find locally produced soya milk in Tanzania. But some farmers here are enthusiastic about making their own by learning from the Chinese.
Since 2022, local farmers have been learning the technology to produce milk from soya beans. Agricultural experts from China Agricultural University (CAU) have been in the country since 2022 to share their knowledge with local farmers.
A manually operated machine for grinding the soya bean in soya milk production.
China, Brazil and the US are the world’s biggest producers of soya. So it might come as no surprise that they know a thing or two about soya milk.
In Tanzania, the technology has been demonstrated in four selected pilot villages – Peapea, Kitete, Makuyu and Mtego wa Simba – in a test project in the Morogoro region. Experts said last week that the demonstration was successful.
The drink has become increasingly popular with many farmers, who see it as cheaper to produce than other plant sources.
As part of the project, the Chinese experts worked with the Morogoro regional authorities to distribute hybrid soya bean seeds to farmers in these villages, and provided on-the-ground advice on planting and management techniques to enable soya milk processing.
A shop selling soya milk.
The programme, which also aims to reduce poverty, is led by CAU, the Morogoro regional government and Tanzania’s Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA).
The Morogoro region is one of the top five soya bean producing areas in Tanzania. However, the local soya bean industry remained bleak due to extensive local farming models and a lack of processing technology for soya bean products.
Prof Li Xiaoyun, the lead scientist, and his team say they have implemented an intercropping project called ‘Small Bean and Big Nutrition’. The first harvest is now underway and the yields will inform the next stage of expansion.
Prof Li’s main role is to train farmers in the village of Mtego wa Simba in Mikese Ward, about 30 kilometres on the outskirts of Morogoro Municipal Town.
Ms Xu Jin, one of the experts, explained that there are four main stages in the production of soya milk.
“The first is to soak seeds in a pail of water and leave it overnight,” she said.
“The second stage is to grind them in a hand-made machine. The third stage is filtration, and the final one is boiling the liquid, which tastes like cow’s milk.”
Morogoro and China Agricultural University Partnership maize and soya project.
Omary Jayo, 72, a retired Tanzania National Electricity Supply Company (TANESCO) technician and now a farmer, says he bought into the idea after learning the Chinese scientist’s expertise.
He says he bought a grinding machine for $23.9 and slowly began to practice. He now sells each cup for $0.18.
Share this news
This Year's Most Read News Stories
Mwinyi lashes out at Zanzibar Airport, Port inefficiency claims
Zanzibar President Hussein Mwinyi has lashed out at the Opposition ACT Wazalendo, saying that the claims it raised about inefficiency in three areas within his Government were only meant to mislead the publicContinue Reading
Air Tanzania Banned From EU Airspace Due to Safety Concerns
Several airports have since locked Air Tanzania, dealing a severe blow to the Tanzanian national carrier that must now work overtime to regain its certification or go the wet lease way
The European Commission has announced the inclusion of Air Tanzania on the EU Air Safety List, effectively banning the airline from operating in European airspace.
The decision, made public on December 16, 2024, is based on safety concerns identified by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), which also led to the denial of Air Tanzania’s application for a Third Country Operator (TCO) authorisation.
The Commission did not go into the specifics of the safety infringement but industry experts suggest it is possible that the airline could have flown its Airbus A220 well past its scheduled major checks, thus violating the airworthiness directives.
“The decision to include Air Tanzania in the EU Air Safety List underscores our unwavering commitment to ensuring the highest safety standards for passengers in Europe and worldwide,” said Apostolos Tzitzikostas, EU Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism.
“We strongly urge Air Tanzania to take swift and decisive action to address these safety issues. I have offered the Commission’s assistance to the Tanzanian authorities in enhancing Air Tanzania’s safety performance and achieving full compliance with international aviation standards.”
Air Tanzania has a mixed fleet of modern aircraft types including Boeing 787s, 737 Max jets, and Airbus A220s.
It has been flying the B787 Dreamliner to European destinations like Frankfurt in Germany and Athens in Greece and was looking to add London to its growing list with the A220.
But the ban not only scuppers the London dream but also has seen immediate ripple effect, with several airports – including regional like Kigali and continental – locking out Air Tanzania.
Tanzania operates KLM alongside the national carrier.
The European Commission said Air Tanzania may be permitted to exercise traffic rights by using wet-leased aircraft of an air carrier which is not subject to an operating ban, provided that the relevant safety standards are complied with.
A wet lease is where an airline pays to use an aircraft with a crew, fuel, and insurance all provided by the leasing company at a fee.
Two more to the list
The EU Air Safety List, maintained to ensure passenger safety, is updated periodically based on recommendations from the EU Air Safety Committee.
The latest revision, which followed a meeting of aviation safety experts in Brussels from November 19 to 21, 2024, now includes 129 airlines.
Of these, 100 are certified in 15 states where aviation oversight is deemed insufficient, and 29 are individual airlines with significant safety deficiencies.
Alongside Air Tanzania, other banned carriers include Air Zimbabwe (Zimbabwe), Avior Airlines (Venezuela), and Iran Aseman Airlines (Iran).
Commenting on the broader implications of the list, Tzitzikostas stated, “Our priority remains the safety of every traveler who relies on air transport. We urge all affected airlines to take these bans seriously and work collaboratively with international bodies to resolve the identified issues.”
In a positive development, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has been cleared to resume operations in the EU following a four-year suspension. The ban, which began in 2020, was lifted after substantial improvements in safety performance and oversight by PIA and the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA).
“Since the TCO Authorisation was suspended, PIA and PCAA have made remarkable progress in enhancing safety standards,” noted Tzitzikostas. “This demonstrates that safety issues can be resolved through determination and cooperation.”
Another Pakistani airline, Airblue Limited, has also received EASA’s TCO authorisation.
Decisions to include or exclude airlines from the EU Air Safety List are based on rigorous evaluations of international safety standards, particularly those established by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
The process involves thorough review and consultation among EU Member State aviation safety experts, with oversight from the European Commission and support from EASA.
“Where an airline currently on the list believes it complies with the required safety standards, it can request a reassessment,” explained Tzitzikostas. “Our goal is not to penalize but to ensure safety compliance globally.”
Airlines listed on the EU Air Safety List face significant challenges to their international operations, as the bans highlight shortcomings in safety oversight by their home regulatory authorities.
For Air Tanzania, this inclusion signals an urgent need for reform within Tanzania’s aviation sector to address these deficiencies and align with global standards.
The path forward will require immediate and sustained efforts to rectify safety concerns and regain access to one of the world’s most critical aviation markets.
Source: allafrica.com
Tanzanian insurance firms upbeat after first quarter business growth
Total gross written premiums for the insurance industry have increased by 13.68 percent in the first quarter of 2024, with small and medium-sized companies showing higher growthContinue Reading
