Uuzaji kahawa ghafi kunavyoikosesha mabilioni Afrika

Uuzaji kahawa ghafi kunavyoikosesha mabilioni Afrika

Uuzaji kahawa ghafi kunavyoikosesha mabilioni Afrika

Dar es Salaam. Uuzaji wa Malighafi ya kahawa kumeifanya Afrika kuendelea kutumia fedha nyingi katika kuingiza kahawa iliyosindikwa huku ikinufaika kiduchu na mauzo ya nje.

Imeelezwa kuwa Nchi za Afrika kwa pamoja hupata wastani wa dola bilioni 2.5 (Sh6.4 trilioni) kwa mwaka kutokana na mauzo ya kahawa nje ya bara, kati ya Dola za Marekani bilioni 500 zinazopatikana kwenye soko la dunia kwa mwaka.

Haya yamesemwa leo Februari 21, 2025 na Waziri wa Kilimo, Hussein Bashe wakati akifungua mkutano wa tatu wa nchi 25 wazalishaji wa kahawa katika Bara la Afrika.

Katika mkutano huu zinajadiliwa fursa zilizopo na namna ambayo vijana wanaweza kujumuishwa katika sekta ya kahawa.

Bashe amesema fedha hizo kiduchu zinatokana na asilimia 90 ya kahawa ya Afrika kusafirishwa kama malighafi, huku thamani yake ikiongezwa nje ya bara la Afrika.

“Hili linamaanisha kuwa Afrika inanufaika kwa sehemu ndogo sana ya mnyororo wa thamani ya kahawa. Sehemu yenye faida kubwa zaidi ya mnyororo huu ni usindikaji na ongezeko la thamani ambalo kwa kiasi kikubwa hufanywa katika nchi zinazoagiza kahawa. Hii inapunguza mapato yetu na nafasi za ajira kwa watu wetu,” amesema Bashe.

Amesema jambo hilo linaathiri hata wauzaji wadogo kwani wanauza kilo 1 ya kahawa kwa wastani wa Dola za Marekani  4 hadi 7 (Sh10,317 hadi Sh18,054) na kisha kuinunua kwa wastani wa Dola za Marekani 15 hadi 20  (Sh38,680 hadi Sh51,000)  kwa kilo moja baada ya kusindikwa.

“Hili ni kosa kubwa kwa bara letu. Afrika ndicho chimbuko la kahawa. Huu ni urithi wetu ambao tunapaswa kuulinda na kuhakikisha unastawi,” amesema Bashe.

Amesema Afrika inachangia asilimia 11 tu ya uzalishaji wa kahawa duniani, ambayo ni nusu ya kiwango tulichokuwa tukizalisha miaka ya 1960 wakati ambao uzalishaji wa kahawa duniani unazidi kuongezeka kila mwaka Afrika inashuhudia kupungua kwa uzalishaji.

Jambo hilo linahitaji uwekezaji wa haraka kutoka sekta ya umma na binafsi ili kurejesha sehemu ya soko lililopotea.

“Ni lazima sasa tuache kulalamika na kuwategemea wafadhili kukuza sekta yetu ya kahawa na kilimo kwa ujumla. Ni jambo lisiloeleweka kuwa tunasafirisha kahawa yenye thamani ya Dola za Marekani bilioni 3 (Sh7.75 trilioni) na kuagiza kahawa iliyosindikwa yenye thamani ya Dola za Marekani bilioni  50 (Sh130 trilioni).

“Tunahitaji kuweka malengo ya kuongeza uzalishaji wetu kufikia angalau asilimia 20 ya uzalishaji wa kahawa duniani ifikapo 2030,” amesema Bashe.

Amesema kwa sasa, Afrika inaagiza nusu milioni ya tani za kahawa kwa matumizi ya ndani kwa gharama ya dola za Marekani bilioni 6 (Sh15.6 trilioni) kila mwaka.

Amesema ili kuhakikisha wakulima wa ndani wananufaika zaidi ni vyema kuwekeza katika viwanda vya usindikaji vya kiwango kidogo na kikubwa katika nchi zote zinazozalisha na kutumia kahawa Afrika.

Bashe amesema ni wakati sasa kwa nchi hizi  kushikamana na kuacha  kutegemea  misaada na kudai haki katika biashara ya kimataifa na badala yake kuungana kama bara na kujadiliana kwa pamoja badala ya kufanya kazi kwa kutengana.

Kwa nini vijana hawalimi kahawa

Katika hili Bashe amesema changamoto ya Kupanda na kushuka kwa bei ya kahawa duniani kumeifanya sekta hiyo kukosa mvuto kwa vijana hivyo ili kushughulikia hilo uwekezaji unapaswa kufanyika hasa katika  uongezaji wa thamani ndani ya nchi, kuongeza biashara  ya kahawa na uwekezaji katika usindikaji.

“Afrika ina soko kubwa la watumiaji lenye watu bilioni 1.5 lakini sehemu kubwa ya kahawa inayotumiwa barani huagizwa kutoka nje baada ya kusindikwa nje ya bara letu. Hili linapaswa kubadilika kwa kuhamasisha usindikaji wa ndani na kuifanya kahawa kuwa sehemu ya utamaduni wetu,” amesema Bashe.

Amesema vijana wanapaswa kuwa kiini cha sekta ya kahawa kwa kuwawekea mbinu rafiki za kilimo na kuweka kipaumbele katika ustawi wa wakulima.

“Kwa kufanya hivi tunaweza kuhakikisha kuwa sekta ya kahawa Afrika inastawi kwa vizazi vijavyo. Mafanikio haya hayawezi kupatikana bila ushirikiano kati ya serikali, sekta binafsi, mashirika yasiyo ya kiserikali, na vyama vya kahawa,” amesema Bashe.

Amesema hilo linawezekana kwa sababu Afrika ina ardhi yenye rutuba, rasilimali za maji na nguvu kazi ya vijana na hakuna sababu ya Afrika kushindwa kuongeza uzalishaji wake wa kahawa na kufaidi kikamilifu thamani ya zao hilo.

“Ni wakati wa kubadili mwelekeo kutoka kuwa wasafirishaji wa malighafi kwenda kwenye kuongeza thamani na kutengeneza bidhaa zilizokamilika. Ni lazima tuongeze biashara kati yetu wenyewe kutoka asilimia 15 hadi asilimia 50 jambo ambalo haliepukiki, na hii inapaswa kuwa moja ya maazimio hapa Dar es Salaam,” amesema Bashe.

Amesema kinachotakiwa kufanyika sasa ni  kuweka malengo kwamba ifikapo mwaka 2030 nchi zote zinazotumia kahawa Afrika zinunue kahawa moja kwa moja kutoka kwa wazalishaji wa Kiafrika.

Amesema jambo hilo linawezekana na litafungua fursa nyingi za ajira kwa vijana na uwekezaji katika uchumi wa mzunguko.

Tanzania inavyovutia vijana

Akizungumzia kinachofanyika Tanzania, Waziri Bashe amesema katika kuvutia vijana katiki kilimo cha kahawa tayari imeanzisha mradi wa kuuza kahawa mitaani kupitia migahawa inayotembea.

Mradi huu unatekelezwa chini ya programu ya Jenga Kesho iliyo Bora (BBT) ambapo vijana wanapatiwa vibanda vya kahawa vilivyo na vifaa vyote na mtaji wa kuanzia ili wawe wauzaji wa kahawa katika miji yetu.

“Pia Tanzania imejizatiti kuleta mageuzi katika sekta ya kahawa kupitia hatua kama vile kuimarisha taasisi za utafiti wa kahawa, kutoa ruzuku za pembejeo kwa wakulima, na kukuza ushiriki wa vijana kupitia programu ya BBT,” amesema Bashe.

Mkurugenzi bodi ya kahawa

Kwa upande wake Mkurugenzi wa Bodi ya Kahawa Tanzania (TCB), Primus Kimaryo amesema sekta hii ina uwezo mkubwa wa kuhamasisha maendeleo ya kiuchumi, kukuza ubunifu na kuinua nafasi ya Afrika katika soko la kahawa la kimataifa.

Hata hivyo, licha kuwa ni kitovu cha masoko ya kahawa ya Arabica na Robusta, Bara la Afrika halijaweza kutumia kikamilifu uwezo wa kahawa yake.

“ Wito wangu kwa serikali za Afrika ni kuwekeza katika ongezeko la thamani,  kuimarisha biashara ya kahawa kati ya nchi za Afrika,”

“Kuwawezesha wajasiriamali vijana na  kuwaleta vijana katika mustakabali kwa kuwawezesha na kuwapa stadi, fedha na fursa za kubadili sekta ya kahawa kuwa injini inayoleta ajira na ukuaji wa kiuchumi,” amesema Kimaryo.

Source: mwananchi.co.tz

Original Media Source

Share this news

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
WhatsApp

This Year's Most Read News Stories

Popular
Chief Editor

Zanzibar airport operators decry job losses over Dubai deal

Tanzania air operators say over 600 workers are set to lose their jobs after the semi-autonomous government of Zanzibar awarded a Dubai-based company exclusive rights to handle ground services at a refurbished airport.

The Tanzania Air Operators Association (Taoa) said in a statement that the contract awarded to Dnata, which is registered at the London Stock Exchange, was in breach of the law banning any company from having exclusive rights to ground-handling services at major airports.Continue Reading

Tanzania Confirms Second Marburg Outbreak After WHO Chief Visit
Tanzania Foreign Investment News
Chief Editor

Tanzania Confirms Second Marburg Outbreak After WHO Chief Visit

Dar es Salaam — Tanzania’s President Samia Suluhu Hassan has declared an outbreak of Marburg virus, confirming a single case in the northwestern region of Kagera after a meeting with WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

The confirmation follows days of speculation about a possible outbreak in the region, after the WHO reported a number of deaths suspected to be linked to the highly infectious disease.

While Tanzania’s Ministry of Health declared last week that all suspected cases had tested negative for Marburg, the WHO called for additional testing at international reference laboratories.

“We never know when an outbreak might occur in a neighbouring nation. So we ensure infection prevention control assessments at every point of care as routine as a morning greeting at our workplaces.”Amelia Clemence, public health researcher

Subsequent laboratory tests conducted at Kagera’s Kabaile Mobile Laboratory and confirmed in Dar es Salaam identified one positive case, while 25 other suspected cases tested negative, the president told a press conference in Dodoma, in the east of the country today (Monday).

“The epicentre has now shifted to Biharamulo district of Kagera,” she told the press conference, distinguishing this outbreak from the previous one centred in Bukoba district.

Tedros said the WHO would release US$3 million from its emergencies contingency fund to support efforts to contain the outbreak.

Health authorities stepped up surveillance and deployed emergency response teams after the WHO raised the alarm about nine suspected cases in the region, including eight deaths.

The suspected cases displayed symptoms consistent with Marburg infection, including headache, high fever, diarrhoea, and haemorrhagic complications, according to the WHO’s alert to member countries on 14 January. The organisation noted a case fatality rate of 89 per cent among the suspected cases.

“We appreciate the swift attention accorded by the WHO,” Hassan said.

She said her administration immediately investigated the WHO’s alert.

“The government took several measures, including the investigation of suspected individuals and the deployment of emergency response teams,” she added.

Cross-border transmission

The emergence of this case in a region that experienced Tanzania’s first-ever Marburg outbreak in March 2023 has raised concerns about cross-border transmission, particularly following Rwanda’s recent outbreak that infected 66 people and killed 15 before being declared over in December 2024.

The situation is particularly critical given Kagera’s position as a transport hub connecting four East African nations.

Amelia Clemence, a public health researcher working in the region, says constant vigilance is required.

“We never know when an outbreak might occur in a neighbouring nation. So we ensure infection prevention control assessments at every point of care as routine as a morning greeting at our workplaces.”

The Kagera region’s ecosystem, home to fruit bats that serve as natural reservoirs for the Marburg virus, adds another layer of complexity to disease surveillance efforts.

The virus, closely related to Ebola, spreads through contact with bodily fluids and can cause severe haemorrhagic fever.

Transparency urged

Elizabeth Sanga, shadow minister of health for Tanzania’s ACT Wazalendo opposition party, says greater transparency would help guide public health measures.

“This could have helped to guide those who are traveling to the affected region to be more vigilant and prevent the risk of further spread,” she said.

WHO regional director for Africa Matshidiso Moeti says early notification of investigation outcomes is important.

“We stand ready to support the government in its efforts to investigate and ensure that measures are in place for an effective and rapid response,” she said, noting that existing national capacities built from previous health emergencies could be quickly mobilised.

The situation coincides with leadership changes in Tanzania’s Ministry of Health, with both the chief medical officer and permanent secretary being replaced.

This piece was produced by SciDev.Net’s Sub-Saharan Africa English desk.

Source: allafrica.com

Continue Reading