Hon. Minister Hussein Bashe Invited to Speak at Champions 12.3 High-Level Event at UN General Assembly

Dodoma

Honorable Hussein Bashe, Tanzania’s Minister of Agriculture, has received a distinguished invitation to participate as a key speaker at the Champions 12.3 High-Level Event, scheduled to take place on September 24, 2024, during the UN General Assembly (UNGA) in New York City. This event, part of the broader UNGA agenda, will focus on the critical issue of reducing food loss and waste—an area where Tanzania has emerged as a regional leader.

The invitation follows a successful dialogue held during the Champions 12.3 breakfast session at the Africa Food Systems Forum in Kigali, Rwanda, where Minister Bashe and his team engaged in discussions aimed at addressing food system challenges across Africa. This session laid the groundwork for future partnerships, with seven African countries, including Tanzania, expressing strong interest in collaborating with Champions 12.3 and other international partners to drive policy reform and foster private sector investments that would significantly reduce food loss and waste in their respective countries.

Tanzania’s Commitment to SDG 12.3 and Reducing Food Loss and Waste

Tanzania has been actively engaged in efforts to meet the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 12.3, which aims to halve food waste and reduce food losses along production and supply chains by 2030. The country has made substantial strides through both public policy initiatives and private sector partnerships to address inefficiencies in its agricultural value chains. These efforts are crucial not only for improving food security but also for enhancing the livelihoods of smallholder farmers, reducing poverty, and minimizing environmental degradation.

Minister Bashe’s leadership in championing agricultural transformation has been instrumental in placing Tanzania at the forefront of these efforts. His invitation to the Champions 12.3 event provides a global platform for him to present Tanzania’s achievements, articulate its vision for the future, and highlight opportunities for further collaboration with international stakeholders.

Event Details: A Platform for Global Leadership and Collaboration

The Champions 12.3 High-Level Event, scheduled for September 24, 2024, will convene a diverse group of over 150 public and private sector leaders. The event will focus on private sector-led solutions to food loss and waste reduction, providing an invaluable opportunity for Tanzania to showcase its initiatives. Minister Bashe is invited to speak alongside other notable figures, including Ambassador Hans Hoogeveen (FAO Council), Dr. Agnes Kalibata (President of AGRA), Geeta Sethi (World Bank), and Kevin Fay (Global Food Cold Chain Council). These leaders are part of the Champions 12.3 Coalition, an international group committed to achieving SDG 12.3 through collaborative and innovative solutions.

During the event, Minister Bashe will have the opportunity to outline Tanzania’s ambitious plans to scale up efforts to reduce food loss and waste. Key areas of focus will include strengthening post-harvest handling practices, expanding cold chain infrastructure, and fostering public-private partnerships to enhance food security and improve market access for farmers. The Minister’s speech is expected to emphasize Tanzania’s holistic approach to food system reform, combining policy innovation with practical, on-the-ground solutions.

Next Steps and Potential Outcomes for Tanzania

The invitation to the UNGA event underscores the importance of Tanzania’s role in shaping the future of food systems in Africa. Building on the momentum from the Kigali meeting, where seven African countries, including Tanzania, expressed their readiness to collaborate on food loss reduction initiatives, the Champions 12.3 event offers an opportunity to solidify these commitments and accelerate progress.

Minister Bashe’s participation is expected to result in several concrete outcomes:

1. Strengthened Global Partnerships: The event provides a platform for Tanzania to forge deeper ties with global institutions, including the FAO, AGRA, and the World Bank, all of which have been integral to advancing food security and agricultural development in Africa.
2. Private Sector Engagement: With the Champions 12.3 Coalition focusing on private sector-led solutions, Tanzania has the opportunity to attract significant investment in areas such as cold chain development, post-harvest technologies, and agri-financing. Minister Bashe’s speech will likely highlight the role of agribusinesses in driving sustainable food systems and the government’s commitment to creating an enabling environment for such investments.
3. Policy Innovation: Minister Bashe is expected to discuss Tanzania’s policy framework aimed at reducing food loss and waste, which includes the establishment of roundtable discussions that bring together public policymakers and private sector actors. These roundtables are designed to identify and implement practical solutions that can be scaled across the country.
4. Focus on Youth and Smallholder Farmers: A key component of Tanzania’s strategy is ensuring that smallholder farmers and the youth are not left behind in the agricultural transformation process. Minister Bashe will likely emphasize the need for inclusive policies that provide access to training, technology, and markets, thus empowering the next generation of farmers to contribute to the country’s food security goals.

Tanzania’s Commitment to Sustainable Agriculture

Tanzania’s leadership in agricultural development is rooted in its broader commitment to sustainable practices that align with global development goals. In his address, Minister Bashe is expected to highlight the government’s efforts to improve agricultural productivity through investments in modern technologies, capacity-building initiatives for farmers, and infrastructure development. He will also touch on the importance of data-driven decision-making, particularly in monitoring food loss and waste, as well as the adoption of innovative farming practices that can increase resilience to climate change.

The Tanzanian government has long recognized the importance of addressing food loss as a key component of its agricultural strategy. Through initiatives like the Tanzania Agricultural and Food Security Investment Plan (TAFSIP), the country has laid the groundwork for reducing inefficiencies in the food system, improving market access, and promoting sustainable farming practices. Minister Bashe’s participation in the Champions 12.3 event represents the next step in advancing these efforts on a global stage.

Tanzania’s Role in Global Food Systems

As Tanzania continues to position itself as a leader in Africa’s agricultural transformation, the Champions 12.3 event at UNGA presents a crucial opportunity for the country to showcase its progress and ambitions. By engaging with global leaders and private sector stakeholders, Minister Bashe’s participation will reaffirm Tanzania’s commitment to reducing food loss and waste while fostering a more sustainable and inclusive agricultural sector.

With global attention focused on achieving SDG 12.3, Tanzania’s leadership in this area will not only enhance its standing within the international community but also provide new opportunities for collaboration and investment that can further drive the country’s development agenda. Minister Bashe’s voice at the Champions 12.3 event will be instrumental in shaping the future of food systems, both in Tanzania and across the globe.