Visit of the Director General from Tanzania to Spain

21 March, 2024

We are excited to share the achievements of the recent visit by Dastan Ndunguru, our Director General in Tanzania, to Spain, which included the Institute of Subtropical and Mediterranean Horticulture “La Mayora” and the Agronomic Experimentation Fields and Vegetable Production Greenhouses at the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid.

During his stay in Spain, Dastan met with the Board of Trustees of the Agrónomos Sin Fronteras Foundation and shared the progress and challenges in Tanzania for the current year. Additionally, he participated in a Roundtable at the Main Auditorium of the Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingeniería Agronómica, Alimentaria y de Biosistemas (ETSIAAB), where students from the University were present.

Key Aspects:

• Irrigation and fertigation technologies: Discoveries in drip irrigation systems for more efficient agriculture, including the use of instruments such as data loggers and tensiometers.
• Harvest and post-harvest management: New methodologies in avocado harvesting to improve traceability and post-harvest handling techniques.
• Nursery management: Visits to seed nurseries and semi-hydroponic systems provided insights into high-quality seed production. These experiences promise to improve both the quality and sustainability of nurseries in our AGRICONNECT project in Iringa and Njombe.
• Commercial innovations: During visits to avocado import and export companies, the potential for future collaborations was highlighted, opening opportunities to improve access to the European market for Tanzanian farmers. One of the companies expressed strong interest in strengthening the relationship with Tanzanian companies, representing an exceptional opportunity for both our foundation and the small farmers we support.

At “La Mayora,” alongside Dr. Iñaki Hormaza, Dastan outlined a promising path for short and long-term projects, which include establishing an experimental laboratory in Tanzania equipped for detailed crop analysis. This marks the beginning of a new phase in our agricultural practices, based on precision and science.

The visit has not only been a step forward in our commitment to sustainable agricultural development in Tanzania but also an example of how international collaboration is fundamental to our mission.