The Tanzania project launched in 2014 with the goals of promoting quality feed formulations for poultry; developing self-sufficient industry associations for poultry producers and feed manufacturers; and improving local broiler and layer production through training seminars.

This has meant a variety of activities that bring scientific perspectives to poultry management and build outreach from the ground up.

Last year, the Council conducted 29 feed miller and poultry producer training programs as part of this outreach, including in-country seminars; layer, broiler and hatchery training in South Africa; and one-on-one training sessions with feed millers and poultry producers.

This work has resulted in impressive engagement: to date, feed millers representing 88 percent of feed produced in Tanzania have adopted changes to their feed formulations as a result of USGC programming, and 40 feed millers representing 80 percent of the market are members of the Tanzania Feed Manufacturers Association, an association revived with the help of the Council's program.

In 2017, a major focus will be on supporting the Tanzania Animal Feed Manufacturer Association's (TAFMA) application to an International Feed Industry Federation (IFIF) global train-the-trainer program on feed safety. Sufian Kyarua, secretary of TAFMA, will travel to the 10th International Feed Regulators Meeting in Atlanta, Georgia, at the end of January to discuss the program needs and, in February, a team from the sponsoring organizations will travel to Tanzania to finalize this program.

To ensure the sustainability of the Central Veterinary Laboratory (CVL) that the Tanzania project has helped revive, the Council is focusing on developing management skills and a sense of responsibility among staff who can apply their skills to evaluating the results of each feed sample tested and taking action based on the results.

In 2017, the Council also aims to support the Poultry Association of Tanzania (PAT) in their organization of the 3rd Annual Tanzania Poultry Show (TPS), which will follow on the success of last year's show that attracted 1,400 participants.

Lastly, the Council will continue trainings in country and abroad with a focus on extension workers to ensure that technical knowledge is passed on to producers throughout the country. This includes support for a training center newly built by Silverlands Tanzania ltd. in Iringa, Tanzania, which will be a viable training facility for Tanzanians to go to for in-depth training previously only available in South Africa.

The Council's ongoing work in Tanzania is focused on building a support system to help local industry associations provide local feed producers and farmers with the knowledge and products they need to increase the quality of consumer poultry products, which will lead to higher demand for coarse grains over the long term.

More about the program is here.