The Guardian | 12th July 2011
US investors acquire more land, to produce food crops
By Beatrice Philemon
At least 21 investors from famous US firms who were in Tanzania to scout for business opportunities for 10 days have acquired, among other things, land for production of food crops in East Africa’s second largest economy.
Mwanaidi Maajar, Tanzania’s Ambassador to the US who accompanied them revealed this to The Guardian on Friday.
She said this is the first working visit to Tanzania by the businessmen, adding that while in the country they met President Jakaya Kikwete, government officials and also went for site seeing.
“As ambassador I have organised the educational tour around Tanzania for the group of executives engaged in agriculture, energy, mining and other sectors to learn and identify business opportunities in Tanzania, so they can strengthen business links as well as get attracted to invest,” she said.
She said the trip is in line with the US government policy which insist that Tanzania should encourage more American firms to invest in Tanzania, rather than depend on financial assistance from US government. While in Tanzania, the executives were able to visit Lake Manyara National Park, Olduvai Gorge, Ngorongoro Crater and Serengeti National Park.
“As I speak to you, the executives were very impressed with the situation, particularly in agriculture and already some have started land purchase for food production upcountry,” she noted.
For his part Dr Jes Tarp, President of Aslan Global Management, LLC based in the US said that he would soon start soybeans, sunflower, wheat and barley production in Tanzania.
Apart from that he will develop extension programme for small holders farmers so that they can learn farming from them.
“My focus is on food production for domestic consumption and food security in Tanzaniam,” he said.
Presently we have made agreements to acquire 100,000 acres of land for cash crop production in Morogoro Region, he said noting that he has also been operating in Mozambique and Ukraine.
