By Friday Simbaya, Iringa
The Chargé d'Affaires of US Embassy in Tanzania Dr. Inmi Patterson has expressed thanks for the efforts made by the Tanzanian government in addressing the issues of stunting and malnutrition that affect most citizens in the country.
She made the statement said yesterday during the inauguration of ‘Mama Seki’ milling machine that fortify maize flour in Iringa, with the support of the American government through the NAFAKA project during her visit to Iringa.
Dr. Patterson said that Tanzania has 37 percent of people with stunting and undernourishment, while Iringa, Njombe and Songwe districts all have malnutrition rates for more than 40 percent.
She said more efforts were needed to improve education and nutrition issues in order to meet the government's aims to alleviate stunting and malnutrition in the country.
She said that lack of nutrition makes one unable to achieve his goals because stunting growth affects the body and mind.
Dr Patterson also added that pupils with poor nutrition are not doing well at school, something less likely to reduce the opportunities and future fate of employment.
"I'm happy to be part of Mother Seki's success in launching the best maize flour machine available in the Iringa Region and in all areas of the southern highlands. Mrs. Seki's business supports government efforts in addressing the issues of depression and malnutrition that affect this country ..., "said acting ambassador to the United States.
She stressed also that people poor nutrition cannot work, contribute to the local economy, and provide services to their families.
"Low-nutrition mothers are more likely to have children with less weight, who also have serious risk of physical and psychological infections," said Dr. Patterson.
She said that the presence of Mrs. Seki's new warehouses and production plant for good quality nutrition products demonstrates the effectiveness of cooperation between two governments Tanzanian and the United States to identify and support women's businesses to improve their economic position.
“Even with your recent success, I encourage you to continue working with the both governments, Sanku Healthy Children, and other actors within the maize value chain to identify new markets,” Dr Patterson said.
She said that supply of fortified maize flour to schools, hospitals, clinics, stores and other locations throughout the Southern Highlands that will benefit from accessing your fortified maize product in order to tackle the malnutrition and health problems that exist in this country.
Also, Ritha Sekilovele, 'Super Seki Investment' Company Director, thanked Feed the Future, NAFAKA USAID's project for helping her with the many things that she had been able to achieve.
She said that the project has provided two maize milling machines worth 22,840,000 / - shillings that help to process maize flour with nutrients as government efforts that aims to reduce malnutrition and stunting in Iringa Region.
She said she started the job of processing maize flour for the last 25 years with a small capital, but through the NAFAKA project for the past two years she has doubled her production to 15 tonnes per day, with 15% of her production being used to produce fortified maize flour.
Sekilovele (Mama Seki) said that the project has also helped her connect with its buyers both domestic and abroad , for example, able to associate with Kenyan buyers and will begin selling these products as soon as the product approval permits ready.
Mother Seki said, however, that there are challenges in the processing activities including the maize raw materials keeping that have been challenging to her, that at times maize is damaged due to poor storage environment.
She said the other challenge is power supply in her new building is a limited only capable of running one maize milling machine, so that she cannot able to serve her markets on time.
On his part, Iringa Regional Commissioner Richard Kasesela, on behalf of Iringa Regional Commissioner Ally Hapi, commended the US government for supporting the government of Tanzania in the industrial economy policy.
He said the launching of a new warehouse and maize milling machines demonstrates the effectiveness of cooperation between the two governments, and supports women's businesses to improve their economic opportunities.
DC Kaseela said that Mrs. Seki's success was a major step towards women's empowerment, community health and agricultural sector growth by working jointly between the two governments.
Regarding the electrical problem, he said that the Regional Government would ensure that the electricity problem being small in the new building was provided as soon as possible for the factory to operate both machines and to grind flour at a time.
Kasesela said they are to work closely with Mama Seki to assist in supplying her warehouse with the TANESCO ensuring that she can continue to expand her fortification and maize flour business.
It is a fact that Iringa is one among regions that have been affected by malnutrition; therefore strategic efforts must be taken into account to fight against the problem.
One effort is the action being taken by NAFAKA project and their partner, SANKU, on fortification program.
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