The new Sunflower Processing Unit in the eastern district of Uvinza will give a business boost to 21,000 people
A new sunflower processing unit in Tanzania’s eastern Uvinza district is transforming the agricultural landscape, boosting local businesses, and providing a more accessible and affordable way for farmers to process their sunflower harvests. This innovative development is set to benefit 21,000 people in the region, improving access to processing facilities, reducing travel costs, and promoting local farming and agribusiness.
A Game-Changer for Sunflower Farmers in Uvinza
The sunflower processing facility, located in the remote Basanza ward, is a welcome development for farmers who previously had to travel over 50 kilometers to the town of Kasulu for processing. The unit makes sunflower processing significantly more accessible, cutting down on time, costs, and logistics for farmers, and providing them with an opportunity to grow and sell more sunflowers.
With the new facility in place, farmers can process their harvests locally, eliminating the challenges they faced with long-distance processing. This development not only streamlines the supply chain but also improves the overall profitability of sunflower farming in the region.
Similar initiatives in Uganda provide an inspiring context for Tanzania. For instance, in Uganda, regions such as Teso and Lango have experienced a surge in local sunflower processing plants, enabling farmers to process their sunflowers closer to home. The Soroti Fruit Factory, established in 2019, processes citrus fruits like oranges and mangoes produced in the Teso sub-region, creating job opportunities and fostering local economic growth. In addition, the Uganda Development Bank (UDB) has partnered with the National Semi-Arid Resources Research Institute (NaSARRI) to support sunflower research in the country. Ms. Patricia Ojangole, Managing Director of UDB, announced that Shs178 million has been earmarked to enable field testing of developed sunflower varieties.
Furthermore, the Mukwano Group, a prominent Ugandan conglomerate, operates the Lira Oil Mill Limited, which produces over 25,000 tons of oil annually from sunflower and cottonseed. These initiatives demonstrate Uganda’s commitment to enhancing local sunflower processing capabilities, thereby increasing farmers’ yields and contributing to economic development.
Empowering Farmers and Generating Business Opportunities
The facility was made possible by a grant from the International Trade Centre (ITC), in partnership with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), which is assisting farmers with sustainable agricultural techniques. FAO is also working with various partners to ensure that high-quality sunflower seeds are available for the upcoming seasons, meeting the rising demand that the new processing unit has sparked.
In addition to sunflower oil production, the facility’s impact extends to livestock farmers. Sunflower seed cake, a byproduct of oil extraction, is now available locally for use as animal feed. This previously required livestock farmer to travel long distances to obtain, but now they can purchase it at competitive prices, creating a more sustainable and efficient supply chain for all involved.
This scenario closely mirrors Uganda’s National Oil Seeds Association (NOSA), which has been promoting sustainable farming practices and encouraging local processing for oilseeds like sunflower. NOSA’s work with farmers has been crucial in helping local economies grow by reducing dependency on imports and promoting homegrown value addition.
In Uganda, another notable example is the Ngetta Tropical Farm in Lira, which processes sunflower oil locally. By providing farmers with processing opportunities nearby, the facility has increased their profitability and encouraged more sunflower farming in the region. These parallels to the Uvinza project highlight the growing trend of local value addition that benefits both the farmers and the communities.
A Positive Shift for Local Economies
Farmers in Basanza, who were once forced to send their produce to Kasulu, can now process and sell their products locally, cutting through long queues and logistical barriers. The new processing unit is playing a pivotal role in stimulating local business growth and enhancing the region’s agricultural economy.
The success of similar projects in Uganda, like those led by the Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA), also demonstrates how local value addition can shift the economic landscape. UCDA’s initiatives in encouraging farmers to process coffee locally have significantly boosted Uganda’s coffee industry, offering valuable lessons for the sunflower farmers in Tanzania.
Supporting Local Industries: A Policy Imperative
While the new sunflower processing unit in Uvinza offers tremendous potential, there are concerns about the broader policy landscape affecting the sustainability of local industries. Mr. Shah, a prominent industry leader in the sunflower oil sector, expressed his concerns regarding proposed tax hikes, which could negatively impact local sunflower oil production. In a 2024 discussion, Mr. Shah commented:
“The bad news about this will apply on our locally grown sunflower oil so even we will stop focusing on buying local and focus on exporting the sunflower oil. Why are we destroying our local manufacturing?” Shah’s comment underscores the importance of supporting local industries through favorable policies that encourage value addition within the country. Without such policies, industries like sunflower oil production may struggle to thrive, and farmers could be forced to turn to export markets instead of benefiting from the local value chain.
By embracing modern processing facilities and sustainable cultivation practices, sunflower production in Uvinza is set to grow, providing new income opportunities for farmers and fostering a vibrant, thriving community. The Sunflower Processing Unit is not just a local success, it’s a model for sustainable agribusiness development in Tanzania and across Africa.