Morogoro — The newly elected leaders of the Tanzania Milk Processors Association (TAMPA) have pledged to mobilize and empower members to increase production in the dairy industry, currently valued at 3.2tri/-, in order to enhance its contribution to the national economy.
Presently, the sector contributes 2 percent to the national economy and engages approximately 4 million households across the entire dairy value chain.
Yahya Watuta, the newly elected chairperson of TAMPA, vowed to expand training on milk quality control to help members achieve greater profits.
The post of treasurer remains vacant, as members unanimously agreed to appoint a candidate holding Certified Public Accountant (CPA) credentials, in accordance with TAMPA's constitution.
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Watuta also promised that the new leadership team would prioritize unity among TAMPA members to tackle industry challenges and boost productivity.
"I will work to ensure this sector is elevated and contributes more to the national economy and even beyond the region," he said.
In the election held in Morogoro Region, where national Milk Week celebrations are taking place, TAMPA members also elected Ms Jackline Ngassa as vice-chairperson and Florent Nguma as secretary.
Before the election, members participated in a meeting where they raised various industry challenges and called on TAMPA to organize training for all stakeholders in the dairy value chain to improve product quality.
According to available data, the increase in annual milk production to 4.01 billion litres has helped raise the sector's contribution to the national economy to 2 percent.
Speaking during the official launch of Milk Week in Morogoro, Tanzania Dairy Board (TDB) registrar Prof George Msalya said the dairy industry is now valued at 3.2tri/-, crediting substantial investments and supportive policy reforms.
As the industry marks this milestone, Prof Msalya noted that the number of households directly engaged in the dairy value chain has surpassed 4 million.
He encouraged further investment to strengthen the sector's role in the national economy and support poverty alleviation efforts in Tanzania.
