Tanzania Agricultural Research Institute

Director General of Tanzania Agricultural Research Institute (TARI) Dr. Thomas Nestory Bwana, visited the TARI-Ifakara Center on 25 April 2024 with the aim of introducing himself and close checking research activities carried out at the center.

Dr. Bwana welcomed by TARI Ifakara staffs led by the Centre Manager Dr. Emmanuel Mgonja, Dr. Bwana had the opportunity to visit various areas of the Center including the Rice Seed Production Farms and rice trials at TAC Lumemo Ifakara farm, the Maize field’s area and the area planted with bananas and coconuts though there was heavy rain, but he managed to visit all the fields.

In addition, at the station Dr. Bwana visited and received information about the various research activities carried out at the center, which is technologies of various rice seeds, including seeds that grown in different ecologies, which is rainfed and irrigated ecology such as TARI RIC1, TARI RIC2, TARIC3, ​​TXD 306 (SARO 5), SUPA, KOMBOKA and TXD 88. Also, Upland ecology seeds such as Nerica 1, Nerica 2, Nerica 4 and Nerica 7, as well as seeds that face climate change such as Drought tolerant and Salt tolerant seeds SATO 1 and SATO 9

He also visited and receive information about seed bank where it is used to store various types of seeds, including landless ones found throughout Tanzania (Germ plasma maintenance from Center Coordinator of Research and Innovation Dr. Theodore T. Kessy

He also visited the pathology and molecular laboratories where he saw for himself the equipment and various research activities that take place in those laboratories, as well as he visited the Cold room, Screen house and green house.

Later he had the opportunity to have a meeting with all staff at TARI Ifakara meeting hall. Where Center Manager Dr. Emmanuel Mgonja, make presentation report on the center's activities.

Later Dr. Bwana welcomed and had the opportunity to introduce himself to all the employees and requested them to provide assistance support from everyone regarding their position to work as a TARI team and ever one to perform his/her duties properly.

In addition, he gave an opportunity to the employees to express their challenges and gave them explanations for some and took some for further action.

However, Director General of TARI Dr. Mr. Thomas Nestory. He had the opportunity to visit and talk with Kilombero District Commissioner Hon. Adv. Danstan D. Kyobya

Kilombero District Commissioner congratulated Dr. Bwana for being trusted and appointed by the Hon. the President of the United Republic Dr. Samia Suluhu Hassan in the role of Director General of the Tanzania Agricultural Research Institute. In addition, he told him that he has great expectations from his TARI Ifakara Center in bringing about Agricultural Development through the research conducted at his center and that the Kilombero District is proud of the presence of the TARI Ifakara Center located in the Katrin area.

On his side, Director General of TARI Dr. Bwana thanked him and promised Kilombero District Commissioner Cooperation in bringing about the development of Agriculture at Kilombero District through research technologies produced in all TARI Centre’s all over the country.