THE BORLAUG MEETING: WILL ITS BENEFITS REACH ORDINARY CITIZENS?

 

ADELADIUS MAKWEGA — MBAGALA

Mwanakwetu, news reports over the past weekend brought us information about the visit of the Prime Minister of the United Republic of Tanzania, Honourable Dr. Mwigulu Lameck Nchemba, to the United States, where he is representing Tanzania at the Norman E. Borlaug International Dialogue.

 

Mwanakwetu, when you heard this news, what questions came to mind? I found myself asking two or three questions. First, what exactly is the Prime Minister going to do in the United States? Second, what kind of meeting is the Norman E. Borlaug International Dialogue? And third, what does this meeting mean for my fellow citizens in Mbagala, Dar es Salaam, and those in Ikangao, Ketaketa, in the Morogoro Region?

Well, Mwanakwetu, I began looking for information to find answers to these questions.

I discovered that the Norman E. Borlaug International Dialogue, officially known as the Borlaug Dialogue, is a major annual international gathering that focuses on global food security, agriculture, and nutrition. The meeting is organised by the World Food Prize Foundation in Des Moines, Iowa, in the United States.

Mwanakwetu, when I heard about food security, agriculture, and nutrition, I immediately thought of my brothers and sisters in Mbagala. I said to myself, so this is not just about leaders meeting and taking photographs! We are talking about food, food, and more food—maankuli, dingwa, ismaa, ubwabwa, bini wali! In other words, this is about what we eat every day.

But, Mwanakwetu, where did the name of this meeting come from?

History tells us that the meeting was named after Dr. Norman E. Borlaug, an American agricultural scientist who received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1970 for his contribution to the Green Revolution. Through his research and efforts to improve wheat production, he contributed significantly to the global fight against hunger and helped save millions of lives.

Therefore, Mwanakwetu, we can say that this is not simply a meeting about food in the sense of sitting around a table and eating. It is a gathering to discuss how the world can produce enough food, fight hunger, improve nutrition, and ensure that people have access to safe food.

 

The meeting brings together leaders from different countries, scientists, policymakers, businesspeople, and agricultural stakeholders to seek solutions to the challenges facing the global food sector.

In 2026, the meeting is scheduled to take place from 20 to 22 October, as the World Food Prize marks its 40th anniversary. The discussions emphasise the need for action to combat hunger and strengthen food security.

Now,Mwanakwetu, having learned what this meeting is and why it takes place, let us return home. Let us leave the United States in our thoughts and travel back to Mbagala, Dar es Salaam. Once there, let us meet the local food vendor, the grain seller, the market trader, and the ordinary citizen who goes out to buy flour, rice, beans, and other food products, whether from Mangi's shop or Mpemba's shop.

Mwanakwetu, what connection do these people have with a meeting taking place thousands of kilometres away from home?

The answer is simpler than we might think. When this meeting discusses food production, availability, storage, and distribution, it touches directly on the lives of consumers and food traders.

If Tanzania increases agricultural production, improves food storage systems, and reduces the cost of transporting produce from farms to markets, residents of Mbagala could benefit. Food could become more readily available, and price fluctuations could potentially be reduced.

 

Imagine a food vendor in Mbagala opening her stall early in the morning. She needs rice, flour, cooking oil, beans, and other supplies to keep her business running. When prices rise sharply, operating her business becomes difficult. Her customers also complain because their purchasing power declines.

Now, if food production improves and distribution becomes more efficient, that food vendor may find it easier to run her business. However, my fellow citizen, let us not rush to conclude that food prices will automatically fall as soon as the meeting ends. No! Food prices depend on many factors, including production costs, transportation expenses, weather conditions, and the availability of crops. The meeting may open doors to dialogue and cooperation, but its benefits will depend on practical action.

Similarly, investment in food processing, storage, and transportation can create business and employment opportunities for young people and women. Therefore, this meeting could be significant for small-scale traders in Mbagala if the opportunities discussed are translated into practical initiatives that reach ordinary citizens.

But, Mwanakwetu, let us not remain in Mbagala alone. Let us travel to Morogoro, to Ikangao, Ketaketa, and greet our rice farmers at Mrundu.

“Jamani wakashina…!”

Here, our story takes a slightly different turn. For a farmer, food is not merely a product seen in a market. It represents hard work, land, the seeds planted, the rain awaited, and the hopes of an entire family.

 

When a farmer in Ikangao grows maize, rice, or other crops, the expectation is to harvest a good yield. Yet the journey towards a successful harvest comes with its own challenges. These include the cost of agricultural inputs, access to quality seeds, climate change, irrigation water, and, sometimes, the absence of a reliable market.

Mwanakwetu, this is where we begin to see the connection between the Norman E. Borlaug meeting and the lives of our farmers.

Dr. Borlaug was renowned for his contribution to improving crop production through science and research. A meeting bearing his name provides an opportunity to discuss how agricultural technology and knowledge can help farmers increase productivity.

If the partnerships discussed at meetings like this lead to programmes that reach farmers in Tanzania, those in Ikangao could benefit from training, appropriate technologies, and improved seeds suited to their local conditions. The goal is to help them increase productivity and reduce the risks that threaten their harvests.

Imagine a farmer who depends entirely on rainfall. If the rains arrive late or are insufficient, the farmer's plans can be disrupted. This is where discussions about irrigation, efficient water use, and climate-resilient farming practices become important.

If irrigation projects are established in suitable areas and farmers receive the necessary training and equipment, they may be able to reduce their dependence on rainfall and improve agricultural production. However, as with other opportunities, these benefits do not materialise simply because a meeting has taken place. They require investment, planning, and implementation.

There is another important issue that farmers in Ikangao must consider: the market for their produce.

Mwanakwetu, a farmer may spend several months working in the fields, invest money in agricultural inputs, and dedicate enormous effort to cultivation, only to find, at the end of the season, that there is no buyer willing to offer a price that reflects the costs and hard work involved. This is why access to markets matters.

International agricultural meetings provide governments and stakeholders with opportunities to discuss investment in crop-processing industries, food-storage facilities, transportation infrastructure, and agricultural marketing systems.

If such plans are implemented in Tanzania, farmers in Morogoro could gain access to wider markets, reduce post-harvest losses, and increase the value of their produce.

Now, Mwanakwetu, this is where the full picture becomes clear. The farmer in Ikangao and the consumer in Mbagala may live far apart geographically, but they are connected by the same food supply chain.

 

If the farmer produces efficiently, finds a market, and gets the produce transported effectively, consumers in Mbagala may benefit from better food availability. When consumers can afford to buy food, food-related businesses also have a better chance of surviving and growing.

This is the food value chain in action. It reminds us that agriculture is not solely the farmer's concern, just as food is not solely the consumer's concern. Everyone has a role to play, and what happens at one end of the chain can affect people at the other end.

Therefore, Mwanakwetu, when we discuss the Prime Minister's trip to the United States to attend this meeting, we should not limit ourselves to asking who met whom or what speeches were delivered. We should also ask: What will Tanzania gain from participating in this meeting?

Will there be partnerships that support our farmers? Will there be investment to improve food production, storage, and transportation? Most importantly, will the outcomes reach ordinary citizens?

 

These are the questions worth following up.

Indeed, my fellow citizens of Mbagala and Ikangao, Ketaketa, we can now begin to understand why this meeting matters and why we should pay attention to it. At the same time, we must recognise that a meeting alone cannot eliminate hunger, lower food prices, or increase farmers' incomes. What is needed is sound decision-making, productive cooperation, and implementation that brings visible improvements to people's lives.

The farmer in Ikangao needs to see results in the field and in the market where crops are sold. The food vendor in Mbagala needs to see improvements in the availability and cost of the ingredients required for her business. The ordinary citizen needs access to sufficient, safe food at prices they can afford.

That is why we must continue asking questions, following developments, and discussing these issues. Agricultural progress should not be measured solely by the scale of meetings held abroad, but also by the changes that reach our people back home.

Mwanakwetu, are you there?

My brothers and sisters in Mbagala, are you there? And you,Mwanakwetu in Ikangao, Ketaketa, Morogoro, are you there?

Let us not allow news about international meetings to pass through our ears without asking how it relates to our daily lives.

Behind discussions about food security is a farmer struggling in the fields, a food vendor working hard to obtain supplies for her business, and a family trying to put food on the table every day.

Mwanakwetu, ultimately, a meeting has real meaning when its discussions translate into visible results on the farmer's land, in the marketplace, and on the ordinary citizen's dining table.

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