TPHPA saves 1.4m tonnes of crops after implementing measures against quelea birds, armyworms

**DODOMA: **THE Tanzania Plant Health and Pesticides Authority (TPHPA) saved more than 1.4 million tonnes of grain crops during the 2025/2026 financial year after implementing measures to control quelea birds and fall armyworms in various parts of the country.

TPHPA Director General, Prof Joseph Ndunguru, said the pest-control measures had helped reduce potential losses that farmers could have incurred as a result of crop damage caused by pests and plant diseases.

Prof. Ndunguru made the remarks today, August 27, 2026, while addressing media outlets at the MAELEZO Information Department hall in Dodoma.

He said that during the period under review, TPHPA controlled 233.5m quelea birds that had invaded 21 districts, enabling the country to save approximately 1,092,780 tonnes of grain crops, including sorghum, millet and rice.

He added that efforts to control fall armyworms in 52 local government authorities helped save approximately 342,787.5 tonnes of grain crops that had been at risk of destruction by the pests.

According to Prof. Ndunguru, the interventions have played an important role in increasing agricultural productivity and farmers’ incomes, as the crops saved can be used for food as well as sold in the market.

He said TPHPA had also strengthened the use of modern technologies to identify plant pests and diseases, including Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) and DNA sequencing technologies.

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He said the technologies enable experts to accurately identify pests and diseases affecting crops, allowing them to provide appropriate advice to farmers and implement effective control measures.

Meanwhile, Prof. Ndunguru said TPHPA had continued to facilitate access to international markets for Tanzanian agricultural produce.

He said markets had been opened for Tanzanian avocados in China, India and South Africa, yellow maize in Egypt, as well as various agricultural products in Seychelles.

According to him, access to these markets gives farmers an opportunity to increasingly engage in commercial agriculture, boost the production of quality crops and benefit from higher-value markets.

However, he stressed that agricultural products destined for international markets must comply with plant-health requirements established by importing countries.

He said TPHPA would continue to oversee plant-health matters to ensure that Tanzanian agricultural products meet the required standards and remain competitive in both domestic and international markets.

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