By Business Insider Reporter, Tanga
The Cereals and Other Produce Regulatory Authority (COPRA) has emerged as the overall winner at the 2026 World Food Day exhibitions in Tanga, earning recognition for initiatives aimed at boosting agricultural productivity, strengthening market access and expanding export opportunities.
The award, announced at Usagara Grounds on October 16, highlights COPRA’s efforts to promote agricultural innovation and commercial farming as Tanzania advances its National Development Vision 2050.
The exhibitions, held from October 10 to 16 under the theme “Innovation Today, Better Nutrition Tomorrow, Towards Vision 2050,” with Tanga Regional Commissioner Dr, Batilda Burian as a chief guerst, brought together public institutions, private companies, farmer groups, researchers and agro-processors to showcase technologies and solutions for more productive and resilient food systems.
COPRA Director of Corporate Services Martin Sapanjo said the authority’s pavilion stood out for demonstrating practical interventions designed to connect farmers with higher-value markets.
These included avocado collection centres, the distribution of 129,986 seedlings during the 2025/2026 season, cold-chain logistics for exports and more transparent agricultural marketing systems.
The recognition comes as Tanzania’s avocado industry records significant export growth. According to figures provided by COPRA, avocado exports reached 52,000 tonnes in the 2025/2026 season, exceeding the national target of 40,000 tonnes set for 2030.
Export volumes increased by 237 per cent from 15,432 tonnes in 2020/2021, while foreign exchange earnings rose by 120.4 per cent to US$97.2 million.
Sapanjo attributed the performance to collaboration between the government and the private sector in improving production, extension services, market access and export infrastructure.
The interventions included recruiting 50 agricultural extension officers, supporting 169 grower groups and investing TSh3 billion in 20 collection centres across 13 local government authorities.
COPRA also used the exhibition to outline plans to distribute 500,000 seedlings during the 2026/2027 season, expanding efforts to increase production and strengthen the commercial crop value chain.
Innovation central to Dira 2050
Speaking elsewhere on the event, Agriculture Minister Godfrey said this year’s World Food Day theme underscored the need to modernise agriculture to meet future food and nutrition demands.
He said Tanzania’s annual observance of World Food Day serves as a reminder of the shared responsibility to ensure access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food while building inclusive and sustainable agricultural systems.
“We cannot build tomorrow’s food security using yesterday’s methods,” the minister said, calling for greater investment in science and technology, climate-resilient agriculture, post-harvest loss reduction, value addition and efficient markets.
He noted that agriculture has a central role in implementing Vision 2050, not only through food production but also by creating employment for young people, raising farmers’ incomes, attracting private investment, supplying raw materials to industries and expanding trade.
The minister said the private sector is expected to account for 70 per cent of investment under Dira 2050, making an enabling business environment and stronger public-private partnerships important to achieving the country’s development ambitions.
He described the Usagara exhibitions as a platform for showcasing technologies, exchanging knowledge, connecting farmers to markets and building partnerships across production, trade, nutrition and food security.
COPRA’s award highlights the growing importance of agricultural regulation, market development and value-chain investment in translating innovation into commercial opportunities for farmers and businesses. As Tanzania pursues its long-term development goals, scaling up successful agricultural models will be critical to expanding exports, improving rural livelihoods and building a more competitive and resilient agricultural economy.
