New Laboratory Enhances Agricultural Resilience through Partnerships in Tanzania

Inauguration of a New Crop Research Laboratory

20 September 2024, Arusha, Tanzania – In a region increasingly impacted by the visible effects of climate change, a new state-of-the-art laboratory, jointly managed by the Tanzanian Agricultural Research Institute (TARI) and the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT, was officially inaugurated. The facility was inaugurated by HRH the Duchess of Edinburgh and makes a significant leap forward in bolstering local capacity for molecular related works, crop disease diagnosis (pathology) and nutrition research.

The plant pathology lab, located in Arusha, offers critical support to the farmers in the fight against plant pests and diseases affecting major staple crops such as maize, beans, and cassava. These crops are vital for food security in Tanzania’s climate-stressed regions, where shifting weather patterns have exacerbated challenges for smallholder farmers. The plant pathology lab is furnished to collect and maintain plant material in isolation for the identification and diagnosis/test specific pathogens of major crop diseases, caused by fungi, bacteria, viruses, and nematodes from plants, soil, or seed. The laboratory can achieve more accurate, or higher levels of identification through advanced molecular tests using different molecular marker analysis.