Coffee SMEs in Tanzania on the Road to Certification

Obtaining certifications that are internationally recognized is key for increasing export value. International Trade Centre has developed an Internal Management System (IMS) model that draws on the requirements across different voluntary standards – a one size model that helps SME’s that , intend to apply to more than one certification scheme avoid duplication Since 2019, ITC has been training and coaching SMEs in the coffee, cocoa and tea sectors across the EAC on ways to adapt(?) an IMS and to private voluntary standards.

In March 2021, training was organised in Moshi for Northern Tanzania, and Mbeya for the south , where coffee exporters gathered for three days to learn the ins and outs of international certification schemes.

The training aims at unlocking market opportunities through knowledge acquisition. The training is divided in two parts, a theoretical one and a more practical session. Participants take part in a two-day field trip to a certified company, and one with an IMS in place, but which is not certified yet.

During the training in Moshi, a representative from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation, spoke to the newspaper Daily News about the increasing importance of international certification standards to boost exports from Tanzania, and highlighted the need for more awareness and capacity building in this area.