Manila: The Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization (PhilMech) is set to share the country’s best practices with Tanzania beginning next month. In an interview, PhilMech Director Dionisio Alvindia stated that representatives from the Food and Agriculture Organization and scientists from Tanzania are expected to arrive in the last week of April.

According to Philippines News Agency, the collaboration will involve the exchange of expertise between the two nations. By April, the Tanzanian representatives will arrive in the Philippines, and by June, PhilMech scientists will visit Tanzania to initiate collaboration. Alvindia emphasized that Tanzania is particularly interested in understanding the sustainable agricultural mechanization processes of the Philippines and how PhilMech can address their specific needs.

PhilMech aims to assist Tanzania in benchmarking its practices, especially considering the low level of farm mechanization in Tanzania’s rice sector. The level of farm mechanization is a measure of agricultural modernization, and Tanzania’s interest in this collaboration indicates a step towards modernizing their agricultural practices.

A memorandum of agreement is anticipated between the Philippines and Tanzania following the PhilMech experts’ visit to Tanzania in June. This collaboration could significantly aid Tanzania in increasing its agricultural efficiency.

Alvindia also noted that the Philippines is progressing well towards its mechanization level target, currently at 2.9 horsepower per hectare (hp/ha). This marks an improvement from previous years and is approaching the mechanization levels of other ASEAN countries. The Marcos administration is keen on achieving a 3.40 hp/ha mechanization level through the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund, as part of the amended Rice Tariffication Law.