On the occasion of the 153rd Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) in Arusha, Tanzania, the two Liechtenstein Landtag members, Dagmar Bühler-Nigsch and Daniel Salzgeber, took the opportunity to gain firsthand insight into Liechtenstein’s development cooperation efforts. Together with LED Executive Director Andreas Sicks, they visited various LED-supported projects in Tanzania—a priority country for the agency—in early October.
The focus was on sustainable agriculture and the question of how knowledge and research can help improve the livelihoods of smallholder farmers.
At Biovision Africa Trust and Farm Radio International, the delegation learned how agricultural knowledge is shared through trade journals and interactive radio programs. The radio project alone aims to reach at least two million smallholder farmers with information on organic farming methods.
During a subsequent farm visit in Tengeru, the delegation gained insight into the practical implementation of agroecological farming methods.
Another item on the agenda took the delegation to the World Vegetable Center (WorldVeg). There, the delegation learned about the research being conducted, toured the experimental fields, and gained insight into the gene bank, which is dedicated to the conservation of plant genetic resources.
The project visits made a lasting impression. Daniel Salzgeber emphasizes: “It was impressive to see how radio and agricultural projects are used to share knowledge and provide concrete support to local people.”
Delegation leader Dagmar Bühler-Nigsch also described the project visits as particularly valuable. She sums up her visit positively: “The discussions and encounters on site provided valuable insights into the broader context and fostered a deeper understanding of the LED’s development cooperation efforts in Tanzania.”
