BACKGROUND HISTORY OF TALIRI EASTERN ZONE, TANGA

The Institute is situated 5^oS 39^oE at an altitude of 6 m above sea level, 6 km inland from the Indian Ocean.  Annual rainfall ranges from 1230 to 1400 mm, falling in two seasons with peaks during April - May and October - November.  The mean temperature ranges from 26^oC to 33^oC with January and February being the hottest months of the year.

            The area occupied by the Institute formerly was inhabited by the local people up to the time of World War II (1939) when an air fleet army made its base. After World War II (1946), the Institute became a commercial dairy farm.  In 1950, the farm became a Livestock Experimental Station with the objective being the production of improved livestock for distribution to farmers. A breeding programme involving crossbreeding Boran with Friesian, Guernsey and Jersey was drawn.  This programme was discontinued in 1965 and much of the research was directed towards solving the problems of animal husbandry in the area.  In 1969 the station was named the Research and Training Institute.  Cattle upgrading programme in which purebred Boran and crosses with less than 25% B. Taurus blood were bred to Sahiwal.  The aim was to distribute breeding females with 82.5 – 100% Sahiwal blood to farmers.  During this period, pigs were also introduced which involved 17 Large White gilts and a Landrace boar.  In 1973, the station was changed to Livestock Research Centre given responsibility to perform research work on dairy cattle breeding, feeding and husbandry in the coastal belt.  The role of the centre has remained that since then despite changes in the organisation.  Between 1981 and 1989, the centre was run by the Tanzania Livestock Research Organization (TALIRO), however, it was returned to the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development in 1989. In July 2012, the centre became an Institute run by the Tanzania Livestock Research Institute (TALIRI) by Act No. 4 of 2012. The farmland resource of the centre was 800 ha in 1973 but decreased to 386 following pressures from the urban population at the top farm and another 753 ha at Buhuri about 6km away and Msowero farm in Kilosa (Morogoro) with more than 3000 ha.

VISION

The overall vision of TALIRI is to be a Model Livestock Research Institute that contributes towards the improved livelihood of farmers and other stakeholder.

MISSION 

To develop, disseminate and promote the use of appropriate technologies to stakeholders to improve livestock productivity sustainably

MANDATE

The mandate of the institute is to carry out livestock research especially improvement of dairy cattle productivity in the sub-humid zone along the coastal belt in the Eastern Zone which includes Tanga, Pwani, Dar es Salaam and Morogoro regions.  The researchable areas include among others evaluation of breeds and types of livestock, feeds including pastures and forages, feeding and management systems that would result in increased production and productivity of livestock in the Zone.  The major concentration is on crossbred dairy cattle, chicken, crossbred goats and livestock kept by pastoralists.

STRATEGIC PLAN

To become a Centre of Excellence in Dairy farming and a reliable source of better breeding dairy animals and quality forage seeds in Tanzania.

FUTURE PLANS

• To invest in infrastructures and capacity building for efficient delivery and application of research-based knowledge and innovations in Tanzania
• To strengthen linkages between researchers, extension officers, training and livestock keepers in the country
• To improve the productivity per animal and deliver better technologies and innovations
• Improving and deliver quality forage seeds and fodder for dairy cows.
• Select one best forage species for the coastal zone and commercialize through promotion and satellite innovation farm establishment.
• To maintain partnerships and relationships between collaborating institutions.
• Establish and maintain climate-smart innovation demonstration dairy farming system at TALIRI Eastern Zone, Tanzania.
• Mainstream gender and climate change issues in all research activities and innovations