The Tanzania Bureau of Standards (TBS) has continued to simplify access to the Standards Mark by introducing a digital system that enables entrepreneurs and manufacturers to submit applications online. The initiative aims to increase the number of quality products that meet national and international standards.
Speaking at the ongoing Nanenane Exhibition at Ipuli Grounds in Tabora Municipality, the TBS Western Zone Manager, Mr. Hamis Seleleko, said the improvements have eliminated previous challenges whereby applicants were required to write letters and physically visit TBS offices to apply for the service.
He said that applicants can now access the TBS website, register on the system, provide details of the product for which they seek the Standards Mark, and submit the required documents without having to visit TBS offices.
“Once the application has been submitted, we receive it directly through the system and begin processing it. For the Western Zone, our office is located in Kigoma, enabling us to reach applicants in Tabora and other areas quickly, provided they meet the requirements for obtaining the Standards Mark,” Seleleko said.
He added that the use of the digital system has improved service delivery efficiency, reduced the time required to process applications, and encouraged more manufacturers to ensure that their products meet the required standards.
Meanwhile, some entrepreneurs participating in the exhibition said that the education they have been receiving from TBS has helped them understand the importance of the Standards Mark in enhancing the competitiveness of their products and expanding their markets.
One of the entrepreneurs said that obtaining the TBS Standards Mark had been a long-standing dream, explaining that the major motivation came from a directive by the President of the United Republic of Tanzania, Dr. Samia Suluhu Hassan, when she visited them at the Sabasaba Exhibition in 2021 and emphasized the importance of their products bearing the TBS mark.
He said that after obtaining the Standards Mark, they have already started seeing positive results, including attracting an investor from India who requires 10 tonnes of honey from Tanzania.
“The demand is too large for a single entrepreneur, but through our cooperation and by adhering to TBS standards, we can produce the required quality and benefit from international markets,” he said.
The entrepreneurs have urged other manufacturers across the country to take advantage of the services provided by TBS to add value to their products, build consumer confidence, and open up new domestic and international markets.