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In the heart of Dar es Salaam’s bustling Kariakoo district, a familiar lunchtime routine unfolded. As crowds gathered, the scent of sizzling chicken and crispy chips filled the air, drawing a steady stream of hungry customers. Chef Ahmed Salim, wearing his signature toque blanche, moved with precision behind his counter, slicing through golden-brown roast chicken. The sound of hot oil crackling in the pan mixed with the hum of the crowd created a typical scene of street life in the region.
Salim’s chicken is a local legend. He marinates each piece in a special blend of vinegar, ginger and soy sauce before frying it to a perfect crisp. Each day, customers eagerly tucked into plates of tender, juicy chicken paired with fried chips, consistently praising the taste.
“I never thought I’d be lining up for lunch this early, but for Salim’s chicken, it’s worth it,” said Mwajuma Lupalo, a clerk at Azania Bank, as she watched the chef’s practiced hands. “You can’t beat this flavour,” said Ladislaus Komba, a young lawyer, taking a hearty bite. “Every day it’s the same, but it never gets old.”
Yet, beneath the crispy skin of Salim’s famous chicken lay an invisible danger, one that customers like Lupalo and Komba were unaware of.
Unbeknownst to many of Salim’s loyal customers, the chicken they enjoyed so much could harbour a hidden threat. Recent research has uncovered a growing problem in Tanzania’s poultry industry: Chickens are raised on farms where antibiotics are heavily used, adding to the global crisis of antimicrobial resistance (AMR).
When antibiotics are not taken as directed or used unnecessarily, bacteria can adapt and develop resistance, known as AMR, making future infections more difficult to treat. As antibiotics lose their effectiveness, our health is increasingly at risk.
Across Tanzania and much of sub-Saharan Africa, poultry farmers rely on antibiotics to speed up the growth of chickens, ensuring they reached market size quickly. While this method is profitable, it has a significant downside: It encourages the development of drug-resistant bacteria, which could spread to humans through the food chain.
A 2022 study conducted by Tanzania’s Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences (MUHAS) revealed high levels of antibiotic use in chicken sold in Dar es Salaam. “Nearly 95 per cent of the samples we tested contained traces of tetracycline, a commonly used antibiotic,” said professor Mecky Matee, a microbiologist at MUHAS. “The misuse of antibiotics to promote chicken growth is a serious issue.”
For farmers like John Lusekelo, who raises broiler chickens on the outskirts of Dar es Salaam, the decision to use antibiotics wasn’t an easy one. Chickens are a vital source of affordable protein for millions in Tanzania and the booming demand for poultry led farmers to adopt intensive farming methods. However, the growing reliance on antibiotics comes at a steep cost.
“Without antibiotics, we would lose too many chickens to disease,” Lusekelo explained. “It’s a tough business and people want cheap chicken quickly.”
The widespread use of antibiotics created an environment where bacteria could develop resistance to standard treatments. The World Health Organization (WHO) had already warned that the overuse of antibiotics in agriculture was a key driver of AMR, a public health crisis that could render common infections untreatable.
In Dar es Salaam, where street food formed a large part of the city’s culinary culture, the potential health risks were significant. Consumers eating chicken laced with antibiotics could be unknowingly exposed to drug-resistant bacteria. Over time, this could lead to infections that became harder to treat, requiring stronger and more expensive medications.
Despite the dangers, awareness of the issue remained low. Most consumers, like Lupalo, are oblivious to the presence of antibiotics in their food. For many, the appeal of affordable meals outweighed any concerns about long-term health risks.
“I’ve been coming here for years and I never thought about it,” said Hassan Shamte, a regular at Salim’s stall. “This is the best lunch spot in Kariakoo — why would I question it?”
However, Matee and his team at MUHAS were concerned. Their research indicated that without stricter regulations on antibiotic use in poultry farming, the problem would only worsen.
“We’re seeing a rise in antibiotic resistance, not just in animals, but in humans as well,” Matee said. “The bacteria don’t stay in the chicken — they can spread to people, making infections harder to treat.”
But for small-scale poultry farmers, reducing their reliance on antibiotics isn’t easy. Matee’s recent study examined the financial impact on farmers if they reduced antimicrobial use. His team surveyed farms in Kinondoni and Ubungo districts, where poultry farming thrived and found that cutting antibiotic use by 20 per cent could increase disease-related costs by 14 per cent.
“If I stop using antibiotics, I’ll need other ways to keep my chickens healthy and that’s expensive,” said James Mringo, a broiler farmer. “It’s not just about raising chickens — it’s about surviving in this business.”
The study revealed that cutting antibiotic use by 50 per cent could increase costs by 37 per cent, while eliminating it completely would lead to a staggering 65 per cent rise. Farmers would need to invest in new health management systems, such as improved ventilation and biosecurity measures, to maintain healthy flocks.
Despite the challenges, experts agreed that reducing antibiotic use was essential to combat the growing threat of AMR. “The long-term benefits are clear,” Matee said. “By improving farm management practices, farmers can reduce their dependency on antibiotics and still keep their chickens healthy.”
Some farmers are exploring alternative methods, such as using probiotics and improving hygiene on their farms. However, the initial investment in these solutions could be prohibitive for small-scale farmers.
At the policy level, Tanzania’s government had introduced new guidelines to regulate antibiotic use in agriculture, but enforcement is weak and public awareness campaigns are limited.
The solution to Tanzania’s AMR crisis lies in finding a middle ground where farmers could still thrive without compromising public health. But to achieve this, greater investment in alternative farming methods and stronger regulatory frameworks are needed, so that each bite of the street chicken carries only delicious flavour, no hidden risks.
