Africa-Press – Tanzania. THE Vice-President Dr Philip Mpango has instructed the Ministry of Agriculture together with local government authorities to supervise agriculture and livestock extension officers, by ensuring that they perform efficiently and improve productivity in the sectors.
He also tasked the Prime Minister’s Office to set performance targets for the extension officers, as well as setting up a coordinated plan to ensure sustainable output from the officers.
Dr Mpango issued the instructions during the official inauguration of the annual agricultural exhibition, Nane Nane, held at the national level at the John Mwakangale grounds in Mbeya city.
He said the government has provided extension officers with working tools and facilities such as motorcycles but still, the output is yet to be seen.
In April, President Samia handed over various equipment, including the motorcycles, to extension officers with the aim of transforming the agricultural sector, so as to increase contribution to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
The exhibitions which are held under the theme ‘Agenda 10/30 Agriculture is a business, participate in the national census for better plans in Agriculture, Livestock and Fishing’, will climax on August 8th, this year.
Dr Mpango tasked the Ministry of Agriculture to continue putting in place strategies on ensuring agricultural extension officers are deployed to provide service to the small and middle scale farmers across the country.
The same call was also extended to the Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries, where he tasked the ministry and institutions under the docket to ensure effective delivery of their targets for national development.
He also tasked government institutions under the two ministries to keep providing education for farmers and livestock keepers for them to generate profit and increase their earnings that will eventually help to stimulate the national economy.
“We should not be waiting for the exhibitions, our farmers and livestock keepers need to be educated and provided with relevant knowledge throughout the year, let the extension officers embark on site visits rather than staying in the offices,” said the VP.
Dr Mpango also tasked the research institutions under the two ministries to strengthen their research that will favour the sectors.
“We need to research more on animal feed as the country is facing a shortage of it.
As a result, livestock keepers are being forced to import from outside the country.
I believe we are so capable of coming up with our own solution,” he said.
He also asked financial institutions to support the government on the agriculture sector by softening their conditions for issuing agricultural loans, since the sector plays a crucial role in the economy as it has employed about 80 per cent of Tanzanians.
“Last year, agriculture contributed 25 per cent to the GDP, while the contribution of the Livestock and Fishing sector was recorded at 7 per cent and 1.8 per cent respectively,” added Dr Mpango.
Earlier, the Minister for Agriculture, Hussein Bashe said the country has enough food reserves to meet local demand, and that the government will not close the borders to block farmers from exporting their maize.
He said, by closing the borders, the government will be discouraging international trade as a result of denying farmers from getting profit from their investment.
“The government through National Food Reserve Agency (NFRA) has bought enough stock of maize that will be sold at retail when there is a demand, but for now let farmers enjoy fruits of their labours,” noted the minister.
Mr Bashe also said the ministry has formed a special team that will oversee the financing in the agriculture sector, a move that will enable the government to come up with solutions for unlocking challenges facing farmers in securing funds for their projects.
A total of 302 exhibitors are taking part in the 2022 Agriculture fair that will be closed by President Samia on Monday next week.
During the event, President Samia is also expected to witness a signing of a 400bn/- contract for an irrigation scheme, which is among the key priorities for the Ministry of Agriculture in the current financial year 2022/23.
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