Africa-Press – Tanzania. The government has said it will collaborate with stakeholders in building a robust cooperative sector to enhance its contribution to industrialisation.
Agriculture Minister, Prof Adolf Mkenda made the remarks recently when opening the second International Conference on Co-operatives and Industrialization.
The conference which drew participants from inside and outside the country was held in Moshi, Kilimanjaro Region.
“This conference is very important as the government plans to industrialise through the co-operative sector where members of the co-operatives will benefit by adding value to the agricultural products,” he said.
Prof Mkenda cautioned the leaders of the cooperatives to avoid putting personal gains in the first place instead put more effort and expertise in strengthening the unions, societies and the sector.
Speaking during the occasion, the Registrar of Cooperatives, Dr Benson Ndiege, said the government is encouraging cooperative unions and societies to set up factories to add value to their agricultural produce, something that would be a development catalyst.
“Cooperatives should not only consider producing crops and sell them to buyers; they should now think of establishing factories that would be used to add the value of their produce; this will increase their incomes”, he added.
Earlier, the Vice Chancellor of Moshi Cooperative University (MoCU) Prof Alfred Sife said the institution was now focusing on industrialization through the cooperative sector supporting the government’s industrialization agenda.
“As part of that process, we at MoCU will continue to provide education and advise on the establishment of co-operatives looking for the possibility of establishing factories which would be used to manufacture agricultural produce”, he noted.
He added, “The factories could be established by one co-operative society or a coalition of several cooperative societies or unions; we are also trying to look at the possibility of cooperatives joining other stakeholders including private stakeholders to achieve that goal”.
The Chairman of the International conference Prof Mangasini Katundu said the three day conference themed, ‘Putting Members at the Center’ was coordinated by MoCU in collaboration with the Tanzania Co-operative Development Commission (TCDC).
