Africa-Press – Tanzania. RESEARCH is key in finding sustainable solutions to the major challenges facing the agriculture sector and contributing to the low yield and productivity in farmers’ fields, Agriculture Minister, Prof Adolph Mkenda has said.
Making the revelation in Dar es Salaam over the weekend, the minister expressed his appreciation for the scientific endeavors of the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), including working on cassava and banana, which had led to the release of new, improved high-yielding disease-resistant varieties in the country.
He also commended the institute’s efforts to build capacity of researchers in the country, train students, and attract young people to agriculture to address youth unemployment.
Equally, at the IITA offices in the city on his way to a meeting with stakeholders of cassava starch industry to discuss how to support cassava commercialization in the country, he added, “the aim of my visit was to learn from you. I have talked to your scientists, and what I have seen and heard is very inspiring. Our main challenge in agriculture is low yield and low productivity. Our farmers need better varieties and agronomy. I am happy that many of the solutions are here. Let us work together to take the research outputs to farmers.”
Being received by the institute’s Director for Eastern Africa, Dr Leena Tripathi, who made a presentation on IITA’s activities in the country, he was led on a tour of the research facilities, including the laboratories.
During her presentation to the Minister, Tripathi shared some of the Institute’s successes in Tanzania, citing some as the release of 30 improved high-yielding cassava varieties and four first-ever banana hybrids from collaboration with the Tanzania Agriculture Research Institute (TARI).
Her list included supporting over 90 Tanzanians to study at MSc and PhD levels to build their research capacity and engaging over 1,000 youth in agriculture to create employment for themselves and others.
In response, Prof Mkenda lauded the institute for successes, which he said were well in line with the government aspirations, saying “the government recognizes the importance of research in finding solutions to the challenges facing the agriculture sector. Towards this end, the government had, in its recent budget, doubled the funding to TARI and hoped to increase the funding over the years.
“Another priority for the government was to build human capacity in science, technology, and medicine and to attract youth to agriculture to address the high unemployment rates in the country.
“In a nutshell the government congratulates IITA for supporting so many students from Tanzania to pursue higher education in universities both in and out of the country and host them at IITA for on-the-job practical training.
He urged the IITA to keep that up and support more students and the government’s efforts to strengthen the extension system.
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