Africa-Press – Tanzania. SERENGETI Breweries Limited (SBL) is committed to equip students with more practical training as the best approach to creating a more relevant pool of experts for agricultural sector.
The Company’s Managing Director, Mark Ocitti made the remarks here yesterday when awarding scholarship to students from Igabiro Training Institute of Agriculture based in Kagera region.
Known as Kilimo-Viwanda programme, the scholarships are intended for bright students from humble backgrounds studying agricultural courses in local colleges.
“Kilimo-Viwanda programme builds on both the student’s theoretical learning as well as practical exposure through visits to SBL breweries and in the farms to practice what they learn in class,” Ocitti said.
The programme covers school fees and other academicrelated expenses for the student’s entire period of study. According to the MD, the programme is the company’s contribution to beef up government efforts to strengthen the existing pool of agricultural experts in the country.
SBL is one of the large scale manufacturers that rely on local grain for beer production. Last year the company sourced 17 tonnes of maize, sorghum and barley from local farmers, equivalent to 70 per cent of its annual raw material requirement.
This year SBL has provided Kilimo Viwanda scholarships to 70 students studying in four local agricultural colleges including Kaole Wazazi College of Agriculture (Bagamoyo), Kilacha Agriculture Training Institute in Moshi and St Maria Goretti Agriculture Training Institute in Iringa and Igabiro.
On his part, the Principal of the Igabiro Training Institute of Agriculture, Sadock Stephano, commended SBL for the support urging other companies to emulate the brewer in helping underprivileged students.
