Africa-Press – Tanzania. CCM Presidential candidate, Dr Samia Suluhu Hassan, has vowed to strengthen Tanzania’s agricultural sector by continuing the supply of subsidised fertiliser and other essential farming inputs, while promoting avocado and tea farming to enhance both farmers’ livelihoods and the national economy.
Speaking at campaign rallies in Mbeya City on Thursday and at Chandale grounds, Tukuyu in Rungwe District yesterday, President Samia outlined strategies to develop industrial clusters tailored to the resources and crops of each region.
She said Mbeya produces substantial volumes of cocoa, pyrethrum and other food and cash crops, announcing plans to construct a cocoa processing plant in Kyela, which will add value to produce, create jobs and ensure that farmers benefit more from their crops.
“We will establish industrial clusters based on the crops and resources available in each area. In some regions, industries will focus on livestock products, minerals and other resources,” she said.
The incumbent President reiterated her commitment to supporting farmers nationwide through the continued provision of subsidised fertilisers, aimed at boosting crop yields and strengthening the agricultural sector. She also highlighted Tanzania’s success as the second-largest pyrethrum producer globally, attributing this achievement to strong government support and the dedication of farmers.
President Samia further promised to continue improving infrastructure in Mbeya, including the construction of new roads, bridges and installation of streetlights along key urban streets such as Ilomba, Sae, Meta, Chunya Bypass, and Uyole Bypass, to enhance safety and enable young people to engage in productive activities even at night.
She also mentioned plans for a pedestrian bridge at Mwanjelwa to improve safe movement for residents.
On social services, President Samia reaffirmed her government’s focus on improving healthcare, education and access to clean water.
CCM cadre Prof Palamagamba Kabudi praised her administration for constructing modern hospitals, health centres and dispensaries across the country and for equipping them with advanced medical equipment. He also commended her for expanding schools and classrooms to improve access to quality education nationwide.
President Samia announced plans to establish 50 cold storage centres nationwide—including two in Rungwe District—to preserve avocados and help farmers align exports with market demand.
She also committed to distributing one million avocado seedlings, employing specialised extension officers to provide guidance and soil testing and continuing government support in the form of copper sulphate worth 2bn/- for disease control.
Furthermore, an avocadoprocessing plant will be established in Rungwe to transform produce that does not meet export standards into products such as oil and animal feed.
Speaking on tea farming, President Samia said the government had created a special task force to evaluate plantations previously allocated to investors who failed to manage them properly.
The government intends to repossess non-performing plantations and hand them to cooperative unions under supervision to ensure productive use. She also pledged that outstanding wages and dues owed to farmers and workers would be recovered.
Parliamentary candidate for Rungwe Constituency, Mr Anthon Mwantona, appealed for government intervention, noting that more than 15,000 farmers are owed about 1.8bn/- by a tea company that had shut down, calling for the factory to be reopened to restore employment and income for residents.
President Samia’s agricultural agenda also includes support for avocado and tea value addition, ensuring that products are processed locally to enhance export potential and reduce post-harvest losses.
She emphasised that the industrial clusters, cold storage centres and processing plants will collectively create jobs, stabilise prices and strengthen the agricultural economy.
She also reiterated that her government’s focus would be on ensuring that agriculture continues to drive economic growth, food security and prosperity for Tanzanians, while also empowering communities through improved infrastructure, social services and industrial development.
Meanwhile, addressing a rally in Mbarali District, Dr Samia announced that the government has decided to purchase the Mbarali estate to benefit local farmers who currently lack land for farming.
“We are in the final stages of evaluation and will soon begin distributing the land to farmers. We are grateful to the investor for selling it to us at a fair price; he did not overcharge us,” she said, emphasising that the estate will directly support the community’s agricultural activities.
President Samia also cautioned leaders and government officials against attempting to appropriate portions of the estate, stressing that the land is intended specifically for farmers in the area.
She further noted that the government has already allocated plots from National Ranching Company Limited (NARCO) to livestock keepers, as part of ongoing efforts to address the shortage of grazing areas and promote sustainable livestock farming.
Highlighting improvements in rural infrastructure, President Samia reported that all villages in Mbarali District have now been connected to electricity, with 641 out of 712 hamlets fully electrified, ensuring that both households and farming activities can benefit from reliable power supply.
Later in the evening, yesterday while in Njombe, Dr Samia assured tea farmers that the government has already held discussions with the investor, DL Group to reopen the tea factory in the area.
She explained that the government has also created a favourable environment to ensure the investor settles all outstanding debts owed to farmers and workers, noting that payments to some farmers had already begun as of yesterday.
“New tea processing machines will be installed at both Ikanga Tea Company Limited and Luponde to boost production. We are committed to strengthening tea farming and promoting other crops across the country,” she said.
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