AfricaPress-Tanzania: THE government seeks to improve its soil mapping plan as it moves to support smallholder farmers, to exploit the agricultural sector potential, increase national food security and its contribution to the GDP.
Permanent Secretary (PS) in the Ministry of Agriculture, Gerald Kusaya told reporters yesterday that the government had collected over 30,000 soil samples in 18 different regions across the country.
“Our target is by this year to collect 100,000 samples from each ward. We have resolved to establish a classic soil database capturing all-important soil property information up to suburb level,” he said.
He said this after signing a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Alliance for Green Revolution Africa (AGRA).
The MoU, which was signed here, harmonises the existing agreement between the farmers-centred institution and the government.
He said the ministry was championing agribusiness, and therefore, understanding soil properties helped farmers to increase efficiency while lowering the cost of production.
The new agreement, according to the PS, will increase farmers’ proficiency in the agribusiness, support technology and innovation development that can help increase productivity and subsequently contribute to the national GDP.
It also seeks to enhance relations between the two parties, increase financial support and engagement in the development of the country’s agricultural sector development programme phase II (ASDP II). “We also want to establish a focal point centre in which it will help provide information about the farmers-centred institution in Tanzania,” the PS said.
He directed officials in the ministry to form a mini-task force, which would help monitor the implementation of agreements signed by the ministry with other institutions, including AGRA.
Tanzania has had some close relations with AGRA, receiving supports in researches for various crops, review of the agricultural policy and in the writing process of the national agricultural sector development programme.
Agra Tanzania Country Manager, Vianey Rweyendela, speaking before the ceremonial event, explained that the harmonisation of the agreement was done to align with the institution 2030 strategy expected to begin in 2022.
According to him, the AGRA board of directors has so far endorsed a new strategy in which, among other things, update the existing strategy that comes to a good end next year. “It is critical to harmonise this agreement to align with our new strategy,” he said.
He reaffirmed his institution’s commitment to working with Tanzania in supporting the transformation of farmers across the country.
