AfricaPress-Tanzania: THE Ministry of Agriculture yesterday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with a non-governmental organization-Building Rural Incomes Through Entrepreneurship (BRITEN) aimed at increasing efficiency and productivity amongst smallholder farmers countrywide.
Speaking shortly after signing the agreement, Permanent Secretary from the ministry, Gerald Kusaya, said the partnership will strengthen farmers’ capacity and improve food security, besides raising their livelihoods individually and hence, contribute substantially in the national economy.
“The agreement we’re signing today is a landmark decision which if effectively implemented will transform majority of farmers’ lives,” he said. The key highlights under the new initiative will be to improve agribusiness practices, reduce post-harvest losses, increase access to key information such as markets and agro-inputs, and intensify research and soil analysis.
Official figures indicate that at least 30 per cent of harvest is lost before it gets to the market owing to poor means of harvest and storage. Mr Kusaya said the government had resolved to enhance the contribution of agriculture sector especially in boosting individuals, and the national basket by creating more billionaires from the sector.
Although the sector is the most-referred to as a backbone of the national economy, most practitioners lack sufficient information and rely on traditional farming practices to boost it.
Elaborating, the PS noted that the ministry is currently developing a digital land map that will detail the actual composition of soil in every farm. Already the information has been developed involving the regions. “We want to work with the regional administration and local governments to digitalize every aspect of the land to allow farmers understand the content of the soil in every land… mostly we consider adopting soil analyzer kits that can be used to develop details in every village, ward or district, and the information will be freely provided.
“Our agreement will also help improve access to markets as farmers will be connected to the network of traders and allowed to sign post-harvest agreements,” he added.
BRITEN Chief Executive Officer, Ms Josephine Kaiza said the partnership will help improve farming technique and distribution of latest technology. She said the partnership will also help the government attain the second phase of its agricultural sector development programme (ASDP-II).
“We have ten plus years of experience. We see the need for entering into this partnership with the government to be able to reach more beneficiaries and increase efficiency among farmers,” she said.
