AfricaPress-Tanzania: THE government is committed to making sure that Cooperative Unions contribute to the growth of industrial economy in the country.
The Minister of State, Prime Minister’s Office (Investment) Ms Angellah Kairuki said that the commitment brings development to the people as part of National Development Plan agenda implementation, including the revitalization of cooperative industries.
The Minister made the observation here yesterday, while visiting Cooperative Day held at Nanenane exhibition at Nyakabindi grounds, Bariadi in Simiyu region.
She said, it is clear that the development of cooperative unions depend on farmers, pastoralists and fishermen, who are supposed to work together under strong leadership to achieve their goals.
“Cooperative Unions should work for national development. The government is ready to provide support to improve these cooperative unions for better achievement.”
On his part, the Minister of Agriculture, Japhet Hasunga said that the government has collaborated with other stakeholders to ensuring farmers and other stakeholders benefited from the cooperative unions.
According to the minister the products sold through the cooperatives include sesame, lentils, sisal as well as cotton, milk, tea, cashews, grapes, coffee and tobacco, among others that are produced in high quality.
Minister Hasunga said apart from the contribution of the cooperatives to agriculture sector, also manage to provide employment to the locals, where in December 2019, more than 90,900 people were employed and secured permanent jobs, and some as contracts employees in comparison to 3 2,668 employed in December 2018.
Commenting, the Chief Executive of Cooperative Development Commission, Dr. Benson Ndiege, said through Cooperatives, people, especially low-income locals, mostly farmers have been able to get loans amounting to 1.3 tri/- by April 2020.
Dr Ndiega said that the move to provide loans to farmers have helped them to uplift their businesses especially in the agricultural sector.
