President Samia Congratulates Farmers for Ensuring Tanzania’s Food Self-Sufficiency

Katavi, July 13, 2024 – In a commendable address today, the President of the United Republic of Tanzania, Her Excellency Dr Samia Suluhu Hassan, praised farmers nationwide for their extraordinary efforts in boosting food production. This achievement has positioned Tanzania to attain a food self-sufficiency level exceeding 120%.

President Dr. Samia extended her congratulations while addressing the public at the culmination of the Parents’ Week celebration, held at Azimio Grounds in Mpanda Town. She emphasized that this level of self-sufficiency has significantly helped control inflation, which has been capped at 3%, thus alleviating the hardship on citizens associated with food shortages and rising prices.

Further acknowledging local governments’ efforts, President Dr. Samia urged the councils in Katavi region to eliminate taxes on produce quantities below three tons, adhering to previous government directives.

In another key announcement, President Dr. Samia highlighted the government’s ongoing efforts to complete the electrification projects connecting Katavi and Kigoma regions to the national grid by October 2024, ensuring reliable power supply to these areas.

Earlier in the day, the President inspected the project’s progress involving the reception, reduction, and distribution of electricity from Inyonga, which is part of a larger initiative. This project also includes the construction of three substations at Ipole (Sikonge), Inyonga (Mlele), and Mpanda, with a total investment of TZS 48 billion.

Additionally, the project complements another major undertaking involving the construction of transmission infrastructure from Tabora to Katavi, valued at TZS 116.29 billion, expected to be completed by October this year.

President Dr. Samia also mentioned the government’s continued efforts to unlock Katavi’s economic potential through infrastructure development, including constructing a passenger terminal at Mpanda Airport and enhancing Mpanda Port in Karema, which aim to foster trade and employment opportunities for the citizens.

Sharifa B. Nyanga, the Acting Director of Presidential Communications at the State House, affirmed the government’s dedication to sustainable development and ensuring the welfare of its citizens through such transformative projects.