DAR ES SALAAM, TANZANIA — In a bid to bolster competitiveness and enhance farmer revenues, Tanzania’s Minister of Agriculture, Honorable Hussein Bashe, elaborated on President Dr. Samia Suluhu Hassan’s plans to add value to cashew and sesame crops. The President directed the establishment of an industrial cluster dedicated to these crops in the Maranje region, Nanyamba District of Mtwara. Funding has already been allocated for its construction, along with a mid-sized cashew processing factory in Lindi.
Emphasizing the government’s commitment, President Dr. Samia Suluhu Hassan revealed plans for the Sixth Phase Government to develop irrigation projects across Mtwara, Lindi, and Coastal regions. Slated for execution from 2023/2024, these projects will enable irrigation of farms covering an area of 49,307 hectares, a substantial increase from the current 13,270 hectares, following the construction of 21 dams. Furthermore, 54 schemes, spanning 88,206 hectares, are currently under feasibility study and design.
To diversify income sources for farmers in the southern regions, aside from cashew crops, the government, under President Hassan’s leadership, aims to empower farmers to produce other crops like coconuts, sesame, and pigeon peas. This will be achieved by distributing quality seeds and seedlings, coupled with imparting knowledge on best farming practices. For coconuts, the first phase starting from 2023/2024 will involve distributing 500,000 “East African Tall” seedlings through the Mikocheni Agricultural Research Institute and sesame seeds via the Naliendele Agricultural Research Institute.
President Hassan continues to urge southern farmers to intensify their crop production efforts, utilizing the best technologies available. This is to ensure that government investments, including input provisions, infrastructure development, and market openings, yield the anticipated positive outcomes.
Adding to this, the Youth and Women program @officialbbt_yia #BBT remains a critical strategy for the nation in revolutionizing the food systems sector. The program’s success will be evaluated based on the number of youth attracted to it, with a record 25,000 applications already received. This demonstrates a significant shift in youth involvement in agriculture. Additionally, the program’s impact can be assessed through the number of youth registered in identification systems for fertilizer subsidies, those applying for affordable loans from the Agricultural Inputs Trust Fund (AGITF), enhanced production efficiency, growth in youth agricultural markets, and improved resilience and control over food price inflation. The program stands as a testament to Tanzania’s commitment to its youth and the overall betterment of its agricultural secto