John Kulekana, 19th May 2009 @ 00:00, Total Comments: 2, Hits: 1464
We understand that the government is now drawing up its 2009/2010 budget proposals scheduled to be moved in the National Assembly in Dodoma, next month. It is our hope that the government's top priorities will include education, agriculture and infrastructure development, as was the case in the 2008/2009 fiscal year.
The agricultural sector has for long remained and will continue to be the backbone of the country's economy, accounting for over 40 per cent of the gross domestic product (GDP) and more than 70 per cent of foreign exchange earnings.
It is also the key sector to more than 80 per cent of Tanzanians living in rural areas. But despite being the engine of the country's economic growth, the sector is facing many challenges including lack of proper infrastructure such as irrigation schemes, power supply and reliable transport system.
Apart from using a hand hoe and overly dependence on rain, farmers often fail to send crops to markets and on many occasions, don't have reliable access to crucial inputs like fertiliser, pesticides and seeds. The sector is also dominated by small-holder farmers who cultivate for subsistence purposes, due to lack of financial capital and other constraints.
It is, however, encouraging that over the last two years government leaders, including those at the top most level have been talking in favour of the agricultural sector and there are many initiatives in support of the tillers. The Prime Minister, Mr Mizengo Pinda, was recently in several regions mobilising food production and the campaign seems to have been successful. We are told that the six regions expect bumper harvest this season.
We also understand that there are efforts to establish an agricultural bank as well as giving more financial muscle to the Tanzania Investment Bank (TIB) to enable it increase support to the sector. Investors in several countries have also shown interest in the sector, some have already expressed their desire to be allocated thousands of hectares for commercial farming.
Last week, for example, senior officials from Iran and their Tanzanian counterparts, signed an agreement for establishment of what was called "Agricultural Jihad." The so-call "Jihad" seems to be in line with the government's goal of bringing about "Green Revolution." It is the goal that must be aggressively maintained.
Total Comments on the above stories (2)
Comment
John!
That is the best article ever!
But I don't see any different between agricultural Jihad and Kilimo Cha kufa na kupona when we talk about mordenizing agricultural!That means we have been talking too much about mordenizing agricultural sectors but less actions has been done! Review these phrases, Siasa ni Kilimo! Jembe ni mali!Big four regions!kilimo cha kufa na kupona and some annoyings! Do you see how famming in Tanzania has been socially maladjusted?I like the way our government is doing to cut back administrative cost on running Bunge and put more money in agricultural sector.That is how our gvt is practically treating agriculture not as humble lamb but as an indispensable sector.Our gvt must be certain with one thing,once it secceed in mordenizing agricultural sectors, the chances are, the unemployment rate will go down as much as the malaria fever is ,when it meet chroloquine injection! Let us learn from Israel. Israel is a small country but it it export a lot of agricultural products all over the world and imploy many people in agricultural industries. Let us stay focus on agricultural.
Keepp it up John K!
Comment
John! Congratulations for writing articles covering on agriculture.
Its quite unfortunate that the majority of the journalists have switched onto (siasa) political issues and leaving aside our long standing national remedies meant to fight one of our enemies which is poverty. Long way back the national radio embarked on radio mukulima to propagate knowledge on faming issues. Today we have the national TV (TBC) but the coverage on farming matters is not as much as expected of. To my observation our national publicity is biased to a higher percentage on nasty films that do not hold any thing to lift up our food production.
Worse still, politics, Europianfootball,Congolese music and other socialistic affairs are on a rampant rise as if we can't live without them.
I would therefore, advise our beloved president to support the most recent inaguration he conducted on Kilimo to go along side with it educational publication in all national papers, radio and TV just to impart knowledge to the few nationals who are interested in the sector.
To you as well I would love to see more on your articles to go deeper in covering on how best to improve on the food crops them selves rather than reporting on political leaders' speeches forced on them to fulfill the obligation of the visit. In actual sense they read something already prepared on their behalf and not on things the believe in. Stir up your fellow journalists to bring back our national dream of wiping out poverty.
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