TFSRP grants irrigation equipment to 244 horticulture farmers

SENGREMA: ABOUT 244 farmers in the country have been granted  modern irrigation equipment to simplify farming activities and enable farmers to cultivate throughout all seasons of the year.

Information released by the Ministry of Agriculture on Tuesday, noted that over 150 farmers in Sengerema District have been provided with 10 pairs of modern irrigation equipment by the Ministry through the Tanzania Food Systems Resilience Program (TFSRP).

The equipment has been provided to the first ten groups under the initial phase as part of the government’s plan to empower farmers to engage in modern, productive, and commercially viable agriculture.

Also, the TFSRP handed over modern irrigation equipment to another three groups comprising a total of 94 farmers engaged in horticulture, fruit, and other food crop production in Misungwi District Council, Mwanza Region.

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The distribution is part of the first phase of supplying 200 pairs of irrigation equipment across seven regions namely Mwanza, Mara, Kagera, Geita, Ruvuma, Tanga, and Simiyu worth 3.5bn/-.

The goal of distributing the modern equipment is to boost agricultural productivity, increase farmers’ income, and reduce dependence on rainfall.

Speaking during the handover ceremony, Engineer Makubi Abel from the Ministry of Agriculture said that farmers should use the equipment efficiently to increase production, noting that the initiative aims to support smallholder farmers in transforming agriculture into a sustainable and profitable enterprise that enables year-round cultivation, rather than relying solely on rainy seasons.

Agriculture, Livestock, and Fisheries Officer for Misungwi District Council, Dr Chrispine Shami noted that prior to the distribution, many farmers lacked modern irrigation equipment, which limited production and affected crop quality.

According to him, the equipment will help improve productivity and attract more youth to the agricultural sector.

Moreover, the Council’s Executive Director,  Addo Missama, said the provision of the equipment marks a key step in enhancing farmers’ economic growth and the district’s overall development and that the Council will continue to  encourage farmers to adopt modern technologies to increase their income.