‘Come up with land use plans to avoid conflicts’

DODOMA: LOCAL governments have been reminded to come up with good land use plan and management programmes with a view to avert farmer-pastoralist conflicts.

The government issued the reminder in the National Assembly yesterday during the question-answer session.

Livestock and Fisheries Deputy Minister Alexander Mnyeti reminded ward leaders to ensure that land use planning is prioritised in their areas to prevent farmer-pastoralist conflicts.

Deputy Minister Mnyeti issued the reminder when responding to a question posed by Tabora North MP Athuman Maige who asked when the government would start educating citizens engaging in pastoralism so as to prevent conflicts.

Mr Maige also sought the government’s plan to educate the livestock keepers to enable them adopt modern practices of livestock keeping.

He said the government has been providing training to extension officers and pastoralists in different parts of the country.

“We have been calling upon pastoralists who require training to inform us so that the government can organize training for them,” he told the Parliament.

Mr Maige further noted that the ministry has been giving training to extension officers and livestock keepers from wards and villages in various parts of the country.

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He pointed out that in 2023/2024 financial year, a total of 1,058 extension officers were trained compared to 515 extension officers who were trained in 2022/23.

The ministry also in collaboration with the private sector has provided training on livestock keeping to 250,000 livestock keepers from 12 regions.

The training was aimed at building capacity among the extension officers and livestock keepers in order to increase productivity, production and to have commercial livestock keepers who meet market demands.

In 2024/25 financial year, the government will start the implementation of the fiveyear project for reforms in the milk business by considering climate change.

Through the project, training on modern livestock keeping which considers climate change would be provided to about 600,000 beneficiaries in various regions in the country.

The project will increase productivity in livestock keeping, especially in the milk sub sector.