THE Kilimanjaro Cooperative Bank Limited (KCBL) has embarked on a programme aimed at supporting coffee farmers to increase coffee production.
The good news was revealed here by the KCBL Branch Manager, Mr Baraka Jeconia when addressing a meeting of leaders of the Agricultural Marketing Cooperative Societies (Amcos) that are also members of the Farmers Kilimanjaro Coffee Company Limited (FAKICO).
“Kilimanjaro was one of the regions that produced a lot of coffee in the past that saw Tanzania export tonnes of coffee going up, we want to be part of the team that will restore that pride,” he said.
“To achieve that goal, we will cooperate with other coffee stakeholders like the Tanzania Coffee Research Institute (TaCRI) the Tanzania Coffee Board (TCB) and the coffee-producing Amcos.
“The good working which TaCRI is doing of producing the new varieties of coffee seedlings clearly shows that there is an element of good fortune in the future as far as the campaign to revive coffee production is concerned,” he said, adding, to start with KCBL will provide transport to all seedlings which are produced by TaCRI to where the farmers will like to send ready to plant them (seedlings) ,” he noted.
Mr Jeconia continued to say that KCBL will also provide loans to coffee growers which he said they (growers) will use to access insurance which they can use to pay for medical expenses.
“Good health is a precondition for people’s well-being and productive lives; good health contributes to economic growth and that’s why we want to make sure farmers are insured so that they can have good health and continue to produce coffee,” he said.
Mr Jeconia continued to say that KCBL decided to introduce health insurance loans to farmers due to the real fact that high treatment costs are the most intractable challenge for many people in rural areas most of them which he said were involved in agricultural activities.
On his part, FAKICO Manager, Mr Gabriel Ollomi said the move by the financial institution was the right approach set at the right time when the country is busy working to increase coffee production.
“The decision is a right approach, especially when put in mind that there are many efforts been applied to increase coffee production,” he said.
