Pinda: Private sector key to driving agricultural growth

MOROGORO: FORMER Prime Minister, Mizengo Pinda has championed the critical role of Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) in strengthening the agricultural value chain and accelerating the country’s socio-economic development.

He made the remarks recently while officiating the opening of the Eastern Zone Farmers’ Exhibition, commonly known as Nane Nane held in Morogoro.

The Eastern Zone comprises Dar es Salaam, Tanga, Morogoro and Coast regions. Mr Pinda said enhanced collaboration between public and private sectors in agriculture, livestock and fisheries would significantly boost the value chain in these sectors, thereby catalysing economic growth.

“We should not sideline the private sector, as it is an integral part of our national development,” he stressed.

The former premier urged the large number of small-scale farmers in the country to partner with private sector players, including financial institutions, to access soft loans and improve productivity in agriculture, livestock, fisheries and beekeeping.

In a related development, Mr Pinda commended the Eastern Zone for making notable progress in various areas, especially in entrepreneurship. He praised local entrepreneurs for improving the processing and packaging of their products to meet both local and international market standards.

“I have visited many pavilions at this exhibition and witnessed entrepreneurs with high-standard packaging,” he said.

However, he pointed out a major challenge facing these entrepreneurs, many are unable to access broader markets due to the lack of certification and logo from the Tanzania Bureau of Standards (TBS).

To address this, Mr Pinda called on regional and zonal authorities to ensure that TBS officials actively engage with entrepreneurs during exhibitions to better understand their challenges and provide timely support.

Furthermore, he urged citizens to abandon the traditional hand hoe in favour of modern, mechanised tools to boost productivity and align with advancements in science and technology.

He also called on regions in the Eastern Zone to take full advantage of favourable climatic conditions, fertile soils and supportive infrastructure, including the electric Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) and a growing road network to scale up food and industrial production.

Ahead of the upcoming General Election slated for October 29th, this year, Mr Pinda encouraged all citizens to exercise their constitutional right to vote and participate fully in the democratic process. Morogoro Regional Commissioner Mr Adam Malima echoed Mr Pinda’s sentiments, calling on citizens to unlock the full potential of agriculture, livestock and forestry to drive national development.

He also applauded all participants and organisers for making this year’s exhibition both successful and interactive. This year’s Farmers’ Exhibition carries the theme: “Elect Good Leaders for Sustainable Development of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries, 2025.”