ZANZIBAR: AS clock is ticking towards the Zanzibar’s Agriculture Fair (also known as Nanenane), preparations for this annual event are almost complete.
This year’s Nanenane is scheduled to be marked from 3th to 15th August at Kizimbani area, Unguja West B district.
It will be Zanzibar’s seventh event since it was introduced here.
According to the Isles’ Minister for Agriculture, Irrigation, Natural Resources and Livestock, Mr Shamata Shaame Khamis, many members of the private sector from abroad and locally have applied to participate.
He said exhibitors will be showcasing their products to mainly local visitors or buyers who are expected at the trade fair, adding that it will also be a forum for professionals to share knowledge with farmers on how to improve their activities through the use of modern technologies.
“We continue making reforms in the agricultural sector aimed at using various modern methods so to get rid of traditional farming, to boost the economy of individuals and the government,” the Minister said, adding that organizing the ‘Nane Nane’ agricultural exhibitions annually is an opportunity for reforms.
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Mr Khamis said the Zanzibar President and the Chairman of the Revolutionary Council, Dr Hussein Ali Mwinyi, is scheduled to grace the opening of the Fair on August 3, 2024.
He said this year the government has decided to extended days for the fair from the usual seven days to 14 in order to provide enough opportunity for the citizens and agricultural stakeholders to learn and provide education related skills to the sector as well as benefit from selling and buying various agricultural products.
The Minister also said an increase in the number of participants this year is highly expected and that so far 219 applications have been received from ministries, institutions, public and private organizations compared to 197 participants, last year.
Speaking about the strategy to develop the venue for the exhibition, the minister explained that the ministry in collaboration with various stakeholders has plans to improve the infrastructure so that the area can be used throughout the year instead of remaining idle and waiting until the exhibition.
“Our plan is to make the Kizimbani area usable throughout the year, where other activities apart from agriculture, such as tourism and social activities can take place instead of Nane-Nane only,” he explained.
The Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation, Natural Resources, and Livestock Mr Ali Khamis, said all important preparations have been completed, while mentioning the theme of the exhibition for this year as; “Agriculture is wealth, everyone should get engaged.”
He said the theme is aimed at encouraging the community to participate in agricultural value chain, noting that apart from just engaging in farming they could also venture in a business of farm inputs.
In addition, he said, the time has come for farmers to consider the use of technology, especially in the packaging of products from agriculture and livestock in order to increase their value, thus to attract domestic and foreign markets.