Samia gives green light to Bugwena Valley irrigation scheme

PRESIDENT Dr Samia Suluhu Hassan has endorsed a request for reviving a major irrigation agriculture project at Bugwema valley located at Musoma Rural in Mara Region.

This was stated recently by a Member of Parliament for Musoma Rural, Prof Sospeter Muhongo, immediately after visiting the project while accompanied by a team of experts from the National Irrigation Commission.

“We remember that President Samia endorsed this request to develop a major irrigation project when she visited Musoma Rural on February 6, 2022, where she launched the Mugango water pipeline construction project at Kiabakari in Butiama,” said Prof Mhongo.

Prof Mhongo said according to the report provided by the National Irrigation Commission, preparations for implementation of the project were progressing well at a stage of feasibility studies and designing.

Also, Prof Mhongo said that because the late Mwalimu Julius Nyerere intended to establish this large-scale irrigation farming project at Bugwema valley during the beginning of the 70s, it should be implemented.

He also noted that Bugwena valley is estimated to have a size of more than 20,000 hectares while 10,000 hectares were intended for cultivation by that time.

Prof Mhongo added that the project will have a significant contribution to the production of food crops in the country, including maize, rice, sunflower, lentils and cotton.

In addition, Prof Mhongo said he even submitted the request to the CCM general meeting which was held in Dodoma on December 7 to 8, last year.

“Musoma Rural continues to thank President Dr Samia for agreeing to develop the large-scale irrigation agriculture project in that valley,” said Prof Mhongo.

A team of experts from the National Irrigation Commission which visited the Bugwema Valley was led by the Director General of the Commission, Dr Raymond Mndolwa.