CITIZENS in Katavi region have been urged to use Mwanakatavi festival week to seize various opportunities available in agriculture and tourism to improve individual and national economy.
Mlele District Commissioner (DC), Mr Filberto Sanga made the call while officiating a week long agriculture and tourism exhibitions dubbed ‘ Mwanakatavi Festival Week’ held recently at Kashato Primary School in Mpanda Municipality.
DC Sanga represented Katavi Regional Commissioner (RC) Ms Mwanamvua Mrindoko.
The DC also encouraged the residents to use the platform to learn various things, including opportunities available in agriculture and tourism sectors within the region to enhance economy at individual, region and national level.
Equally, the DC urged Katavi regional natural resources conservation institution to continue protecting forests and game reserves against poaching and invasion.
In the same vein, the DC directed extension officers to ensure that all farmers are registered so that they can benefit from subsized farm inputs through door – to – door campaign.
The DC also instructed district administrative leaders, village and ward executive officers to ensure that farmers make better use of subsidies to boost production in the next crop growing season.
“The door to door campaign is meant to ensure that all farmers are registered on time so that they cannot miss fertilizer once the farming season kicks off.
“Farmers must register themselves so that they can get access to the agricultural inputs at affordable price so as to boost production” noted the DC.
He further said that subsidised fertilisers have their bags marked with a barcode and a specific label to differentiate them from unsubsidized fertilizers.
Katavi is among the regions which make up six regions in the Southern Highlands Zone, including Ruvuma, Njombe, Rukwa, Mbeya and Songwe regions
The region shares borders with neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo – DRC on the eastern part and Burudi across Lake Tanganyika.
Latest regional statistics show that in Katavi Region, there are investment opportunities in agriculture, tourism and hospitality, mining, livestock, forestry, education as well as factories and fisheries.
Also the region has set aside 112,425 acres of arable land that is suitable for food and industrial crop cultivation for the region to promote its available potential investment prospective.
Katavi is famous for production of maize as the crop is one of the most important crops in Tanzania; it comprises 45 per cent and 70 per cent of the cereal cultivated area.
Equally, Katavi has numerous tourist attractions, including River Mapacha (Twins)- since it is alleged that those who drink its water gave birth to twins, white giraffes spotted in Katavi National Park and natural forests and waterfalls.
