LINDI: UNIVERSITY of Dar es Salaam (UDSM) is constructing a 13bn/- agricultural campus at Ngongo ward in Lindi Municipal, Lindi Region, that will focus on innovative and research teaching.
The funding is part of the World Bank’s Higher Education for Economic Transformation (HEET) project.
The World Bank allocated approximately 972bn/- to the government, benefiting 14 universities, with UDSM receiving around 111bn/-.
HEET Project Deputy Coordinator Dr Libelato Haule announced that the Lindi campus will be supported by the Ruangwa Centre, which will focus on agricultural innovation and research. The centre will have the capacity to accommodate 800 students at a time.
“This project will help improve the learning environment, drive economic transformation and expand agricultural research in line with the government’s industrialisation goals,” Dr Haule said.
The Lindi campus is the first agri-related UDSM facility outside Dar es Salaam and will start with six buildings at Ngongo and three in Ruangwa. The campus is expected to become a full-fledged university.
Dr Haule said that, in addition to its educational mission, the university aims to serve the community through crop and soil research.
UDSM’s studies indicate that Lindi has favourable climatic conditions, making it an ideal location for agricultural research.
“We conducted research to identify the types of soil and crops available in the area, confirming it as a suitable location for a variety of crops,” said Dr Haule:
“This is the first university in the Lindi region and apart from teaching we will also offer capacity-building programmes for extension officers.”
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The UDSM HEET Project Infrastructure Development Expert, Dr Paul Ndumbaro said that the construction will include six buildings in Ngongo and three in Ruangwa, comprising administrative offices, classrooms each designed to accommodate 60 students each, laboratories and workshops.
The administration building and classrooms will consist of three floors (G+2), while the laboratories and workshops will each be single-storey structures.
In Ruangwa will have one dormitory for 50 students along with a laboratory, lecturers’ offices, classrooms and a dining hall.
The contractor’s Site Supervisor, Mr James Mwakisulu stated that construction has reached 28 per cent and will take a year and half to complete by next September.
The Kiguni Local Council Executive where the project is being implemented, Mr Rajab Mpili, remarked that the establishment of the university opened doors for additional institutions in the Lindi.
“This project brings numerous benefits; we have never had a university since independence, so it was easy for us to provide this land unconditionally, knowing it will contribute to the development of the country, especially here in Lindi,” Mr Mpili said.
The local government allocated over 300 acres for free of charge to facilitate the project while some 300 young people have gained temporary employment.
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