Posted on December, 7, 2021 at 10:49 pm
Farmers and pastoralists have called on the need to ensure that there is harmony between them to boost the economy through these two important sectors in the country.
The advice was presented recently by the Kilimanjaro Regional Agriculture Officer Mr Simon Msoka, in a statement read on his behalf by Mr David Lekei, during the 14th Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the members of the farmers and herders group in Kilimanjaro Region (MVIWAKI), which was held in Moshi, Kilimanjaro Region.
"Cooperation and harmony between farmers and pastoralists are vital for the well-being of the national economy this is because the participants of the two sides will concentrate on their daily activities which are very important to the national economy's improvements," he said.
"Through Mviwaki we have seen clearly that the cooperation between farmers and pastoralists can be practised, this is one of the ways that will enable the agricultural sector to grow because the existence of peace and harmony between these two groups is very important for the agricultural sector's growth", he said.
He continued to say that the government in the region would ensure that Mviwaki's achievement of uniting farmers and herders most of whom are young people, continued to prevail to ensure peace among the two areas within the agricultural sector.
Mr Msoka also commended Mviwaki for its programme meant to involve young people in the agricultural and pastoralist sectors, a move which he said, apart from improving the well-being of the youth, also helped curb the unemployment challenge in the country.
He added, "We will use the Mviwaki youth structure to mobilise young people to join the agricultural and livestock sector by involving the youth, the agricultural sector will increase the percentage of its contribution to national income especially when we put into consideration the youth are the major national workforce," For his part, the Mviwaki Chairman Mr Joseph Nzomo appealed to the members of the organization to ensure that they meet regularly to discuss and look at ways to address the challenges that affect their efforts in promoting the agricultural sector.
"It is important that create the habit of meeting regularly to discuss our issues as farmers and pastoralists; it is an easy way to identify and solve the challenges facing us instead of relying on the government or donors to identify and address our challenges," he said.
Mr Nzomo commended one of the organization's donors known as 'We Effect,' as well as the government for the cooperation they provide to the Mviwaki, saying the two parties cooperation have been a catalyst for farmers and pastoralists in fulfilling their responsibilities.
Addressing the challenges facing the organization, Mr Nzomo said they included that of Mviwaki leadership's failure to reach as many farmers and pastoralists as it could to further educate them, as well as that of the lack of irrigation infrastructure among farmers operating through Mviwaki.
"If we could get enough irrigation equipment, farmers working under our organization could become one of the main contributors in producing food that would feed the nation and produce the surplus that could be exported and earn the country foreign income," he said.
Source: Daily News