Posted on October, 17, 2018 at 09:59 am
OVER 30,000 paddy farmers using powered irrigation scheme in Iringa Region have appealed to the government and the United Nation’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) to help them improve existing infrastructures due to increased production.
They made the appeal during a meeting with Agriculture Minister, Dr Charles Tizeba who visited Pawaga Irrigation scheme over the weekend.
Speaking on behalf of Iringa municipal agricultural officer, Lefdedy Msamba said he was concerned that currently there are 9,000 people benefiting from the scheme, but more could be engaged since the total land suitable for agriculture is now 11,000 hectares.
He said farmers are now utilising some 3,200 acres only due to various reasons including limited infrastructures. He said they requested for 4.6bn/- from the national irrigation commission to renovate the infrastructure at Mlenge, Magozi, Luganda and Mkombozi schemes.
Responding, Agriculture Minister, Dr Charles Tizeba promises to work on their challenges, urging them to start cultivating other crops instead of depending on rice only.
Dr Tizeba noted that the government will renovate the Pawaga irrigation infrastructure depending on availability of funds. He said it was high time that farmers practices commercial agriculture to be able to reap more yields and change their livelihoods.
FAO representative, Ajuwaye Sigala said the encouraging rice farmers to form groups so that they can be easily assisted. He said the organization will provide farmers with equipment to be managed by the co-operative union.
Sigala said it was high time that paddy farmers start using improved quality seeds to ensure enough yields.
FAO is in collaboration with the European Union (EU), are implementing a project to equip farmers with skills to reduce and control postharvest losses. The project dubbed-‘Improve competitiveness and increase postharvest management capacity of smallholder farmers in the rice value chain’ will benefit over 10,000 rice farmers in Iringa region including women, youth and men.
Apart from postharvest management skills, farmers are provided with knowledge to enhance the competitiveness in the market.
The project worth Euros 1,875,000 (over 5.2bn/-) is going to be implemented in Iringa District, Iringa Region by FAO in collaboration with the Rural Urban Development Initiatives (RUDI).
The EU is supporting the project with the contribution of Euros 1.5 Million (3.9bn/-)
Source: IPP Media