Farmers called on to learn from each other

IRINGA, Morogoro and Mbeya regional commissioners spoke well of an agricultural transformation strategy championed by the Southern Agricultural Growth Corridor of Tanzania (Sagcot) and urged farmers and agribusiness stakeholders in four regions to learn from each other.

The four regions now the focus of Sagcot are Iringa, Njombe, Mbeya, Songwe and Morogoro. Iringa Regional Commissioner Ali Hapi said efforts made by Sagcot and its partners had transformed smallscale farmers in Ihemi Cluster because agricultural production had not only increased, but also farmers had access to local and foreign markets.

Ihemi Cluster serves Iringa and Njombe regions. “Small-scale farmers in Ihemi Cluster, especially vegetable growers have learned how to address challenges facing them.

The guaranteed markets have motivated our farmers in the cluster to produce more and gain knowledge relating to proper crop production,” he said calling agri-business stakeholders in the newly launched Kilombero Cluster to learn from their counterparts in Ihemi and Mbarali clusters.

Mbeya Regional Commissioner Albert Chalamila said because of Sagcot’s efforts crops in Mbarali Cluster were grown following a priority list and a strategic production plan for growing identified crops was in place.

“This new (Kilombero) Cluster stands to succeed quickly because there is somewhere to learn from,” he said, adding that the possibilities of success in growing crops and starting agro-industries were becoming obvious to residents in Mbarali Cluster.

The cluster serves Mbeya and Songwe regions. Morogoro Regional Commissioner Kabwe Steven Kabwe said the launch of Kilombero Cluster, which serves Morogoro Region, had encouraged farmers to grow more crops, adding that the region was waiting for a strategic production programme from Sagcot to increase production of crops on Sagcot’s priority list.

“We grow many crops in this region. But this time we will focus on crops on the priority list to raise the quality of life of our farmers,” he noted.

Sagcot Chief Executive Officer Geoffrey Kirenga said Sagcot was waiting for recommended priority crops to formulate the cluster’s strategic production plan and implement it. “We will study challenges facing the region and propose ways of overcoming them.

We will also pay attention to challenges relating to infrastructure,” he said.

Source: Daily News