Posted on March, 6, 2019 at 09:42 am
AGRICULTURE Minister Japhet Hasunga has underscored the need for enhanced supply of seeds and pest control to improve agricultural productivity for cereals, vegetables, fruits and oil seeds.
He made the remarks yesterday when launching the NAFAKA programme which aim at enhancing the distribution of seeds and pesticides in Tanzania’s southern highland regions. The programme is being implemented by an international company—CORTEVA agriscience.
Hasunga said that timely distribution of agricultural inputs including control pests and seeds guarantee foods security to farmers as well as their incomes.
He said the agriculture sector in Tanzania contributes 100 per cent of the available food stock, and employ 65 per cent of the population.
He said the sector guarantees supply of raw materials to various industries across the country by 66 per cent.
Hasunga said the government in collaboration with stakeholders is implementing the Agricultural Sector Development Programme (ASDP II) which is expected to bring about changes in the sector.
ASDP II is a ten years programme which gears at ensuring sustainable supervision of land and water resources and addressing critical constraints and challenges to the sector performance and to speed up agriculture gross domestic product. Improve growth of smallholder incomes and ensure food security. It was launched by President John Magufuli in 2018.
“Collaboration between the government and CORTEVA agricsience through its NAFAKA programme is an indication that the agricultural sector will keep improving “, said Hasunga.
The minister commended the support from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in various agricultural projects including the NAFAKA programme.
He said that USAID is also supporting projects for crop’s value addition, establishment of illustration farms, maize flour fortification and introduction of crops insurance.
He said the ministry is also working to launch the National Agriculture Act and to register all the small, medium and large scale farmers across the country. He said the ministry also aims at enhancing sugar production, establishment of irrigation schemes and investing in production of oil seeds.
“The NAFAKA programme guarantees availability of seeds and pesticides especially those for killing ‘Fall Armyworms’ in invaded areas within the southern highland zone”, he noted.
On markets, the minister asserted that plans are under way to come with better arrangement that will benefit farmers, businesspeople, stakeholders and investors as a whole.
Source: IPP Media