Posted on May, 14, 2019 at 10:09 am
AGRICULTURE Minister Japhet Hasunga has directed a team of experts working on the draft of the agricultural laws to make sure the document is completed by July this year.
According to Hasunga the agricultural laws will bring solution to the many challenges that farmers and the sector is currently facing. He said to reach the targeted goals; there must be deadline for preparation of the document.
He was speaking on Thursday in the country’s capital—Dodoma at a meeting with the ministry management which was also attended by Deputy Minister, Innocent Bashungwa and Permanent Secretary, Eng Mathew Mtigumwe.
“Tanzania needs an agricultural law because currently we are using the agriculture policy which was enacted in 2013. We also need to review the agriculture policy to make it more current”, said Hasunga insisting the draft policy will be ready by end of this month.
Minister Hasunga explained that most of the laws that are now used by agriculture stakeholders are those enacted for various crop boards. He said the laws that govern crop boards cannot provide solution to framer’s problems.
The government formed boards to managed cash crops such as coffee, sisal, cashew nuts, tea, cotton, sugarcane, pyrethrum and tobacco. The main food crops do not have boards although its contribution to the national economy is enormous.
Deputy Minister, Innocent Bashungwa said the meeting was crucial since it geared to discuss strategies to improve the sector as well as finding solution the farmers’ challenges.
Bashungwa noted that the agricultural policy should directly mention and recognize farmers cooperative unions and agricultural inputs.
Last year, President John Magufuli launched the second Agricultural Sector Development Programme (ASDP II) whereas among other things, the five-year plan will addressing critical constraints and challenges to sector performance and to speed up agriculture gross domestic product.
It is expected to improve growth of smallholder incomes and ensure food security by 2025. ASDP II will be implemented until 2023 for a total investment of 13.8trn/-.
Source: IPP Media