Dar Es Salaam — IRAN is expected this year to open two vocational training centres in the country to help farmers process their agriculture produce.

The Iranian Ambassador to Tanzania, Mr Movahedi Ghomi, told the 'Daily News' in Dar es Salaam today that the centres, to be based in Dar es Salaam and Zanzibar, will dedicate resources to help rural communities manage their agro food produce.

"Many vegetable and fruits are wasted and destroyed because of lack of agro processing industry, hence the need to start such projects in the country," he said.

He said that there was no reason why Tanzania should not emerge as one of the main exporters of agro processed products.

"If you go around in the villages the farmers are harvesting a lot of fruits and vegetables which go to waste because of lack of capacity to preserve them," he said.

He said that currently Iranian experts officials are consulting with local agriculture officials to identify vital areas that the centre can focus on in the agriculture sector.

"This is what people need most as the country's 80 per cent of its population depends on agriculture as a source of their subsistence and survival.

He said that the Integrated Rural Development Project which was operated under Rufiji Basin Agriculture Development Authority, had to close down due to financial problems.

Since the organization which was supporting Jihad Sazandegi, an Iranian international Agency entrusted to run agriculture and rural integrated activities around the world, was purely for non-profit, at a certain stage of operations it failed to secure sufficient funds to sustain the project which led to closure of the projects.