Moshi — KILIMANJARO Native Cooperative Union has set an ambitious strategic plan under which various projects will be implemented to make it a more viable entity to cope with highly competitive business environment worldwide, it was learnt here on Friday.

Addressing delegates to the 30th Annual KNCU conference, the Union's Chairman, Mr Maynard Swai said under the envisaged plan, the present headquarters of KNCU will undergo major rehabilitation to convert it into a four star hotel and relocate other offices elsewhere.

According to Mr Swai, KNCU management has approached African Development Bank with a view of persuading them for possible investment in the hotel project. He added that the Tanzania Investment Bank has agreed to finish construction of hotel apartments located adjacent to KNCU's Union Cafe along Florida Street, Moshi municipality.

He said plans were underway to introduce electric system under which farmers will receive money from coffee sales through VODACOM M-PESA facility, which will initially be introduced in a few primary cooperative societies and later in all 96 societies under the auspices of the Union, the oldest in Africa.

He said the facility was intended to save about 30mil/- initially spent on sending money to the societies by KNCU trucks and make it possible for coffee producers to access money accrued from coffee sales whenever the need arises.

The Union will this financial year construct 10 central pulperies units (CPU) in selected cooperative societies in a bid to promote coffee quality and persuade the government to set up rules and regulations to make it compulsory for farmers to pulp their coffee through CPU's.

Meanwhile, Mwika Kinyamvuo, Kirua Vunjo North and Shimbi Primary Cooperative Societies were awarded certificates and cash awards for adhering to good coffee production practices as each produced 115,673 kilogrammes; 79,960 kgs and 18,967 kgs of parchment coffee, respectively and received 1 mil/-, 750,000/- and 50,000/- respectively 500,000/=.