Sumbawanga — RUKWA Regional Commissioner (RC), Ms Stella Manyanya has said the region has made great socio-economic achievements for the past seven years. In a report on implementation of CCM election manifesto (2005-12), Ms Manyanya listed major achievements the region had recorded for the past seven years .

"In 2008, the region successfully established an ambitious agricultural project known as 'Makiru,' a strategic project to bring about green revolution, which has greatly helped the region to fully translate the national blue print of 'Kilimo Kwanza' initiative into actions," noted Ms Manyanya.

According to the RC, the budget on agriculture sector in the region had increased tremendously to over 10bn/- in 2012-13 fiscal year which is equivalent to 122.37 per cent compared to only 566m- seven years ago .

Vividly delighted over the achievements, RC Manyanya revealed that farmers in Rukwa region can now harvest more than two million tonnes of different food crops compared to one million tonnes produced seven years ago. The production of cash crops has increased to 269,057 tonnes from166, 672 tonnes, while the subsidized fertilisers has also greatly increased from 12,300 tonnes in 2005 to 15,400 tonnes this farming season.

"I can proudly say that farmers in this region are producing food crops six times of the actual demand. Our region leads in the use of ploughs and I can confidently say that no other region can match ours,' hinted the RC. Land for irrigation farming has also increased to 41,518 hectares this year from 27,136 hectares in 2005-10.

Ms Manyanya further explained that seven years ago, the number of primary schools in the region was 330 but today, there are 424 private and public secondary schools, while the number of primary schools had increased from 356. On the health sector, the RC said the region had three hospitals seven years ago but now there are four hospitals, 32 health centres and more than 226 dispensaries.

However, Ms Manyanya thanked the government for rehabilitating three major trunk roads to tarmac level in the region which has reached at different stages of implementation . The roads stretch for more than 650 kilometres.