Bukoba — THE government has prioritised streamlining extension services in efforts to modernise the agricultural sector and to increase the production of cash and food crops in the country.
Deputy Minister for Agriculture, Mr Anthony Mavunde, said that the government has increased the ministry's budget from 294bn/- in 2020/2021 financial year to 954bn/- in 2022/2023 fiscal year.
Also, the government has increased extension services budget from 600m/- in 2020/2021 financial year up to 15bn/- in the current fiscal year.
He reiterated the government resolves to streamline research on strategic crops including coffee in efforts to modernise the agriculture sector.
Equally, he tasked the Tanzania Coffee Board (TCB) management to leave their offices and scout for dependable and attractive markets.
Mr Mavunde issued the directives on Thursday when he distributed 800,000 improved Robusta seedlings to farmers free of charge a function held at Kyerwa district's Kalenge village in Isingiro ward.
"Investing in research and extension services is of paramount importance. The government had increased the budget on research from 7.43bn/- during 2020/2021 financial year to 11.6bn/- during 2022/2023. More efforts were also being taken including sending some agricultural experts to countries with advanced technologies," he said.
Elaborating, he said Tanzania was implementing a five-year strategic plan aimed at increasing coffee production from 78,000 metric tonnes to 300,000 metric tonnes by 2025. The plan goes in hand with producing 20 million improved coffee seedlings each year.
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Minister Mavunde explained that the number of Agricultural Extension Officers in the country currently stood at 6,704 while the actual demand is 20,000. "Apart from ensuring the availability of improved coffee seedlings efforts were also being taken to modernise extension services by motivating extension officers and equip them with soil analysis kits and extension kits," he said.
To address the shortage of extension officers, he directed the Tanzania Coffee Board (TCB), to lead farmers through Farmer Field Schools (FFS), who in turn will impart their knowledge to other farmers.
The Deputy Minister appealed to farmers countrywide to register themselves at their respective Ward Extension Officers (WEO) for the government to have strong and accurate data base.
He explained that the government is committed to collaborate with private sector through Public Private Partnership (PPP). He commended JJAD Kagera Farmers (T) Ltd for taking a holistic approach of producing improved Robusta seedlings.
JJAD Kagera Farmers (T) Ltd Managing Director, Dr Albert Katagira informed him that under the MoU the institution had planned to produce at least 3million improved Robusta seedlings which would be distributed to the farmers free of charge.
However, he said TCB reimbursed JJAD 150/- subsidy for each coffee seedling compared to production costs which stood at 400/- per tree and appealed for government intervention.
Mr Katagira explained that Kyerwa district was the best producer of Robusta coffee in the country and lauded President Samia Suluhu Hassan for implementing people oriented projects... .'such efforts should be supported by all Tanzanians', he said.
