LINDI: PRIME Minister Kassim Majaliwa has warned that the government will not tolerate any pastoralist who invades farms and destroys crops, as such acts are contrary to the law.
The Premier urged livestock keepers to consider the size of their grazing land in determining the number of livestock they keep.
Majaliwa issued this warning on Tuesday during his tour to inspect development projects being implemented in Ruangwa District, Lindi Region.
"Agriculture is life, agriculture is business, agriculture is money, just like livestock keeping. Therefore, every farmer should cultivate crops based on the size of their farm, and pastoralists should keep animals considering the size of their grazing land," said while addressing the public in Nanjaru and Mkaranga villages in the Nambilanje Ward, as well as Nankonjera Village in the Namichiga Ward,
"We are all Tanzanians and we want wealth. Farmers and pastoralists must respect each other because they are all Tanzanians," said Majaliwa.
He emphasised that conflicts between farmers and pastoralists are unproductive and that the government does not want them to continue.
"Neither farmers nor pastoralists have more rights than the other, so everyone should set a work plan that does not negatively impact either side," the PM added.
The Prime Minister also directed Village Executive Officers to verify the number of cattle owned by pastoralists before allocating areas for them and to ensure the involvement of the village government and the local community.
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"Pastoralists should change and adopt modern livestock-keeping practices. Do not take pride in having a large number of livestock that you cannot take care of. Keep a manageable number of animals and sell them at profitable prices," surged the Premier.
In a related development, PM Majaliwa called on leaders of cooperative societies to manage associations well and to stop stealing from farmers by ensuring accurate weight measurements when farmers bring their crops to the warehouses.
Mr Majaliwa further stated that President Samia Suluhu Hassan has made significant investments in the agricultural sector to make Tanzania a major producer of food and cash crops. "Therefore, executives should ensure that the sector is well managed to increase productivity," he added.
The PM also mentioned that the government continues to strengthen various social services across the country, including Ruangwa District, in areas such as education, health, water, energy, and road infrastructure, to ensure citizens have easy access to them. "Let's continue to support our president."
