How govt will get young Tanzanians back on the farm

Young girls in Mtwara harvest groundnuts at a model farm at Naliendele Agricultural Institute (NARI). Govt wants more young people picking up hoes. PHOTO | ABDALLAH BAKARI By The Citizen Reporter Dodoma.   The Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security and Cooperatives is completing a document aimed at making agriculture attractive to young people in the country. Tabling the ministry’s 2013/14 budget yesterday, its minister, Eng Christopher Chiza, said yesterday that the initiative was taken after establishing that many young people have been shunning agriculture and migrating to urban areas. “This is mainly because there are little incentives in investment to attract youths to agriculture. The document we are preparing will give guidance on commercial farming so as to attract many young people,” he explained. The minister pointed out that the write-up will, among other things, be used to prepare a programme that will enable young people to employ themselves in agriculture. He said the purpose is to create an environment that will enable the young people to team up with other stakeholders to develop the important sector. Further, the minister said even though the write-up was not ready and put into use, there were indications that the initiative would be attractive to young people. He said there were several groups of youths in various parts of the country engaged in agriculture which had already been established. He listed four such groups, some with ten graduates from universities who have teamed up to settle in Isaka-Malilo Village, Igunga District, Tabora Region.  These have been given 150 acres of land which they use to grow sunflower. “The ministry has assisted them with food and two water pumps to facilitate irrigation,” said Mr Chiza. He mentioned the other group as the Arusha Home Vegetable Group that focuses on the production of vegetables and maize for export. It has a network of 1,000 farmers, he said. In Singida Region some youths have their come together to grow sunflower on a 200-hectare farm and the Big Power Group of Kibondo District grows cassava, he said. Mr Chiza through the Rufiji Basin Development Authority the ministry has also established the Mkongo Youth Centre, in Mkongo areas in Rufiji District with a similar objective.