Govt on right path in agriculture - partners

By Polycarp Machira

Sophia Kaduma

Development partners have expressed satisfaction with government’s commitment in improving agriculture, saying it is the best way to change people’s livelihoods.


Speaking during the Tanzania Agriculture Collaboration Convention, co-hosted by the ministry of Agriculture, Food Security and Cooperatives and the Bills & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF), in Dar es Salaam recently, they expressed hope that the efforts will soon bear fruit.

They noted that the government is always in the forefront in hosting such events, aimed at strengthening collaboration among different partners in effort to promote national development.

Supported by the foundation to understand how best to collaborate on agricultural development in the country, the meeting brought together government representatives, development partners as well as implementing partners.

Officiating at the closure of the meeting, permanent secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security and Cooperatives Sophia Kaduma said the government was working hard to improve agriculture in the country.

She said the aim was to share an overview of BMGF’s emerging Agricultural Development Tanzania Country Strategy and how that could be used to support partners and the government in its endeavours.

Mercy Karanja, East Africa Senior Regional Advisor at the Bill& Melinda Gates Foundation said the government has been very keen to ensure different stakeholders are involved in various agricultural projects.

“Most of Tanzanian agriculture projects are those that focus on supporting progress of smallholder farmers, a clear change of mentality on how to support projects,” she noted.

She said out of all the countries that BMGF works, Tanzania seems to be above the rest, mainly due to government dedication, specifically President Jakaya Kikwete’s readiness to revamp the agricultural sector.

Karanja termed the meeting the ‘first of its kind’ in East Africa as the only other one was in Ethiopia in 2010, adding that both are government driven. According to her, it is therefore, the government’s effort to ensure that such collaboration meetings continue.

“The Tanzanian government has invited us on the table together with other partners to discuss how best to partner and bring the desired change. This is a good thing as working in fragments cannot lead to success,” she said.
On government policies and plans to improve agriculture, the BMGF officer differed with those who argue that there are just too many policies on agriculture.

She said outwardly, they appear too many and confusing but if you take a keen look, one realises that they are quite different and all are aimed at bringing agricultural revolution.

Elvis Fraser, Senior Programme Officer at the Foundation also praised the government saying its focus is trying to reduce poverty using agriculture. “This is the primary source of poverty reduction strategies in many areas,” he noted.

According to him, it is in line with the global focus to help farmers to capture greater value of what they produce.

Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) country representative, Dr Mary Mgonja praised both the foundation and the government for bringing partner organisations together to discuss how to further cooperation.
“The trend is really good as it emphasises cooperation on how to improve agriculture in the country,” she said. 

SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN