SAGCOT partnership forum kicks off next week

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Southern Agricultural Growth Corridor of Tanzania (SAGCOT), Mr Geoffrey Kirenga

PREPARATIONS for the fourth Annual SAGCOT Partnership Forum 2017 have been completed and over 300 local and international delegates have confirmed their participation.

Announcing the forum in Dar es Salaam yesterday, the Chief Executive Officer of Southern Agricultural Growth of Tanzania (SAGCOT Centre), Mr Geoffrey Kirenga said the forum would be held on March 10, this year and the theme of the meeting would be ‘Unleashing Agricultural Potentials’.

“Three days before the forum, the delegate will have a learning journey to Ihemi and Mbeya clusters where there are a lot of projects undertaken in partnership within the corridor,” he said.

According to Mr Kirenga, the delegates would have an opportunity to witness the agricultural development in the corridor and that when they meet in the forum, delegates would be in a very good position to contribute.

He said the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Livestock, Dr Charles Tizeba would be the Chief Guest. Several presentations including that of how to finance the smallholder farmers would be presented.

“The delegates would also be told how SAGCOT achieved to bring partners together,” he said, adding that modern and commercial farming need water.

“While in Njombe and Iringa, the delegates will visit Ihemi Cluster,” Mr Kirenga said, adding that for Mbeya they will be taken to Mbarali Cluster where there is rice plantation. Speaking at the same meeting, the Executive Secretary of SAGCOT Catalytic Trust Fund, Dr John Kyaruzi said smallholder farmers need transform their livelihood through agriculture.

“These people engage in agriculture in hope that they will get out of poverty. We believe through commercial farming, these farmers will get a panacea,” Dr Kyaruzi explained.

Expounding about catalytic trust fund, Dr Kyaruzi said there is matching grants whose main objective was to support and benefit farmers individually.

“We are committed to see these smallholder farmers grow and contribute significantly to the national economy. It is through the matching grants, these farmers will be supported,” he noted