Negotiations to promote cassava farming, avail markets begin

IDDY MWEMA

Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs and East Africa Cooperation, Ms Susan Kolimba

INITIAL negotiations between the government and a Chinese investor eyeing cassava farming that will assure farmers with reliable markets have started, it has been revealed.

The commercialisation of cassava farming and processing will provide solutions to long pending farmers’ grievances over reliable markets of their products. The revelation was made in Dar es Salaam on Thursday evening by the Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs and East Africa Cooperation, Ms Susan Kolimba, during a reception to celebrate the 68th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China.

“During the one belt forum, the government of Tanzania and People’s Republic of China signed an agreement to open Chinese market for dry cassava from Tanzania. The signing of the agreement has raised hopes to cassava growers who have been grappling with the challenge of accessing reliable markets…... I would like to inform you that, the talks have commenced between Tanzanian government and one of the Chinese companies,” she said. Expounding further, she said the company expressed interest to start importing dry cassava from Tanzania before the end of this year.

The Minister expressed the country’s optimism over the current launched China infrastructure to connect the world, one belt one road, saying the move will widen and deepen Tanzania-China cooperation and contribute towards the social-economic development of people from both countries.

She said Tanzania enjoys long term friendship with China, described China as among true friends of Tanzania who helped us to realize the dream of becoming an industrialised nation and improve lives of its people.

According to statistics from Tanzania Investment Centre (TIC), there are 670 investments registered from China with a total value of 5.7 million US dollars employing 83,394 people mostly in the manufacturing sector.

Investment projects worth more than 2.1 million US dollars have been registered this year expected to generate 1,733 jobs. “Through this spirit of enhancing strong economic cooperation, Tanzania invites more Chinese technology to expand our industrial capacity and local production,” she said.

The Chinese Chargé d’Affaires, Mr Gou Haodong said hardwork ing, dedication and sacrifices are secrets behind China’s achievements. Mr Gou said under the strong leadership of Communist Party of China (CPC), China has achieved leaps in economic development, increasing people’s living standards and succeeded in fighting poverty.

“According to World Health Organization (WHO), the life expectancy of Chinese people in 1949 was 36 years, due to malnutrition, epidemic diseases, poor healthcare and appalling sanitary conditions.

In 2016, the life expectancy was at 75.5 years…… In 1978, the eve of Chinese reforms, 90 per cent of China’s population lived under poverty datum line. Today, the poor population accounts for 4 per cent equivalent to 50 million people,” he revealed, adding that the population will relieved of poverty by 2020.