By Daily News Reporter in Dodoma
AGRICULTURAL
experts in the country have urged the government to allow continuation
of key agricultural researches and field tours, with an eye to
serve the
economy.
They said that the
spreading of Covid-19 pandemic throughout the globe might disturb key
agricultural researches, a poor development which disturbs economies.
However, they
observed that research plays a paramount role in advancing the key
sector which the nation's economy depends on, whereby the current data
indicates that an average of 80 per cent of Tanzanians is employed
within the sector.
While it is well
known that the agricultural sector accounts for 30per cent of the
country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP), the side is likely to be
affected by the current killer virus, which is projected to lead to
economic hardships in the near future.
According to Senior
Plant Breeder for TARI-Hombolo Centre, Dr Lameck Nyaligwa, researches
were key for the progress of the crucial sector.
"Farmers are
important components in seed breeding processes, particularly through
participatory variety selection (PVS). For instance, he said, the
centre, Hombolo, is currently undertaking the Sorghum and Millet
Preliminary Yield Trial which needs participation of farmers in order to
be approved.
He noted however
that in order for the researched seeds to be approved by the Tanzania
Official Seed Certification Institute (TOSCI), farmers must play a
pivotal role.
"There are a number
of agricultural research projects under the lucrative financial funds
from local and international organisations in Tanzania, which can be
hindered by the coronavirus curfew if the government will not treat this
sector with utmost care," he said.
He added that it
was prudent that the government allows the said researchers to allow
experts to continue with their activities in the current catastrophic
period, because development of the agriculture sector, which is prime
for the welfare of the country's human resource banks on it.
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