Tanzania: State Donates ICT Equipment to Agricultural Institutions

By Daily News Reporter in Dodoma

MINISTRY of Agriculture donated several ICT equipment valued at 248.69mil/- to public and private agricultural training institutions to facilitate knowledge sharing and keeping the institutions up-todate.

Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture, Mr Gerald Kusaya said his survey into eleven public agricultural institutes in the country revealed a massive shortage of current books, with the existing volumes being outdated.

"I had resolved to help address this challenge, and today I am pleased to distribute this equipment that will help improve teaching and subsequently, service offered by our extension officers," Mr Kusaya said.

In Tanzania, there are eleven public agricultural institutions and 14 private-owned institutions.

The PS noted that the idea of donating information and communication technology gadgets to both public and private institution is to help maintain the spirit of togetherness.

He insisted that most graduates in both institutions end up being hired by the government. "This is why we want to support both institutions," he said.

The equipment donated will help institutions establish e-labs that could be easily accessed by both institutions.

According to Mr Kusaya, the equipment being offered is the only part of a large plan that seeks to transform the agricultural training institutions to become more digitalized.

The donated items included a TV set, laptops, desktops, routers, projectors and mattress.

Mlingano Agricultural Training Institute Rector, Mr Samson Cheyo, and Aloyce Kasimili, Principal at the National Sugar Training Institute acknowledged that the institutions face serious challenges and that the equipment will improve the teaching and learning process.

"We had record high shortage of teaching books. This equipment will connect all agricultural institutions to share the same materials," said Kasimili, adding "this process will revolutionize the agricultural sector in the country."

The principals promised to maintain the equipment to help improve knowledge sharing for more youth planning to join the profession to further their interests.