Sh4 billion set to boost sunflower, pulses agro-value chains

Dar es Salaam. Over 100,000 farmers from 11 regions will benefit from Sh4 billion investment made by the Agricultural Markets Development Trust (AMDT) aimed at transforming the sunflower and pulses subsectors in the 2022/23 season.

The amount will be issued in terms of grants to nine partner organizations and government institutions that will co-facilitate the implementation of agricultural development projects.

The projects will focus on interventions that feed into government priorities in the agricultural sector as defined in the Agenda 10/30 and the Agricultural Sector Development Programme (ASDP) II.

The project will also improve access to rural advisory services and value addition in sunflower and pulses.

The regions are Manyara, Singida, Dodoma, Morogoro, Arusha, Lindi, Mtwara, Songwe, Ruvuma, Njombe and Rukwa.

Addressing a press conference yesterday, AMDT chief executive officer Charles Ogutu said there was a need for improved partnerships between the public and private sectors as a reliable way of consolidating efficacy and deliverability in the country’s agricultural transformation.

“The current global socio-economic context clearly aligns developing and emerging economies as the future pillars for world food security and growth. Without transforming our agricultural economy, one sector at a time, Tanzania will miss out on very important opportunities” he said.

“Historically, this is the best and the most opportune moment to invest in the Tanzania agriculture. The government through the responsible ministry has shown the way by increasing its budget in the sector,” Mr Ogutu said.

“The government has also set clear priorities. Together with our partners and collaborators, we are challenged to support the national transformation of the main economic sector- agriculture,” he added.

Speaking during the event, Dar es Salaam City Press Club (DCPC) chairman Samson Kamalamo said his organization was now working on improving and building the capacity of journalists in different sectors in order to create a sense of specialization.

“Agriculture will be the first area,” he said, thanking AMDT for opening collaboration doors.

Mr Kamalamo called on other development partners to closely work with DCPC by exploring more opportunities aimed at improving knowledge and skills available in the Tanzania media industry.

He said, AMDT has the goal of unleashing positive changes in the large scale agriculture leading to broad and sustainable impacts on the lives of millions of productive people.

According to him, increased opportunities for employment and income generation, the media has a great role in ensuring the goal is reached.

Currently, projects agreements allow implementation up to year 2023 and that best performing partners will their contracts be extended to 2024.