Why UDSM’s Lindi campus offers new hope to farmers
What you need to know:
- With the university’s Ruangwa Research Centre also taking shape, local farmers are eagerly anticipating the benefits to their livelihoods, food security, and the regional economy.
Lindi. The establishment of the University of Dar es Salaam’s (UDSM) College of Agriculture and Food Technology (CoAF) in Lindi Region is poised to revolutionise agriculture in southern Tanzania.
With the university’s Ruangwa Research Centre also taking shape, local farmers are eagerly anticipating the benefits to their livelihoods, food security, and the regional economy.
Funded by the World Bank’s Higher Education for Economic Transformation (HEET) initiative, the UDSM project aims to enhance higher education in Tanzania and align academic programmes with labour market demands.
The university received a substantial $47.5 million from the total project allocation of $425 million.
The Sh13 billion agricultural campus under construction in Lindi Municipal will focus on innovative research and teaching that directly address local agricultural needs.
For years, farmers in the region have struggled with limited access to modern techniques and scientific research, leading to stagnant productivity in crops such as cashew nuts, sunflower, sesame, cassava, and maize.
With the new research centre, farmers like Beatrice Mourice, an Agri-business graduate from Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA), see a brighter future.
“This will be our time to fully utilise the opportunities the university brings to boost our production and contribute to the national economy,” she said.
Cashew nuts, the backbone of Lindi’s economy, will be a key focus of research at the new campus. Experts aim to improve productivity through pest management, disease control, and sustainable farming techniques.
“With the input of UDSM experts, our cash crops are going to get more demand due to improved production methods,” said Dr Nurdin Haji, a researcher based in the Mtwara region.
While cashews dominate the agricultural landscape, other crops such as sunflower, sesame, maize, sorghum, and cassava also stand to benefit from the research initiatives.
“We expect to see a transformation in how these crops are grown, with improved farming techniques, better pest control, and disease management, all driven by research at the new centre,” Agricultural extension officer Ms Jovin Mtweve said.
The local governments in Lindi have also been quick to recognise the economic potential of the campus. According to Kiguni Local Council Executive, Mr Rajab Mpili, the project will bring numerous benefits, including job creation and increased investment.
