Professor Mbuya's sober talk

There is a large electronic discussion group called Tanzanet comprising mostly Tanzanians who are within and outside the country. Members come in all ages and carreers, from students to professors; from enterpreneurs to CEOs.

Most discussion that takes place there arise from Tanzania news items. I have taken liberty to post this Professor's reality message here for visitors to check reflect and forward...

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From: ...a@comcast.net
Reply-To: ...t@tanzanet.org
To: ...@tanzanet.org
Subject: [tanzanet] LOWASSA na KILIMO
Date: Sat, 15 Sep 2007 15:08:21 +0000

Mbona mahindi yanawaozea wakulima wa Songea?
Why should farmers produce if they cannot sell for a profit?

Foreign investors are NOT and will NOT be the silver bullet for the agricultural sector in Tanzania.
You heard it from me and you can quote me if you wish.

We have to address the basics of agricultural production (or any production).

1. Improve extension services
2. Secure markets (internal and external) for agricultural produce and products ...why produce if you can't sell?
3. Post-harvest processing and storage (preserve and store excess during peak (bumper) production to avoid spoilage aand waste)
4. Transportation infrastructure to reach the farmer and farms
5. Subsidy of farm inputs (fertilizers, pesticides) whenever appropriate
6. Mechanization and Irrigation

Tanzania need to encourage, support and protect small farmers from unfair competition from the "big sharks".
Would the farmers (80% or so of the population) be able to afford the food produced by the foreign investors?
And what would the small farmers do then? Go to Malawi?

Mimi nilianza kazi kama Bwana Shamba wa Tarafa kule Sikonge (Tabora) mwaka 1980.
Kwa wale wanaotoka Sikonge, nilikagua mashamba mengi sana ya tumbaku na mihogo kule Tutuo na Kiwele (karibu na Rukwa). Bila kusahau "kipigo" cha mbung'o (tse tse fly).
Baada ya kufanya kazi hiyo ya extension, vile vile nilifanya kazi kama Afisa Kilimo Utafiti katika Kituo cha Lyamungu.
Vile vile niliwahi kufundisha shule ya Sekondari kule Uru (Mwl. Mkuu alikuwa anaitwa Mr. Ndaskoi). Dada Selina unafahamu pale kwa Kisawio? Nilipita maeneo hayo sana.
Nimewahi kufanya utafiti na extension (Farming Systems Research) kule Colombia (Latin America) mwaka 1986 na mkazo ulikuwa wakulima wadogo wadogo (nilifika miji ya Cali, Medelin, Bogota, Pasto, Palmira na miji mingine midogo midogo). Wakati huo nilikuwa chini cha taasisi ya CIAT (Centro Internacional de Agricultura Tropical, i.e. Center for Tropical Agriculture).
Hapa Marekani tunashughulika na wakulima wadogo na wakubwa, at different levels of sophistication.
I have been in South Africa twice as a Consultant (Irrigation, Marketing and Post-harvest processing) on behalf on the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).
I have served in may agricultural panels (State, National and International).

Why am I giving you all this personal information?
Because I think it is time someone (e.g. the government, politicians) take us (myself and other Tanzanian experts) seriously. I presume, at least we have something to offer, across disciplines and continents.

Kama ni utafiti tunaufahamu na tumeshafanya mwingi. tu
Kama ni extension tumefanya vile vile (kuanzia Sikone mpaka Colombia).
Kama ni kufundisha ...kazi hiyo tunaimanya vile vile (kuanzia Uru hadi Florida).
Otherwise the Americans wouldn't keep us around.
How come we cannot be heard at home?

Bongo tumekuwa mabingwa wa biashara ya maneno isiyokuwa na wanunuzi.

Wataalam tunao, lakini kwa sababu tunazozijua wenyewe, serikali inaamua kwenda kutafuta "wataalam" wa mvua kutoka Thailand.
Ati wamekuja kufanya utafiti! Utafiti wenyewe ni utafiti wa kunyunyiza "silver iodide" kwenye mawingu. (please read the literature on this subject).
Where was the Thai research proposal submitted for review?
Who was the highest and lowest bidder?
How were the local (Tanzania) experts involved?

Give me a break!

Now, let me be accused of wanting to be serious :-)

Have a nice weekend.

Mbuya
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From: "Mwasa2" <....m@blueyonder.co.uk>

2007-09-15 08:36:15
By Lusekelo Philemon
The Prime Minister Edward Lowassa has underscored the need for collective efforts to promote the untapped opportunities in the agricultural sector.

Speaking at the Tanzania Investment Center (TIC) tenth anniversary`s climax in Dar es Salaam yesterday Lowassa said agriculture is one of the important sectors that need special attention.

`This sector still remains the important sector for the country`s socio-economic development hence more investments are highly needed for the country to register tangible success,` he said.

He said agriculture employs more than 80 per cent of the country`s total population, but there were minimal investments in the sector.

`More efforts are needed to ensure that serious investors come in the sector for vibrant returns,` he noted.

Lowassa urged TIC to collaborate with ministries, public institutions and key stakeholde rs to come up with viable strategies that would ensure there is an in crease of investors in the sector.

He said that there is no way we can get out of poverty without agriculture which is the engine for Tanzania?s economic prosperity.

The premier has also challenged TIC?s staff and management to work hard and ensure they seriously promote viable areas for the country`s economic development.

`Apart from today`s success, TIC needs to work hard to make sure that the center`s efforts contribute to the country?s economic growth,` he said.

The TIC Executive Director, Emmanuel Ole Naiko said during the ceremony that the center approved about 680 projects last year and expects to approve more in the near future.

Ole Naiko said: `Next year the centre is expected to approve about 800 projects. This is a good move to us.`

He said the centre has managed to reduce unnecessary delays for an investor to approve his/her projects.

`Currently, it takes only two weeks for the project to be approved by the centre. This is a good development for it as before that an investor spent more than three months,` he said.

He said the center is working hard to make sure that all potential investors come in the country and invest for the benefit of the entire Tanzanian population, and that friendly investment environment has made TIC to be one of the best centres in the world.

* SOURCE: Guardian


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