KILIMO CHA MBOGAMBOGA

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NINI KIFANYIKE KUINUA SEKTA YA KILIMO HAPA NCHINI TANZANIA

“Tunatakiwa kuchagua zao moja au mawili na kuyawekeza mkazo zaidi.Tusiache kulima mazao mengine lakini tuchague mazao machache na kuyawekea mkazo zaidi” anasema na anaongeza;Tunaweza kuigawa nchi yetu kimazao. Ikiwezekana kila wilaya ikawa inalima zao fulani. Hii itasaidia kwa sababu hata fedha zikitoka zitajulikana zinakwenda mkoa gani kwa ajili ya kuendelea zao lipi.”

Kwa muda mrefu Serikali imekuwa ikianzisha mipango, sera, miradi na mikakati mbalimbali ya kilimo kwa lengo kuinua uchumi wa Tanzania. Pamoja na kutumia nguvu nyingi, mipango mingi imeshindwa kufikia mafanikio yaliyotarajiwa kutokana na sababu mbalimbali, ikiwamo ya uwepo wa mipango na mikakati mingi kwa wakati mmoja. Mhadhiri wa Chuo Kikuu cha Kilimo Sokoine, Dk Damian Gabagambi anaitaja baadhi ya mipango hiyo kuwa ni Mkakati wa Kukuza Uchumi na Kuondoa Umaskini (Mkukuta), Mpango wa Kurasimisha Rasilimali na Biashara Tanzania (Mkurabita), Mkakati wa Maendeleo ya Sekta ya Kilimo (ASDS). Programu ya Kuendeleza Sekta ya Kilimo (ASDP), Kilimo Kwanza, Uendelezaji Kilimo Ukanda wa Kusini Tanzania (SAGCOT), Mpango wa Maendeleo wa Miaka Mitano ambao ulianza mwaka 2011-2016 na Mpango wa Matokeo Makubwa Sasa (BRN). Anasema Tanzania imekuwa ikikwama katika sekta mbalimbali kutokana na kutokuwa na sekta mama ya kuiendeleza kikamilifu kama ilivyo kwa baadhi ya nchi za barani Afrika na Asia. Akizungumza katika warsha ya kuadhimisha siku ya kimataifa ya harakati ya wakulima wadogo na mwaka wa kimataifa wa kilimo cha familia iliyoandaliwa na Mtandao wa Vikundi vya Wakulima Tanzania (Mviwata), Dk Gabagambi anasema ili maendeleo yapatikane ni lazima serikali iwe na mpango mmoja itakaousimamia kikamilifu. Anasema kuwa uwepo wa mipango mingi ya kuinua kilimo nchini kwa namna moja au nyingine imekwamisha maendeleo ya kasi katika sekta hiyo.

NINI KIFANYIKE?

 Anasema ili kupiga hatua ni lazima Serikali iwe na sekta moja mama, huku akitolea mfano kilimo,kuhakikisha kuwa inaisimamia kikamilifu na kwa muda mrefu ili iweze kufanikiwa. “Mfano ni nchi ya Singapore. Wao walitambua kuwa sekta yao mama ni uvuvi na kuamua kupeleka nguvu zote katika uvuvi,” anasema na anaongeza; “Sekta mama ni ile ambayo ndani ya nchi husika inafanywa na idadi kubwa ya watu. Serikali ikiboresha miundombinu katika sekta hiyo ni lazima itakua na kukuza pato ya nchi.” Anasema kama Tanzania ikiamua kuwa kilimo ndiyo sekta mama,inatakiwa kuweka mazingira rafiki, ikiwa ni pamoja na kuwa na barabara nzuri, maji, umeme na kuhakikisha kuwa inashughulikia ipasavyo migogoro ya ardhi. “Ikiwekeza katika sekta ambayo haina watu wengi uchumi wa nchi husika haiwezi kukua, ukifanya kinyume chake uchumi unaweza kukua lakini wananchi watalia na umaskini maana hawatanufaika na chochote,” anasema. Anasema uchumi unaokuwa bila kuwepo kwa sekta mama, unakuwa siyo kwa ajili ya watu wachache, siyo wote. “Kama ukiwekeza katika kilimo lazima uhakikishe kuwa unawekeza bila kuyumba bila kujali muda wa uwekezaji. Ukipanga miaka 10 au 20ni lazima utaona manufaa ya kilimo”. Anasema uwekezaji wa aina hiyo utachangia kukuza viwanda na kuvutia wawekezaji na ndio njia inayotumiwa na nchi nyingi duniani. “Nchi za China, Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand, Cambordia zilipiga hatua kimaendeleo kwasababu ya kutambua jambo hili. Nchi hizi hazina wakulima wakubwa zina wakulima wadogo ambao wamewezeshwa kutokana na Serikali za nchi hizo kuwa na kipaumbele kimoja” anasema. 

“Tunatakiwa kuchagua zao moja au mawili na kuyawekeza mkazo zaidi. Tusiache kulima mazao mengine lakini tuchague mazao machache na kuyawekea mkazo zaidi” anasema na anaongeza; “Tunaweza kuigawa nchi yetu kimazao. Ikiwezekana kila wilaya ikawa inalima zao fulani. Hii itasaidia kwa sababu hata fedha zikitoka zitajulikana zinakwenda mkoa gani kwa ajili ya kuendelea zao lipi.” Anasema hali hiyo itasaidia kuongezeka kw aidadi ya viwanda nchini na kukaribisha wawekezaji. Kauli ya Serikali Naibu Waziri wa Ardhi, Nyumba na Maendeleo ya Makazi, George Simbachawene anasema moja ya tatizo linalokwamisha sekta ya kilimo ni migogoro ya ardhi. Anasema hivi sasa wizara yake ipo katika mchakato wa kupima ardhi nchi nzima ili kuondoa migogoro hiyo. “Migogoro hii inachangiwa na viongozi wa ngazi za chini (wenyeviti wa vijiji na watendaji wa kata). Wamekuwa na utaratibu wa kutoa ardhi kwa upendeleo na kwa kutofuata sheria,” anasema na anaongeza; “Serikali itawanyang’anya ardhi watu ambao wameshindwa kuiendeleza ili iwapatie wananchi wenye uwezo wa kuiendeleza. Haiwezekani mtu ahodhi ekari 1,000 bila kuiendeleza  wakati kuna wakulima wanataka kufanya shughuli za kilimo.”
Kauli ya Mviwata: Mwenyekiti wa Bodi ya Mviwata, Habib Simbamkuti anasema, “Serikali inatakiwa kuchukua hatua za haraka kumaliza tatizo la ardhi ambalo limekuwa kero na sababu kubwa ya kutopiga hatua katika kilimo. Wakulima wengi nchini hawana ardhi.”
Anafafanua, “Pia inatakiwa kufanya utafiti katika vijiji vyote nchini na kutoa hati za kumiliki ardhi ili kupungua  kuenea kwa migogoro yaardhi. Migogoro ya ardhi inayoendelea nchini kati ya wakulima na wawekezaji inasababishwa na ukosefu wa hatimiliki.”
KAULI ZA WAKULIMA

Wakieleza matatizo wanayokumbana nayo wakulima, Ashura Magendo ambaye ni Ofisa Mtendaji kijiji cha Muhaga Kata ya Kibute wilayani Kisarawe mkoani Pwani, anasema wakulima wa kijiji hulima zaidi mihogo lakini hivi sasa wanashindwa kuendesha kilimo hicho kutokana na mimea kuliwa na wadudu. “Miaka ya nyuma walikuwa wanalima eka tano hadi 20 na kila eka walikuwa wakipata zaidi ya Sh1 milioni. Lakini kutokana na magonjwa hayo hivi sasa wanapata kati ya Sh10,000 hadi 50,000 kwaeka kutokana na mihogo kuoza”. Anasema wataalamu wa kilimo walipofika katika kijiji hicho waliwaeleza kuwa wadudu hao wanasababishwa na mimea ya Mbono Kaburi ambao huzalisha nishati ya mafuta yanayotumiwa kuendeshea mitambo viwandani. Naye Mohamed Rashid ambaye ni mkazi wa Kijiji cha Chakenge Kata ya Mzenga wilayani Kisarawe anasema kuwa kijiji hicho ni miongoni mwa vijiji 11 vilivyotoa ardhi kwa ajili ya kilimo cha Mbono Kaburi. Anasema wakati wa utoaji wa ardhi watu ambao walikuwa na maeneo katika shamba hilo walitakiwa kulipwa fidia ambayo haikulipwa kwa wakati, hata waliolipwa walipunjwa. “Tangu mwaka 2008 tulipaswa kulipwa lakini fedha za kulipwa ambazo ni Sh500 milioni zilitolewa mwaka 2012. Watu wengi waliolipwa walipata fedha kidogo kuliko uhalisia” anasema na kuongeza kuwa ili Tanzania iweze kuwa na maendeleo ya kasi ni lazima kuwa na tabia ya kufanya ahadi kwa vitendo.

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KUWAUNGANISHA MAAFISA UGANI NA WAKULIMA NI MUHIMU KWA MAENDELEO YA KILIMO

Habari, Tumeanzisha ukurasa unaowaunganisha "Maafisa Ugani" na "Wakulima" ili kuleta elimu ya ugani katika sekta ya kilimo na kufanya kilimo kiwe chenye manufaa. Hii imetokana na changamoto mbalimbali wanazopata wakulima hapa nchini na maeneo ya jirani.

Hivyo sasa kama wewe ni Afisa Ugani unaombwa kujiunga katika kurasa inayoitwa "Farm Extension Link" ambayo inapatikana katika mtandao wa kijamii wa 'facebook'.

Unachotakiwa kufanya, andika neno "Farm Extension Link" katika sehemu ya kutafutia ya facebook kisha kurasa itakuja halafu 'LIKE' utakuwa umeshajiunga.
Tunaanza kuwaleta "Maafisa Ugani" pamoja kisha tutawaomba pia "Wakulima" wajiunge katika ukurasa huu wa "Farm Extension Link" ili kuweza kuelezea changamoto zilizopo katika sekta ya kilimo.
Kama wewe ni "Afisa Ugani" jiunge sasa kama ilivyoelekezwa hapo juu.

Pia fuatilia ukurasa wetu wa "Twitter" kwa kuandika @ExtensionLink utaweza kujiunga.
Shukrani kwa Usikivu wenu.

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Our Voice in Agriculture is a farming sector initiative that aims to provide important information and advocate on challenges and opportunities relating to cultivation and animal husbandry. This farming sector initiative has put more emphasis on growing population consisting of youth and other peasant individuals within and nearby countries under the complete supervision of indigenous organization [see http://www.greenchangesforlenec.webs.com ] as one of the program.

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A ROLE MODEL IN AGRICULTURE FROM MASASI DISTRICT, TANZANIA

Athmani Mochiwa, District Agriculture Extension Officer, has been working for 20 years in Masasi District, Tanzania, working to help farmers adopt new practices and technologies.  He sees his role as being the link between the farmers and the research institutes. “I’ve been involved in each and every step of the Pathways process—from the beginning to now. As an agriculture expert, my role was to advise on some of the seeds to introduce and which technologies and practices to improve. I also worked to create some awareness among the villages about what the project is about.” He currently supervises a staff of 22 paraprofessionals (extension officers) and 5 ward extension officers to whom he provides active support.

Mochiwa sees Pathways as an extension of the Farmer Field School (FFS) approach, which allows farmers to see for themselves the differences between traditional and new production techniques or seed varieties. Through the farmer field school demonstration plots, adoption of new technologies happens more quickly. The critical addition of the “business” element to the Pathways Farmer Field and Business School (FFBS) approach takes the farmers first through the process of searching for a market before production.  “If you can assure farmers of a market, then you can be sure they will produce.  And with tools like the cost-benefit analysis sheet, they can improve their negotiation skills. They know the value of what they produce.”

They are particularly important for Pathways’ group members. Even when they are in mixed training groups, women put themselves behind the men. He notes, “They’re very good at doing the work and implementing, but if you ask them a question—they will wait for the men to respond. The women have to be encouraged to speak up and really feel part of the group work. In the homes, they are doing all the work, but they are not appreciated, and they are not organized. They are working as much as men, harder than men—but they need to know it’s not just for them to carry all this normal loads. Sometimes the men don’t allow their wives to join the groups. The men also need to be trained.”  The promising news, he says, is that there really is demand for this type of discussion.

“Yesterday, I went back to the village (where we tested various exercises with the community), and they asked me, ‘How did you know this would be so beneficial to us! How did you know we really needed this? When are you going to do more? We want the whole community to hear this.’ Those who attended were saying that it was really important, and that already the men wanted to change. So I told them that the paraprofessionals were going to train them on more and more, and that we were going to continue to work with them on these issues.”

The paraprofessionals left the training with documents in hand, energized to start implementing these exercises immediately. Mochiwa is confident that they will take this forward.

But the most important thing, Mochiwa emphasizes, is to provide continuous supervision and support: “If we don’t do that, the feedback and supervision, it’s like playing guitar to a goat—there will be no reaction.  After every training, we need to be in the field, and following up the work-plan that we do together. And the paraprofessionals need these interactions, so that they can share their experiences and learn from each other.”

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HOW GOVERNMENT AND PRIVATE ORGANIZATION CAN SUPPORT SMALLHOLDER FARMERS

 

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YOUTH NEED TO CHANGE THEIR MINDSET TO AGRICULTURAL SECTOR

Agriculture continues to be the engine of inclusive and accelerated economic growth, development as well as livelihood security in Tanzania. The rural youth in the region, however, is moving away from agriculture due to lack of basic amenities, professional knowledge and inspirational pathways for their employment security. It is very well appreciated and evident through the successful business models of leading public and private sector organizations as well as multi-national companies (for example IT sector) that youth is more innovative, productive as well receptive and curious to engage in and contribute to new technologies and advancements.  On the contrary, in agriculture sector, there has been a wide gap in youth’s energy and elderly people’s  experience, which is leading to ageing farming, slow pace of adoption of new innovations and technologies, huge losses in technology dissemination and delinking science with society and hence making farming non-remunerative, non-resilient and unattractive for the youth.

Rabbit Farming

The agriculture that attracts the youth will have to be profitable, competitive, and dynamic. These are the same characteristics needed for agriculture to deliver growth, to improve food security, and to preserve a fragile natural environment. With higher priority accorded to implementation of well-designed public investments in agriculture, continued progress on regulatory and policy reform, and attention to assure inclusion of young people in Africa’s agricultural renaissance, the sector’s handsome youth dividend can be collected and widely shared.

Our country needs to undergo youth mindset transformation to change their negative perceptions towards agriculture in a bid to attract more youths in agribusiness undertakings, a move that will curb the current unemployment challenge.
This can be done through provision of education to youth on entrepreneurship initiatives through trainings, workshops, media and making an easy access to capital through provision of loans with lower interest rates and grants to attract their effective involvement in the pliantly available agribusiness.
This stems from the fact that agriculture has continued and remains the only sector that has provided employment opportunities to 70 per cent of the population in the country, leaving only 30 per cent to be shared by other sectors of economy and the formal sector.
Activities like poultry keeping, dairy farming, training and advisory, agroforestry, fishery and cottage as well as agro-processing industries for agri based foods, are important avenues for youths to focus on essential sources of income and livelihood. Speaking at the launch of the Tanzania Youth in Agribusiness Forum (TYIAF) held in Morogoro recently, Prof Chen said despite the challenges youths face; they remain key drivers and ambassadors of agricultural sector transformation in the country.
"Youths have the greatest potential of changing agricultural business landscape not only in the country but also at the global level, they only need courage, determination and positive attitude towards embracing agricultural sector," said Prof Chen.

The solution to the problem of food insecurity as the population increases lies in our hands as Tanzanian youths. Some ways we can have a good start as successful agric-entrepreneur (Agroprenuer) is to do the following:

• Take active interest and grow a passion for agriculture and its business and a particular aspect that can network other areas as a cycle.
• Think Big with a business plan and entrepreneurial advice from Banks, consultants but always start small, within the capacity you can afford and handle.
• Be well informed about the aspect of agriculture you want to go into especially the risks involved and the market value of product at each stage of the value chain.
• Network with other young people. There are a lot of youth out there who are already into agriculture. Attend Seminars and workshop on agriculture and agribusiness even if you have to pay.
• Acquire practical knowledge. Read books, manuals, journals and work for others on their farms to gain experience and exposure.
• Get training in business planning, marketing and management it has proved very helpful because a major challenge of most agriculturists in Tanzania is their inability to build a business plan and market to their products.
• .Be ready to be a team player, most aids from the government and the Bank of Agriculture sometimes require you are in a group of ten or there about. So start watching out for young people you can join hands and work together.

"If you are standing alone, the bus of development will bypass you, but if you are standing in a group the bus will stop and take you and your group on board,"

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