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Learn from SA farmers -Mkapa
2005-09-25 07:48:17
By Freddy Maro,Cape Town
Tanzanian’s agricultural sector stands to benefit a lot if the stakeholders would opt to learn lessons from South African farmers who employ modern farming techniques that are appropriate to Africa’s environment.
President Benjamin Mkapa said this on Friday when he visited the Western Cape agricultural export hub in the Western Cape province as a last leg of his South African official visit.
The president said Tanzania was endowed with good arable land and climatic condition favourable for cultivating a variety of tropical food crops and fruit but farmers lack modern farming techniques that could facilitate mass production for export.
’We are determined to overcome these constraints and revolutionize agriculture in Tanzania by employing modern farming methods that would boost production and enable our farmers to enter the world market competitively,’ he said adding that proper land use and management were essential ingredients for modern agriculture.
The president said that he was impressed by the way South Africa’s Agricultural Industry benefited a large part of the poor population by creating employment through its multi- sectors, adding that the scenario was worth emulating by Tanzania agricultural sector.
Speaking during the same occasion, the Western Cape Agricultural Minister Cobus Dowry said his province and Tanzania must strive to create the best possible environment for growth , development and prosperity in the agricultural sector.
’I want to extend a hand of friendship from this province to Tanzania and all its people. With southern Africa’s specific history, we have no choice but to reach out and build a better future together.’ he said.
Enumerating agricultural successes in his province, Minister Dowry said that agriculture plays vital role and that the main industries in the sector include fruit, winter grain, white meat, viticulture and vegetables.
’The export in agriculture has been successful to the extent that the Province’s economy is bigger than that of Kenya or Libya. Furthermore, the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita in the province is after Libya and the second highest on the African continent’ he said.
During the visit the President was presented with wine making process at the Elsenburg College of Agriculture in Western Cape. The college was formerly the Elsenburg farm dating back to 1698.
The president was accompanied by the First Lady, Mama Anna Mkapa, the Minister for Industry and Trade, Dr.Juma Ngasongwa and the Dar es Salaam Region CCM chairman, Hemed Mkali.
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