TANZANIA – Tanzania has signed a loan agreement worth US$ 72.8 million with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) for the implementation of the Tanzania Agricultural Input Support Project (TAISP) to improve production and productivity in the agricultural sector.
The agreement was signed between the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Finance, Dr Natu Mwamba and the Japanese Ambassador to Tanzania, Mr Yasushi Misawa in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
According to the permanent secretary, the overall goal of this project is to boost local food production and strengthen the resilience of food systems to mitigate short- and long-term food security risks.
“The funds will be used in priority crops including rice, wheat and sunflower and contribute to strengthening the resilience of the food system and enhancing the food security and nutrition,” Dr. Mwamba noted.
“The project has been structured into three components, including scaling up food production, financing mechanism for fertilizer availability and affordability and enabling policy environment and institutional strengthening.”
She further added that the project will be implemented in Arusha, Dodoma, Morogoro, Manyara, Kilimanjaro, Dodoma, Singida, Morogoro, Tabora, Songwe, Mbeya, Njombe, Shinyanga, Mwanza, Geita, Simiyu, and Katavi regions.
The estimated total number of direct beneficiaries is 1,200,000 smallholder households corresponding to 4,800,000 persons, where 40% are women and youths.
More than 1,000 small and medium-scale seed producers and agro-dealers will also benefit from the project and the project will create job opportunities for the 10,000 young women and men in the wheat, sunflower, rice and fertilizer value chains.
In a related development, JICA has also provided an additional financing of US$1.1 million to be extended for the Economic and Social Development Programme, adding that the scheme is aimed at reviving Tanzania Fisheries Company (TAFICO).
Additional funds through the Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries will be provided to cover the financing gap for the implementation of the programme.
On his part Japanese Ambassador to Tanzania, Mr Misawa said that his country through the JICA will continue to cooperate with Tanzania in various sectors including the blue economy, capacity building, and agricultural as well as business environment improvement.
The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries, Prof Riziki Shemdoe said the funds will enable TAFICO to buy a 22-meter-long fishing vessel and purchase two vehicles.
Additionally, Abdallah Ulega, the Livestock and Fisheries minister has launched five new tractors and viewed 1,000 cows purchased from different sources, to improve cattle breeding at ranches operating under the National Ranching Company Limited (NARCO).
He praised President Samia Suluhu Hassan for providing the funds to NARCO, saying the funds will enhance its ability to run commercially.
The government also plans to establish irrigation schemes for livestock pastures to enhance meat production capacity for local and foreign markets.
“Since we can produce enough maize for our consumption and exports; it is possible to produce livestock pastures for export,” he added.
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