TANZANIA – KARAGWE Development Public Company Limited (KADERES-PLC) in Tanzania is finalizing plans to commence a diary and aquaculture project in Missenyi Ditsrict, North Tanzania by injecting capital of Tzs24 billion (US$10.3m).

Kaderes Managing Director, Mr Leonard Kachebonaho told the Daily News in an interview that they were working closely with experts from Israel in the implementation of the project which is expected to kick off next year.

“We have so far acquired a 100-hectare land in Missenyi District. The project would include rearing dairy cows and fish farming. It will also create employment for youths. We are doing this basically to support the government efforts in building an industrial economy, “he said.

In other related news, a state-of-the-art cassava processing factory is set to be established in Dodoma by Indian investor, Dr Ramani Veerappan of the KAK High TECH Agricultural (T) Limited Company.

Targeted to produce cassava starch and animal feeds, the projected will occupy a total of 100 acres of land in addition to the establishment of a major cassava plantation to the tune of 1000 acres.

The investment is expected to play a major role in stimulating cultivation of cassava in the region as farmers will have an assured market for their produced by enter into contract farming with the company.

The cash crop, cassava has been grown in poor tide in Dodoma and Singida regions in the country.

But the recent revelation of the investment has triggered major revolutions among farmers.

In similar development, Tanzania Chamber of Commerce, Industrial and Agricultural (TCCIA) in partnership with ‘Chama Cha Wajasiliamali Wazalishaji wa Mbegu za Mhogo’ (Wa -MBM) have acquired more than 2000 acres of land in Chemba district in readiness to cultivate large cassava plantation.

In assuring professional cultivation of the key cash crop, the Tanzania Agricultural Research Institute (TARI) in Hombolo has invented four fresh types of high-quality cassava seeds namely Dodoma, Makutupora, Mumba and Hombolo.

Tanzania is the twelfth largest producer of cassava in the world and the sixth in the continent after Nigeria, DRC, Ghana, Angola and Mozambique.

Latest statistics depicts that the sub-sector employs at least 1.3 million smallholder farmers in the country, whereby between 2012 and 2006, a total of 59,447,754 tonnes of cassava tubers were produced and sold abroad earning US$4.8m.