Njombe tea farmers tipped on best farm practices

On their graduation day here yesterday, Njombe Regional Commissioner (RC), Mr Christopher Ole Sendeka, said the training will help farmers improve agriculture productivity with ultimate improvement of their wellbeing.

“We are proud of this partnership,” the RC said in a speech read on his behalf by Njombe Regional Administrative Secretary, Economic and Empowerment Sector, Mr Lameck Noah.

He added that the one year training will help farmers improve their lives and bring in foreign exchange. He noted that it used to take long for farmers to start getting produce, but through NOSC, farmers will start getting their first green tea harvests within 12 months.

He said knowing that tea has a very huge potential in and outside the country, the government is doing whatever possible to improve the whole production and marketing chain for the benefit of farmers and improve competitiveness.

“This kind of trainings are the best because those who are now knowledgeable will be able to train others and therefore attain sustain ability, improve productivity and add value to produce,” Mr Noah said.

He hinted that since Uniliver company was in final stages to set up a factory in Njombe, that means that farmers will have a ready market to sell their harvests. “This will even attract others to come and invest here and therefore slowly implementing a vision to make Tanzania an industrious nation,” Mr Noah stressed.

The NOSC General Manager, Mr Filbert Kavia, stressed the importance of spreading such best practices throughout the nation to solve the challenge of agricultural experts.

“Farmers best learn by practice, we expect to add the number of beneficiaries this year,” he said, noting it is expected that farmers’ produce will improve following the training. Talking on behalf of fellow farmers, Mr Thiemo Msemwa thanked all who have organised the training.

“We have learnt about what it takes to have sustainable agriculture, we are very grateful,” he said. The training is under Chai Project with a sponsorship from The Wood Foundation Africa (TWFA), Gatsby Charitable Foundation (Gatsby) and UKAID.

NOSC expects to cultivate tea in an area of 3,800 hectares and reach 4,000 out-growers farmers.

SOURCE: DAILY NEWS

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