By Alfred Zacharia
Tabora, Tanzania - In a bid to transform the agricultural sector, Deputy Prime Minister
and Minister of Energy, Dr. Doto Biteko, has urged cooperative societies to
develop new strategies to enhance services, input access, and fair pricing for
farmers.
Speaking at the World Cooperative Day
celebrations at Ipuli Grounds in Tabora on July 6, 2024, Dr. Biteko emphasized
the need for genuine reforms to eliminate ineffective processes and ideas that
hinder progress.
"It is time for real changes in
the agricultural sector, moving away from inefficient practices and opinions
that delay development," stated Dr. Biteko.
He called on cooperative societies and
crop buyers to reinvest in the communities through Corporate Social
Responsibility (CSR) to ensure local development aligns with the resources
derived from those areas.
Additionally, Dr. Biteko directed regional, municipal, and local government leaders to fully utilize cooperative officers to make their contributions impactful for the nation's development. "Over eight million Tanzanians rely on the cooperative sector for services.
Therefore, leverage cooperative officers to
devise and provide expert advice on how best to reach the intended
beneficiaries," he added.
Highlighting the enabling environment
for Savings and Credit Cooperative Organizations (SACCOS), Dr. Biteko revealed
plans to establish a National Cooperative Bank. This initiative aims to provide
affordable capital to cooperatives, fostering economic growth and stability.
Praising the cooperatives for their
efforts in providing farmers with inputs, loans, and access to profitable
markets, Dr. Biteko noted, "Recently, we've seen improved markets for
agricultural products like coffee, cotton, sesame, pigeon peas, cashews, and
cocoa, which have encouraged many farmers to increase production."
In his address, Agriculture Minister
Hussein Bashe reaffirmed the government's commitment to financial support for
agricultural inputs, including tobacco, cotton, and cashews, to facilitate
farmers' activities.
"The government continues to
monitor and cap prices for various crops to ensure price stability. There has
been an increase in crop prices, and we will ensure they do not fall,"
stated Minister Bashe.
He announced that the government has
provided a subsidy of 13 billion shillings for tobacco farmers and an
additional 13.3 billion shillings for tobacco inputs.
Abdulmajid Nsekela, Chairman of the Cooperative Development Commission, affirmed the commission's ongoing efforts to supervise cooperatives and bring benefits to the citizens.
Discussing the establishment and
operation of the Cooperative Bank, the Registrar of Cooperative Societies and
Chief Executive Officer of the Cooperative Development Commission, Dr. Benson
Ndiege, disclosed that the bank's headquarters would be in Dodoma to ensure
easy access for all citizens and cooperatives. Initially, the bank will have
branches in four regions.
Dr. Ndiege added that the Cooperative
Development Commission continues to encourage members to engage in other
economic activities and collaborate with various stakeholders working with
cooperatives.
Charles Jishuli, Chairman of the
Federation of Cooperative Societies, highlighted that World Cooperative Day has
been celebrated for 23 years. He urged the government to collaborate with
cooperatives in implementing various plans to ensure mutual benefits.