The
Tanzania Commercial Bank (TCB) has promised to continue supporting the
government's efforts to help small and medium-sized farmers to access
supportive loans.
The loans are
meant to increase farmers’ crop production and add value to their products for
local and international markets.
TCB plans
to extend its services in the agricultural sector by training its staff to
better provision of loans and improve the agricultural value chain.
This was
announced by TCB's Director of Loans, Mr. Daniel Mbotto, during a meeting in
Dar es Salaam with experts from Aceli Africa and AFC GOPA.
Mr. Mbotto
said that TCB's wide network of 82 branches will ensure that staff are
well-trained to support the growth of agriculture in the country.
"We
will continue to offer loans while finding new ways to reach and help farmers
grow their businesses," he said.
He also
mentioned that farmers have responded positively to the loan opportunities,
especially cassava farmers in Kibondo, who have benefited greatly in the past
two seasons. They are now preparing for the next seasons.
"The
main goal is to help the government empower citizens economically by reaching
out to farmers and supporting them and their families.
“This will
increase their productivity, income, and capital, allowing them to start other
businesses and continue growing," Mr. Mbotto added.
Some
farmers have already started small processing plants to add value to their
cassava, enabling them to export to Europe and the United States.
