unique asr&per revis.. - Ministry Of Agriculture, Food and Cooperatives

Irrigation and Crop Sub-Sectors (continued)
PROBLEM/
ISSUE
DETERMINED
CAUSE
1.3: Use of poor,
inefficient, burdensome
farming equipment/
tools & facilities
BROAD ACTION(S)
TO TAKE
1.3.1) Facilitate farmers
to use appropriate/
modern cultivation,
planting, weeding,
harvesting, handling and
storage tools/ equipment/
facilities; (as per
economic
recommendations)
SPECIFIC PRACTICAL ACTION TO TAKE
i) Re-activate the agricultural machinery, tools, and equipment testing units (such as the CAMATEC of Arusha).
ii) The testing units to make economically viable recommendations on type of machinery/ tools/ equipment to use for which
activity and at what environmental conditions
ii) Mount vigorous annual campaigns and training to farmers and extension staff on appropriate and practical use of
recommended farming machinery/ equipment/ tools
iii) Provide attractive incentives for importation (especially for those not locally manufactured) and distribution of appropriate
farming machinery/ equipment/ tools;
iv) The Testing Units in collaboration with stakeholders (Tanzania Bureau of Standards, DSM University College of
Engineering, Faculty of Agricultural Engineering of SUA, TRA, and so on) to ensure only quality agricultural machinery/
equipment/ tools enter the country.
v) Support production of most of the required farming machinery/ equipment/tools locally – subsidize entrepreneurs attempting
to produce locally and efficiently; and per recommended standards
vi) Promote establishment of reliable, efficient agricultural machinery/ equipment repair services
vii) Expand village / ward based crop produce improved warehousing / storage; the stores can also be used for ‘warehousing
receipt’ credit system
viii) Persuade banks/ financial institutions to provide farming machinery/ equipment to farmer / farmer groups
1.4: Depressed crop prices
received by farmers
(farm-gate prices) –
farmers not encouraged to
produce more
1.4.1 Inadequate
marketing infrastructures
i) Provide maintenance to rural roads leading to market on a sustainable basis; to reduce costs charged by transporters; and in
turn charges paid by traders for transport to market outlets in urban centres and elsewhere; this in turn enabling trader to pay
farmer better farm gate prices. Good roads also attract more traders; hence competition, which push up farmer’s produce prices.
ii) Promote setting up of village/ ward level produce collection centres to attract more traders to come to purchase farm produce,
thereby creating competition which normally results in better prices to the seller (farmer).
iii) Set up modern marketing centres with proper structures (modern buildings, complete with all necessary facilities); sufficient
parking area; adequate storage area; security services; fully fenced; and so on. This will attract a lot more produce buyers and
again create competition.
1.4.2 Inadequate
marketing systems
i) MITM (in collaboration with the country’s trade centres and trade attaches abroad) should mount vigorous campaign,
meanwhile, to secure more lucrative markets for farmers’ produce; and inform the farming community the types of produce in
demand in the various markets; it could emulate the MNRT, which has been mounting vigorous campaign to get more tourists
into Tanzania.
ii) Strengthen marketing cooperatives (through training) in order to increase efficiency.
1.4.3. Burdensome
deductions/ taxes to small
farmer produce
iii) Build strong marketing information systems to enable farmers know the market situations in various places/ centres,
domestically and internationally.
i) Investigate deductions made to out-growers of sugarcane and other crops with a view to rectify.
ii) Institute a legislation to put on-hold all taxes on small farmer produce for (say) 10 years
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