Minister of agriculture, Hon. Charles Tizeba
discussing somethimg with minister of industries, trade, and investments when
they visited Kagera sugar estate on their three day official visit in Kagera
region.
By Mathias Canal-MA, Kagera
Agricultural minister, Hon. Dr
Charles Tizeba (MP) has completed the three day official visit in Kagera which
srarted on 10 July to 13 July 2018 by visiting five districts; Bukoba, Kyerwa,
Karagwe, Missenyi and Muleba. This was due to instructions given by his
Excellency, Tanzania's president, Hon. Dr John Pombe Magufuli when he was
swearing some new appointed leaders in the state house in Dar es Salaam on 2
July 2018. He wanted the agricultural ministry to make a follow up on why delay
of paying coffee farmers and why some of the farmers sell their produced coffee
in Uganda. And finally, president suggested if there is the best buyer in
Uganda he should be brought to buy the produce in the country.
After receiving the command of
president Magufuli, the agricultural minister, Hon Tizeba asked his deputy
minister in the agricultural ministry, Hon. Omary Mgumba (MP) to pay a three
day visit in Kagera region from 4 to 6 July 2018 to find coffee business
challenges face farmers including delaying to pay their money and loan to
cooperative unions and association boards of KCU and KDCU.
On 6 July 2018 Hon. Tizeba
called for a meeting in the Mwanza RC office which was also attended by Kagera
region commissioner, all district commissioners and district directors of
Kagera councils, agricultural officers, and inspectors of coffee and cotton to
receive the report of deputy minister, Hon. Mgumba from his visit.
After receiving the report at
the meeting, minister Tizeba had to visit to Kagera region to resolve the challenges
face farmers, where, among others, he met various groups including receiving
the Kagera region commissioner, Retired Major General, Hon. Salum Kijuu's
report about agricultural sector, especially, coffee product, meeting with
coffee stakeholders, visiting basic association boards as well as meeting with
coffee industrial owners.
BAN OF SELLING PRE-MATURED
COFFEE IN THE FARM AND SMUGGLING
The minister of agriculture Hon.
Dr Charles Tizeba explaining about CCM manifesto 2015-2020 when he was speaking
with coffee stakeholders in a meeting held at Isingiro in Kyerwa district.
While speaking to coffee
stakeholders on 10 July 2018 at the meeting held at Isangiro conference centre
in Kyerwa district, agricultural minister Hon. Dr Charles Tizeba strongly
rebuked the behavior of exporting coffee without following the rules and laws
put by the government (smuggling). So, any citizen who is obtained selling the
produce out of the country will be taken to the court of law.
Also Dr Tizeba banned selling of
prematured coffee in the farm (batura) as by so doing is to weaken the
long-term efforts taken by a farmer and to reduce the eligible income.
He said, the government will
endeavor to seek the best price of coffee in and out of East Africa so that
citizens may reap the benefit and productivity on agriculture. He explained
that coffee farmers all over the country can't see all these benefits while
keep selling prematured coffee in the farm and smuggling.
Moreover, agricultural minister,
Hon. Tizeba asked Kyerwa district director, Mr Shadrack Mhagama to as soon as
possible complete the pulping coffee factory of Omkagando which was launched by
torch of freedom since 2016 at the expense of the government but so far it
failed to be developed.
WHEN THE MINISTER OF TRADE OF
UGANDA VISITED TANZANIA CONFIRMED THAT THERE ISN'T BETTER COFFEE PRICE IN
UGANDA COMPARING TO TANZANIA.
The minister of agriculture,
Hon. Dr Charles Tizeba greeting with uganda's minister of trade, Hon. Fredrick
Ngobi Gume few minutes before commencing of their official meeting which was
also attended by Tanzania's minister of industries, trade and investments, Hon.
Charles Mwijage.
Work session continues
The minister of agriculture,
Hon. Dr Charles Tizeba insisting on something when he met Uganda's minister of
trade, Hon. Fredrick Ngobi Gume (on left). The other is the minister of
industries, trade and investments, Hon. Charles Mwijage (at the middle)
It has been noted that the sale
of coffee in Uganda is not very different from that found in Tanzania if the
farmers could sell their coffee in the initial market, a thing which concerns
farmers who were deceived that Uganda's price is good and efficient to farmers
than here in.
1 kilogram of coffee pods is
sold at a cost of 2000 Ugandan shillings in Uganda which is equivalent to 1,400
Tanzanian shillings (1.7 exchange rate). For example, here in Tanzania at
the last week auction which was held in Moshi municipality on
12 July 2018 the price of pods
coffee of KCU-association board from Kagera was sold at the average of 1460
(weekly indicative price) which is given by coffee board according to coffee
market in the world.
However, Tanzanian farmers will
benefit more by selling to the coffee auction directly leaving out farm's
price by using their association where the least average price is 1900 out of
operating costs. By selling at the auction farmers get the price according to
the quality of their coffee which are at different grades, a thing which
motivates farmers to produce better than selling raw coffee.
These were identified on 11 July
2018 by agricultural minister, Hon. Dr Charles Tizeba when he was speaking to
coffee stakeholders in the Happiness hotel conference centre in Mtukula,
Misenyi district as a soon as after he met and talk with trade minister of
Uganda, hon. Fredrick Ngobi Gume in the meeting which was also attended by
Tanzania's minister of industries, trade and investment, Hon. Charles Mwijage.
"My sisters and brothers
there's something you don't know, for those who say in Uganda coffee price is
better than Tanzania are lying, there isn't such a thing. What leads people to
take their coffee in Uganda is informal loan and credit with high interest rate
which needs farmers to pay it by taking their coffee in place of cash"
said Dr Tizeba when he was talking to coffee stakeholders of Mtukula in Misenyi
district.
Trade minister of Uganda, Hon.
Fredrick Ngobi Gume assured his host that coffee business in Uganda has got the
same challenges as Tanzania. For instance the same problem of informal loan
which exploit farmers in Tanzania occurs in Uganda, too even higher than
Tanzania. Hon. Gume requested to come back on 16-19 July 2018 to learn the best
way to run cooperative unions and to establish a package retailer system in
agricultural products.
Minister Gume said that the
government of Uganda which is led by his Excellency, Hon. Yoweri Kaguta
Museveni will keep in touch with Tanzania's government which is led by his
Excellency, Hon. Dr John Pombe Magufuli. So, he said Uganda is ready to work
together and have common decision with Tanzania, especially, in agricultural
sector.
GOVERNMENT TO FIGHT AGAINST EMBEZZLERS
IN COOPERATIVE UNIONS
The minister of agriculture,
Hon. Dr Charles Tizeba giving a word from ministry of agriculture to Prime
minister on the cooperative unions day ceremony which was held at Furahisha
ground in Mwanza city on 7 July 2018
Tanzania's Prime minister, Hon. Kassim M. Majaliwa (MP) giving a prize
to minister of agriculture, Hon. Charles Tizeba for his efforts on
strengthening and empowering cooperative unions at the ceremony held at
Furahisha ground in Mwanza city on 7 July 2018
The government announced
doomsday to some leaders of cooperative unions who misuse the unions property
for their benefit on top of unions' members.
It has been said that
embezzlement of cooperative properties which is done by some unfaithful
cooperative leaders is chronic problem which hinders new member to join the
cooperative unions.
The rebuke to such leaders was
given by agricultural minister, Hon. Dr Charles Tizeba on 6 July 2018 at the
ceremony of opening the national conference of cooperative unions' members of
Tanzania which was held at Furahisha ground in Mwanza city few days before he
visited Kagera region.
The two day conference went
together with cooperative works and product exhibition done by the unions national
wide where all members had the opportunity to exchange experiences, and
discussing some achievement and challenges they face in running cooperative
sector in the country.
He said, the government
recognizes that cooperative is important way to help citizens to get capital
and join their economic strengths to lift up their economic status.
He said, there are efforts done
by the government in collaboration with different stakeholders to make sure
that more citizens are pushed and join the cooperative unions according to what
they do so as to remove the notion that cooperative unions are for agricultural
sectors only.
Along with it, Hon. Tizeba
wanted cooperative unions development authority and cooperative unions
federation to keep encouraging citizens to recognise and join to the
cooperative unions according to what they do, i.e. industrial cooperative
union, mining cooperative union, livestock keeping cooperative union,
logistics and transportation union, and fishing and agricultural cooperative
union.
He added that the government
recognizes the contribution of national cooperatives towards millennium goals
and other national goals, including, strengthen of industrial, agriculture,
fishing and trade sectors which will contribute to increase an individual
income and overall GDP.
On 7 July 2018, Tanzania's prime
minister Hon. Kassim M. Majaliwa (MP) gave a prize to agricultural minister,
Hon. Dr Charles Tizeba for well-done job he has been doing to strengthen
cooperative and association sectors in the country in short time if just two
years period, when he was appointed to the serve to the position.
The prize has been given on the
day of world's cooperative unions by prime minister on behalf of cooperative
members who prepared it to recognise the well-done job of minister Tizeba in a
short time to bring back the citizens lost faith in cooperative unions.
The prize to Dr Tizeba has been
given after one day only since he announced the doomsday to all unfaithful
cooperative unions' leaders who use the cooperative unions' properties for
their personal benefits on top of members.
On 6 July 2018, Hon. Dr Tizeba
angrily explained about the embezzlement of cooperative resources which is done
by some leaders when he was opening the two day notional conference for
cooperative unions' members at Furahisha ground in Mwanza city.
The prize of strengthen the
cooperative sector was also given to his Excellency Dr John Pombe Magufuli and
Prime minister, Hon. Kassim M. Majaliwa (MP) for their outstanding supervision
of cooperative unions.
OPERATING COSTS OF
COOPERATIVES CONTROLLED, DR TIZEBA TELLS KAGERA REGION CCM COUNCIL
The minister of agriculture, Hon. Dr Charles Tizeba clarifying about
coffee business when he was speaking at a special invitation with Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) council
of Kagera region at Bukoba Coop hotel on 12 July 2018.
The longtime claims of farmers
that cooperative unions give low price has given a solution after government go
through the production costs intensively and adding value to coffee products in
Kagera cooperative unions.
The government has stopped those
unions to take more than 490 per pods coffee kilogram as operating and value
adding costs, initially, the cost was high to the extent of using 1350 as
operating costs for one kilogram of pods coffee.
Agricultural minister, Hon. Dr
Charles Tizeba said that on 12 July 2018 when he was speaking with Kagera
region members of CCM council at the Bukuba Coop hotel where one of the agendas
in the meeting was running of coffee business in cooperative unions.
Dr Tizeba told the delegates
that he has stopped that costs following the claims from coffee stakeholders in
Kagera region since the costs seemed to be higher than the actual costs.
"My brothers members of CCM
council, how possible is the same price of 200 to be given to both main union
and primary union as tariff? Who can benefit you to this extent? Now we have
cut down the tariffs as I have explained" Dr Tizeba was quoted.
He added the cooperative
question is to complement the CCM manifesto which is the contract between
government and citizens in five years period, 2015-2020. It gives the direction
to find markets for agricultural products by empowering and strengthening the
cooperative unions to follow the in and outside markets by collecting,
analysing and distributing information and educating union members on adding
value. With strong believe that cooperative unions is the only way to resolve
challenges face farmers in marketing.
Also, minister Tizeba said
that he asked farmers who sold a few amount coffee shouldn't be paid in banking
system to avoid unnecessary disturbances, in stead for those with lots of
coffee which will need lots of money should be paid in banking system.
He added the agricultural
success, especially, coffee should be sold through primary cooperative unions
which is explained in ccm manifesto chapter 2 figure 21 (n)
He also explained that
cooperative unions should analyse the farmers income before they put
forward the operating costs. And he said that he has asked all district
commissioners and district directors whose districts deal with coffee
production to crosscheck the process of coffee marketing from collecting to
selling step.
On the side of Kagera region ccm
chairperson, ms Costansia Buhiye, she congratulated agricultural minister for
resolving the challenge number 10 of the ccm council meeting on fear of coffee
price and cooperative unions running.
Buhiye congratulated minister
for various steps he has taken to resolve some challenges during his three day
visit in the region. She said that she believes the council members will
proudly walking if their farmers are given a reasonable price.
CRDB HAVE TO PAY KCU
The minister of agriculture, Hon. Charles Tizeba
insisting on something when he was speaking with coffee stakeholders in Muleba
district during his three day official visit in Kagera region
on the other step CRDB bank has
been required to hurry up the payment of KCU according to court judgement in
2003 whereby farmers were deducted amount of 10 shillings per coffee kilogram
so as to build the production fund for three years, from 1999 to 1993.
Agricultural minister, Hon. Dr
Charles Tizeba on 12 July 2018 commanded that when he was speaking in the
meeting with coffee stakeholders in Muleba district on his third day of
official visit in Kagera region, the meeting which was also attended by
minister of industries, trade and investment, Hon. Charles Mwijage.
The question of these claims
erupted in the meeting after farmers to show up the booklets to reveal how the
deduction of 10 shillings per kilogram was done for three years consecutively.
These claims have been being
presented by farmers in a long period of time which led them to lose hope and
faith on KCU.
The case started when CRDB
prevented the payment of coffee so as to pay the debt of 1997/1998 season.
The judgment of the case which
was held on 28 October 2009 gave farmers the right to be paid their money.
Since then CRDB managed to repay the money it took, 525 million. And the
remained amount has not paid yet claiming that they are looking forward to
appealing the case of which the appealing time frame is no longer at their
side.
Dr Tizeba said that the total
claimed amount plus interest runs to 6 billion while insisted CRDB has to pay
the money on time. Dr Tizeba said failure to pay farmers on time is moving
against the government which is led by his Excellency, Dr John Pombe Magufuli.
At the same time minister Tizeba
required all districts which deal with coffee production to make sure that all
products are taken to primary cooperative unions and association (AMCOS) as
according to that the income to their districts will go higher.
KAGERA SUGAR ESTATE IS REQUIRED
TO STOP BUREAUCRACY ON SELLING THEIR PRODUCED SUGAR
The minister of agriculture, Hon. Dr Charles Tizeba looking at sugar
production when they visited Kagera sugar estate during their three day visit
in Kagera region.
Minister of agriculture, Hon. Dr
Charles Tizeba and minister of industries, trade and investment, Hon. Charles
Mwijage required the administration of Kagera sugar estate to stop bureaucracy
on selling their produced sugar instead they should supply it to the maximum to
reduce the scarcity of sugar in the community.
This requirement was given when
they were speaking with the administrative body of the estate on 11 July 2018
when they visited the estate during their visit in Kagera region.
Those ministers in common
language gave 14 days for the estate to increase sugar production from 350-360
tones per day so as to reach at least 450-500 tones a day. By so doing they
will increase the availability of sugar in the community which will take the
price to the cost effective.
Moreover, those ministers
strongly rebuked the estate for having few sugar distributor's agents, a thing
which weakens their competition to the market a trick which lead to
unfriendly sugar price to consumers (citizens).
They said that the estate
administration should assess the best way to invest more so as to simplify the
service to citizens shortly which is one of the 2015-2010 CCM manifesto which
leads to achieve the 2025 development vision.
Dr Tizeba said that there is
smuggling in sugar importation while our industries hiding sugar in their
godowns without supplying to the market (sugar consumers).
He also required sugar experts
to educate the community about the important of producing sugarcane as well as
working incorporation with more than 490 sugarcane peasants in the near
villages round the estate.
Minister of industries, trade
and investment, Hon. Charles Mwijage said that the government is looking
forward to having the best way to produce sugar in the country. So the sugar
industries should consider the government efforts by adding amount of their
production.
He also insisted that the 5th
government which is led by his Excellency, Hon. Dr John Pombe Magufuli
will not hesitate to ban out all industries which will go against rules and
regulations in accomplishing its duties.
RESEARCH INSTITUTES
"MARUKU-BUKOBA" WAS TRAINED
The minister of agriculture, Hon. Dr Charles Tizeba having a look on
researched bean's seeds by Tanzania Agricultural Research (TAR), Maruku centre
when he paid his visit in Butairuka village in Bukoba district on 13 July 2018.
The minister of agriculture, Hon. Dr Charles Tizeba having a look on
researched bean's seeds by Tanzania Agricultural Research (TAR), Maruku centre
when he paid his visit in Butairuka village in Bukoba district on 13 July 2018.
On his three day official visit,
the minister of agriculture, Hon. Dr Charles Tizeba spoke with TARI-MARUKU
centre and TACRI wanting them to improve their effectiveness in their fields so
as to benefit farmers all over the country. As the research banks which are
available have not effectively used.
He said that researchers have to
advertise their findings and adding research in different agricultural
crops including coffee to increase productivity.
Tizeba said these on 13 July
2018 when he was speaking in the official meeting with administrators of those
research institutes and MARUKU administration body in Butairuka village, Maruku
ward in Bukoba district.
The minister of agriculture
insisted the researchers to continue their efforts to write different research
proposals to help progressiveness in research as government fund alone is
insufficient to accommodate all challenges they face.
He said researchers should do
their activities according to agricultural sector rules and regulations of the
5th government which is led by his Excellency, Hon. Dr John Pombe Magufuli so
as to increase value in producing coffee in the country along with other crops.
He asked them to work
incorporations on searching the best ways of producing crops, land
fertilization, technology distribution, efficient markets, and contribution of
researches in improving economic status and life in general.
He said that agricultural
research centre should continue its efforts to produce quality seeds of
different crops, including, beans, sweet potatoes, cassava and others.
Maruku research centre
(TARI-MARUKU) is one of the two agricultural research centres in lake zone
whereas its hard quarter is in Ukiriguru-Mwanza. It helps farmers and other
stakeholders with various skills in agriculture its technology.
Dr Tizeba asked the principal of
maruku training centre, Mr Laurent Matthew Luhembe to resolve the challenge of
having no dining hall at the campus.
He padded that the centre should
come up with new strategy to find sources of income such as having green house
which will increase the income and finally centre to be independent instead of
leaving all challenges to be handled by the government.
Finally, all research
institutes, including, centre of agricultural development (MARUKU) are required
to make sure that they preserve their land for a long-term use.
END
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