Dar es Salaam: 28 May 2012:
The Alliance for Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) has underscored the role of civil society in Tanzania in the realisation of a green revolution.Addressing AGRA –Civil Society three day dialogue meet yesterday in Dar es Salaam , Ms Sylvia Mwichuli, AGRA Director of Communications said Tanzania had the potential to feed the whole of Africa.
Calling on for empowerment of small holder farmers to transform their activities into profitable businesses, she said the approach would transform Tanzania’s agri-potential into a reality and an economic power house.“Kenya, Somalia, Sudan and many other nations need food from Tanzania….. this nation has got the land and conditions necessary to become the continent’s leading agriculture power house,” Ms Mwichuli said.
She said civil society had a big role to play in the attainment of green revolution because of its grassroots nature.
“We want to build a genuine partnership with civil society sector in Tanzania for faster realisation of green revolution agenda for Tanzania,” saidTanzania is one of the priority countries for AGRA, where the organisation has so far spent grants worth USD 26 million over the last five years.AGRA works with Tanzania through approved country strategies such as the agricultural policy, Kilimo Kwanza, or “Agriculture First.”
In Tanzania, AGRA main focus has been the Southern Highlands, where AGRA programs have provided farmers with innovative financing and high-yield crop varieties, and forged partnerships with private seed companies and small agrodealers.
The director said that it is paramount for African nations, to spearheaded uniquely African green revolution to tackle food insecurity and create sustainable businesses for smallholder farmers.“We know that 70 per cent of small holder farmers are women. Our focus is mostly on increasing productivity of stable foods, and this makes life of women and children better, and plays a big role in improving the economies of a given area,” she said.
She disclosed that AGRA has integrated programs in seeds, soils, market access, policy and partnerships and innovative finance work to trigger comprehensive changes across the agricultural system. “We advocates for policies that support its work across all key aspects of the African agricultural “value chain”—from seeds, soil health, and water to markets and agricultural education.
AGRA’s public and private sector partners in Tanzania include the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security and Cooperatives, NEPAD, the National Microfinance Bank Ltd., Kilimo Trust, Sokoine University, private seed companies, farmers’ cooperatives and others.AGRA is chaired by Kofi A. Annan, the former Secretary-General of the United Nations. AGRA, with initial support from the Rockefeller Foundation and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, maintains offices in Nairobi, Kenya and Accra, Ghana.
End