Agricultural Ministry Plans To Spend Over 41bn/- In Seeds Research -

By VALENTINE OFORO

THE Ministry of Agriculture is contemplating to spend a total of 41.39bn/- to implement a series of strategies for elevating the performance of the seeds research and production sector.

Tabling the 2024/25 proposed budget framework for the agriculture ministry this afternoon in the national assembly, the Agriculture Minister, Mr Hussein Bashe expressed that seed research stands among key areas necessary for the smooth metamorphosis of the economic sector.

He added that seeds research was among six key areas that have been prioritized by the ministry in order to ensure the set vision of allowing the agriculture sector to contribute at least 20 percent to the national DGP, 100 percent to national food security, and heightening crops exports value to USD3 billion.

“These robust six targets which will run from 2025—2050 targets to improve crops production and productivity, and will be implemented under 27 separate strategies,” he unveiled.

Going into specific details, Bashe unveiled that the proposed budget amount, of 41.39bn/-, will be injected to facilitate the major projects for the construction of ultra-modern Gen Bank at the Tanzania Agricultural Research Institute (TARI) Selian Centre in Arusha region.

Moreover, he said the plans will see installation of vast bioscience lab at the TARI Mikocheni Centre in Dar es Salaam, to sponsor a total of 485 agricultural pundits to acquire high education levels in pertaining to seed research, as well as to rehabilitate the Arusha-based TARI Tengeru Centre and make it the excellence centre for horticultural research.

To produce and distribute to the farmers a total of 5.7 million cuttings of cassava in all regions where the crop flourishes, to continue with the general task of installation of irrigation infrastructure at a total of 19 research farms, occupying a total of 1,120 hectares.

Dwelling on more projects to be implemented, the minister said the plan is also to finalize construction of a special facility for production of banana tree seeds through tissue culture technology at TARI Maruku center in Kagera region.

To continue constructing modern irrigation schemes at the Agricultural Seeds Agency (ASA) seed estates that occupy a total of 1,375 hectares, but also to start new irrigation farms with 8,000 acreage, among others.

“We’re also planning to embark on a fresh project to procure and install two major facilities for processing seeds, with capacity to process 4tons per hour at Mbozi and Namtumbo seeds estates.