JK highlights challenges to agricultural development

PRESIDENT Jakaya Kikwete has said that, lack of money is still a major hindrance to the development of agriculture in most African countries south of Sahara region. The President gave the challenge in his speech he delivered recently when addressing delegates and representatives from African countries who gathered in Dar es Salaam to deliberate issues affecting the agricultural development in Africa region. The forum dubbed “China-Africa poverty reduction and development forum on agricultural modernization for poverty reduction” is organized jointly by the President’s Office Planning Commission (POPC) and the International Poverty Reduction Centre of China (IPRCC). The third forum of its kind appreciate the enduring efforts and unprecedented success by the Government of the People’s Republic of China in reducing poverty, for which Africa has a lot to learn. As such, the forums focus on deepening the understanding of development approaches and strategies that have been effective in reducing poverty. The forum was attended by senior government officials from nine African countries who gathered to deliberate on various ways they could take in order to learn from the Chinese agricultural technology experts so as to end the impending food insecurity in the region.

A one day forum took time to exchange ideas among the participants from Africa region and that one from China on various ways of success that Africa could emulate in order to alleviate poverty and malnutrition, the two elements affecting Africa region. In his speech President Kikwete told 120 delegates that if money could be made available in Africa for agricultural investments, the region could be in a position to curb food insecurity in Africa region. He said that about 70 percent of the people in rural Africa depends entirely on agricultural activities, but it was amazing to see that, its people lags behinds and keeps on begging for food outside due to low productions of their agricultural food products. However, he noted that, the main reasons for this is that, “Africa still use an outdated means of agriculture and therefore do not practice modern agriculture of the mechanized scientific means, the practice which he said results into an extreme low production of agricultural produce that does not suffice the need of the populace in respective countries. In his suggestion, he noted that malnutrition and poverty would be reduced among African rural communities is if Africa would invest heavily in its agricultural food crops. He said inadequacy on modern mechanism to help water supply, weak rural infrastructure and many others such as poor technology, these are the factors that still hinder the development of agriculture in poor African countries’ he added. “Unless we have enough money to drive such development initiatives, otherwise Africa would continue remaining stagnant in terms of agricultural development “ he said. He noted that donor funding to spearhead on most Africa’ agricultural development goals was reduced, and yet this is another aspect which has constrained the major development initiatives within the region. He pinpointed the figures on donor contribution which has declined from $18 billion to $ 3 billion for the last 20 years culminating to a gradual and low agricultural development in Africa region. However, he has strongly urged the African countries to effectively drive their motives and involves their matters with private sector stakeholders which he said has the greatest opportunity in the contribution to the national economy. Giving an example in Tanzania, the president described the participation of the private sector in the country’s Kilimo Kwanza initiative, meaning priority has to be given in agricultural initiatives, saying that the slow pace of the program in Tanzania is constrained due to lack of money. On his part, the Chinese Minister of State council leading group of poverty alleviation and development of China, highlighted the successes of his country towards poverty alleviation was attained as a result of prioritizing agricultural activities to private sector. However, he said the Chinese government has been giving more assistances to its small scale agriculturalists and give training to its people for the use of modern agricultural machineries and provide enough technological use.