Japanese grant to save small scale farmers in Tanzania

THE Japanese government has issued a grant aid of Sh. 6.8 billion to be used to purchase chemical fertilizer which would be supplied to small scale farmers in the country. The move is in a bid to end up the alarming food insecurity in the country. It has been learnt The Japanese donation will help facilitate food security project targeted for underprivileged farmers under the program popularly known as ‘2KR’ which will be implemented by the Ministry of Agriculture and Food security in the country in collaboration with Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA). JICA representative in Tanzania office in-charge of Japanese overseas projects, Saku Shiotani said recently in Dar es Salaam during the signing ceremony which was held at the Ministry of Finance headquarter in Dar es Salaam that, the program aims to ensure food security in the country. However, he said adding that although the government has been enjoying a relatively high self-sufficient ratio of food, its food security has not been fully attained yet to the maximum standard required. To improve the situation, however, the donation will support Tanzania government which has been struggling in its efforts to achieve higher productivity through enhanced utilization of fertilizer by agricultural small holders in various parts in the country. This is the second donation to have been contributed by the Japanese government to Tanzania for the last five years. In 2010 JICA implemented 2KR program after the Japanese government had extended a grant of Sh. 8.1 billion for the procurement of 5,953 tons of fertilizer. In view of the latter donation, small scale farmers in the country are expected to increase their agricultural food crops as the fertilizer will help increase the production of their farm crops including the cultivation of food crops in various parts in the country. The grant comes amid acute shortage of fertilizer which is currently affecting small scale farmers in the country says unanonymous source from the Ministry of Agriculture and Food security headquarters who was contacted for comments early this week in Dar es Salaam and he thanked the Japanese government for their assistance. He said that, most parts of the country’s arable land lacks adequate supply of agricultural fertilizer an aspect that farmers in those regions yields poor harvests which in turn results into hunger in some regions which are not productive. JICA regards agricultural sector in the country as an issue of great importance as nearly 80 percent of Tanzanians live in rural areas and who largely depends on agricultural activities for their livelihoods. The significance of agricultural development in Tanzania is clearly stated in Japan’s current assistance strategy to Tanzania which places high priority in agriculture as well as infrastructure and governance. Over the last 30 years, JICA has conducted a number of technical cooperation projects as well as grant aid and loans projects including construction of irrigation schemes and agricultural training institutions in Tanzania. JICA is a governmental agency of Japan which is responsible for the technical cooperation of Japan’s Official Development Assistance (ODA) programs. There are about 50 overseas offices. Today, JICA is advancing its activities around the pillars of a field-oriented approach and human security that enhance effectiveness, efficiency, and speed.