Tanzania: TFS calls for farmers to apply irrigation systems for the best yield

By Michael Sikapundwa, Morogoro [caption id="attachment_101020" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Eastern zonal, Tanzania Forest Services Agency ( TFS )'s commander, Caroline Malundo ( C ) holds a trophy for Agri- Marathon participation held over the weekend in the Morogoro region. ( Photo: Michael Sikapundwa )[/caption]

 Tanzania Forest Services Agency (TFS) , Eastern zonal Commander. ACC. Caroline Malundo, has encouraged farmers to apply irrigation farming system for the assurance of the yield. Malundo made a statement yesterday when he was replying to Morogoro regional commissioner, Fatma Mwasa a guest of honor at Agri-Marathon sponsored by CRDB, Mtibwa Sugar, and Coca - Cola.

Agri-Marathon involved agricultural stakeholders, financial institutions, sports lovers, and investors across the country. Apart from Marathon other activities were launched as a Royal tour film and Agri-products trade show.

Agri-Marathon is a part of fulfilling the Revolutionary party (CCM)'s manifesto that pledged to improve the agricultural sector by increasing the budget in the ministry of Agriculture from 294/- million the financial year 2022/2022 to 954/- billion Tanzania shillings in 2022/23 the financial year.

Commander, Malungo said, TFS has promised to support president's target of empowering small-scale farmers through accessing soft loans and agri- facilities . Hence TFS has initiated special programs for conserving the forest through planting trees and other strategies to make sure water source areas are protected and farmers turn to irrigation systems because the president has already turned back big farms from minority to majority after failed to cultivate them .

'' it's our task to make sure water sources are protected and farmers have to apply irrigation systems with a target of using those farms effectively. A part of protecting Mkingu Nature Forest reserve, covering an area of 26,334 ha, located 120km Northwest of Morogoro region in Turiani district council, TFS has an ongoing process of planting over 2000 trees'' she explained.

Scola Mwasenga, a TFS official specializing in tree species friendly to the human environment, suggested planting fruit trees and natural trees whose records show that they have disappeared due to daily human needs.
''disappearance of natural tree species is associated with the lumbering and charcoal business. To combat the situation, TFS provides tree species for 300/- Tanzania shillings to regain the nature of the environment'' she explained.

For his part, Juma Ndekio one of the sports lovers in Morogoro region, said sports sharpen human minds because after engaging in sports he already has knowledge of saving accounts and investment in Agriculture.