Tanzania: Agriculture Sector to Get Hefty Funding

BY MARC NKWAME

Arusha — The African Development Bank (AfDB) has vowed to help boost the Agriculture Sector in the country through provision of major grants as part of its future strategy to aid developments on the African Continent.

"We are also going to help improve the country's electricity services through improving its infrastructure and funding new power sources including alternative means of generating power," said the AfDB President, Dr Donald Kaberuka.

Speaking to members of the press during the ongoing African Development Group's series of meetings taking place here Dr Kaberuka revealed further that, so far Tanzania is the biggest recipient of the AfDB's grants.

"But we are satisfied with Tanzania's economic performance, which has been holding very well despite challenges of global financial meltdowns. However, the country has a role to maintain the success and the only way to achieve that is through boosting the agriculture sector," said Mr Kaberuka.

He added that ample food production and security is what will help African states to remain immune to the fluctuating global economy stability by making them more self reliant.

But in the Tanzanian case, agriculture is also the biggest employer. So, Tanzania is biggest recipient of AfDB grant funds, with greater focus on road and electricity infrastructure and agriculture. The country receives half a billion US dollars.

The AfDB President also inspected the ongoing construction of the Arusha-Namanga to Athi-River road which links Tanzania to Kenya through a 250 kilometre corridor and which is among the projects that are funded by AfDB.

"I was pleased with the works on Arusha-Namanga-Athi River road which links Arusha City in Tanzania to the Athi-River township of Kenya. The time taken to travel between Nairobi and Arusha is now shorter compared to the past," he said.

"We have high hopes with the single (One-stop) border post about to be constructed at Namanga which will further ease the pace of communication and trade between the two East African Countries," added Mr Kabaruka.The AfDB boss also said that he would send a team of experts from the Bank to technically asses the construction works in the wake of claims that the Tanzanian side of the highway had been badly done.

Recently, the Minister of Works, Dr John Magufuli, ordered the Chinese constructor working on the road to repeat the works on various segments of the 104 kilometre road between Sakina and Namanga Township.

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