Tanzania and Asian countries to negotiate on tractor supply

Prime Minister Pinda test drives a tractor

The government is in talks with Asia’s fast growing economies of China, Japan and South Korea to secure agricultural farm inputs such as tractors and irrigation machines to support the ‘Kilimo Kwanza Initiative’ enhancing productivity.

Speaking to this paper shortly after the launch of Monitoring African Food and Agricultural Policies (MAFAP) Country Report in Dar es Salaam on Wednesday, Agriculture, Food Security and Co-operatives ministry development coordination assistant Margaret Ndaba said that talks were underway to secure tractors and irrigation equipment from those countries for the needy small scale farmers.

“Talks are underway with the fast economic growing nations of China, South Korea and Japan to bring in tractors and other equipment that will help the government to achieve its ‘Kilimo Kwanza’ goals. The motive behind this is to ensure that farmers switch from the hand hoe to use of tractors so as to improve productivity as well as their livelihood,” she said.

He pointed out that China has started assisting Tanzania by transferring technology whereby it has established a mechanisation centre at Dakawa in Morogoro Region where farmers and extension officers will be trained and equipped on the effective use of irrigation and fertilisers on crops.

“China has introduced a mechanisation centre at Dakawa, Morogoro Region, and it has started on training paddy and pumpkin farmers on how to practice irrigation and use fertilier properly so as to increase production,” she said, adding that the technology has the ability to produce at least six tonnes per ha.

For her part, Agriculture, Food Security and Co-operative ministry director for policy and planning Nkuvililwa Simkanga urged private businesses to establish tractor hiring centres in rural areas to assist small scale farmers get tractors.

Speaking recently in Dar es Salaam during a post 2013/14 budget discussion on agriculture and gas, Economic and Social Research Foundation (ESRF) executive director Dr Hoseana Lunogelo said if the country wants to move from the hand hoe to tractor use economy, it will have to import at least 5,000 tractors every year.

Dr Lunogelo noted that in a bid to fully implement the ‘Kilimo Kwanza’ Initiative, the government must import about 5,000 tractors every year, and has to direct the proposed agricultural bank to ensure that farmers acquire affordable loans for tractors.

“If the agricultural bank could give affordable loans for tractors, more farmers especially the small scale ones would manage the price, hence very few farmer will only use the hand hoe,” he said.
He added: “Currently, imported tractors are not sufficient for the tag on improving agriculture in the country hence the private sector has also been urged to come up and invest heavily on this sector because many people depend on agriculture.”

He proposed that private investors should open up mechanisation centres in rural areas where they could provide tractor hiring services for small scale farmers to help them access the machines.
“Apart from the private sector establishing the mechanisation centres, small scale farmers need to form groups which would enable them to easily secure tractor loans,” he urged.
Recently, the government said it was planning to import 3,000 tractors from India in the second phase of the Kilimo Kwanza support programme after SUMA JKT had sold all the units imported in 2010 through a loan extended to the government by the Asian country. The Indian government has since then shelved the plan.

Initially there were no big sales, but the number went up after the seller reduced the price. The bulk importer of Indian tractors was charging between 25m/- and 45m/- per farm-tractor. But later the price was trimmed to 16m/- leading to the sale of all the units.
The first phase project cost USD40m in loan from the India government and it involved 1846 units of tractors.

At the moment, about 70 percent of Tanzania’s total crop producing areas use the hand hoe, 20 percent oxen plough and only 10 per cent tractors. 

Source: http://www.ippmedia.com/frontend/?l=58495