Economic and Social Research Foundation Executive
Director, Dr Tausi Kida (Right) speaking with reporters shortly after
addressing an agri-business stakeholders workshop in Dar es salaam
Speaking with reporters at an agri-business workshop organized by
Economic and Social Research Foundation (ESRF) last weekend in Dar es
Salaam, Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries Senior
Fisheries Officer John Mapunda said that the project will be implemented
along the coastal zone from Tanga to Mtwara.
Mapunda said demand for fish in the country is very higher than
supply hence more efforts were needed to increase and improve management
of the sector through use of new technology.
“Tanzanian eat only 750,000 metric tonnes of fish per year, which
is very low, as a country we are supposed to eat more than 750,000
tonnes per year according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of
the United Nations,” he said.
For her part, SWIOFish Project Manager Flora Luhanga said that the
project will support regional integration around fisheries management
while expanding the approach beyond research to strengthen sector
governance and promote shared growth through harnessing the value of
coastal and marine life.
“Since the project is financed by World Bank, an Environmental and
Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) will be conducted to ensure that we meet
requirements of the Bank’s environmental and social safeguard policies
as well as applicable national standards,” she said.
Luhanga further noted that SWIOFish Project will consolidate and
strengthen regional cooperation in management of fisheries and marine
resources by strengthening regional fisheries institutions and promotion
of knowledge exchange and capacity building.
“The project has started in June 2015 and will go until June 2021,” she said.
Addressing agri-business stakeholders, ESRF Executive Director Dr
Tausi Kida said the country’s economy needs more contributions from the
agriculture sector which currently contributing very little at only 23
percent of gross domestic product and 30 percent of exports earnings.
Dr Kida urged farmers in the country to adopt smart agriculture technologies so as to boost production and quality.
“Agricultural technologies have assisted so many farmers in the
world and not to only depending on rainfall, technologies have helped
farmers increase yields from small plots of land,” the ESRF chief noted.
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