Tanzania: Youth Group Records 80 Million Turnover In Tobacco Farming Initiative
By Staff Writter
A Tanzanian youth group in Sikonge District, Tabora Region is expected to collect more than 80million shillings in tobacco gross sales this harvesting season.
The group made up of at least 100 youth works in what is referred to as an ‘investment village’ dubbed the ‘Maisha Plus initiative’ that was launched a year ago.
The initiative has seen the group project harvests of 19 tonnes of tobacco in 2014.
Maisha Plus chairman Donald Edward told Kigoma and Tabora regional commissioners that success of the venture was due to hard work by the youth group,as he presented a report on the group’s progress over the weekend.
Edward urged the youth in the country to form work groups and pursue employment in the agriculture sector as a lucrative resource option.
He discouraged the ongoing youth rural-urban migration saying it is fueled by lack of knowledge as to the benefits of agriculture and available support.
Addressing at the same occasion, Tabora Regional Commissioner Fatuma Mwassa backed Edward’s view citing that it is important that youth in rural areas make the best use of available resources including land and financial as well as technical support offered by local and international participants to improve living standards in their communities.
Kigoma’s Regional Commisioner Issa Machibya also called on the youth to venture into agriculture as a viable employment option in order to beat the unemployment, crime and poverty trap.
The authorities present on a tour of the village for a fast hand experience of the youth works complemented the initiative describing it as ‘a model to be duplicated across the country.’
African countries are investing heavily in agriculture to improve living standards of their people, by creating more job opportunities at the same time increasing food security on the continent. The approach taken by these governments is mainly to focus on the youth fresh from collage, helping them turn their ideas into businesses entities towards economic independence.