REVIEWING policies, strategies, laws and regulations to facilitate access to capital, enabling financial institutions to offer affordable loans to farmers is central to revitalizing the agricultural sector, a business lobby has declared.

Dr. Godwill Wanga, the Tanzania National Business Council (TNBC) executive secretary and secretary of its working group on agriculture, said yesterday that the group has prepared resolutions aimed at addressing challenges facing the agriculture sector, with a view to revitalizing the sector and boosting the national economy.

Key proposals include forming a task force to address existing challenges in the transportation and supply chain management of agricultural, livestock and fisheries products for export markets, he said.

Additionally, the group recommended strengthening the data system for seed demand and usage, empowering institutions like the Tanzania Agricultural Research Institute (TARI) to produce improved seed varieties, he said.

Intensive building of irrigation infrastructure, accelerating the setting up of agro-industries, setting up markets in large-scale farming areas (block farming) and the initiating market hubs for various crops was also suggested, he said.

Integration of management systems across agriculture, livestock, fisheries and agro-processing sectors, as well as enhancing information and feedback systems of the Tanzania Plant Health and Pesticides Authority (TPHPA) for farmers growing cashew and other export crops was similarly emphasised.

The views were given at the working group’s second meeting that brought together senior government officials and private sector o executives in Dar es Salaam. Gerald Mweli, the Agriculture permanent secretary and working group chairman, said the meeting discussed the sector’s achievements and challenges that need joint efforts between the government and private sector to resolve.

"The government, in collaboration with the private sector, has recognized the need to address the various challenges facing the agricultural sector through this council (TNBC),” he said.

The aim is to resolve these challenges and make agriculture more productive for farmers and the nation at large, he stated, while Dr. Jacqueline Mkindi, the working group co-chairperson representing the private sector and CEO for the Tanzania Horticultural Association (TAHA), expressed optimism that the resolutions will open up many opportunities for farmers and agribusiness entrepreneurs across the country.

 “I commend the government’s efforts through the Ministry of Agriculture in partnering with the private sector to solve challenges hindering agricultural development. Projects such as fertilizer subsidies, fair crop prices and the BBT (Building a Better Tomorrow) initiative deserve full support,” she declared.

 Improving extension services, encouraging the private sector’s self-regulation, ensuring timely disbursement of subsidies, supporting the sugar sector by strengthening the National Sugar Institute were also listed as vital areas by the working group.

Enhancing innovation centres and establishing a unified payment system to eliminate the inconvenience caused by multiple government agencies collecting fees separately was similarly emphasized.

Dr Andrew Komba, the National Food Reserve Agency (NFRA) director general, noted that the government has made substantial investments in competitive grain purchases to support farmers to improve their lives.

"Through this investment, we invite agricultural stakeholders to invest in warehouse construction in various regions including Ruvuma, Songwe and Rukwa, as we expect to purchase large quantities of grains in the future," he said.

The meeting attracted farmers handling sugarcane, cotton, cashew, coffee and tea, many of whom had the opportunity to share challenges that contributed to the resolutions made.

Mussa Hemed, a cashew farmer based in Coast Region urged the government to strengthen irrigation agriculture as climate change has become a major challenge in recent years.