Solidarity not partnership, to redefine the poorest nations

Dr Essam Yassin Mohammed

The Independent Expert Group (IEG) sees solidarity, rather than partnership, as being the key to effective international collaboration in the post-2015 framework as it implies shared interests and responsibilities rather than the outdated donor-recipient relationship.

Dr Essam Yassin Mohammed, a researcher with IIED and member of the Independent Expert Group made the statement in a release by the IEG. 

The release goes on to advise that, to assert their position, Tanzania and other Least Developed Countries (LDCs) need to redefine themselves, act to improve governance and promote greater solidarity both with each other and with more developed nations. 

 

Supported by the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED), the group aims to influence the UN’s efforts to define Global Sustainable Development Goals to take effect from 2015, when the Millennium Development Goals expire. 

 

 “The LDCs are in many ways the weakest but they also have strengths such as, their local knowledge and institutions, their culture and values and their resilience to uncertainty,” says Dr Tom Bigg of International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) which coordinates the IEG’s activities. 

 

“The LDCs can be leaders in the post-2015 process by promoting new forms of international cooperation that enables greater solidarity and sharing of knowledge and responsibilities,” reads part of the IIED statement available to our reporter.

 

 “They can act to redefine development assistance by working harder to use their national wealth to meet the priorities of the poor and they can do more to share their lessons and experiences of how to measure development and manage environmental resources.” Dr Tom Bigg explains.

 

The IEG’s mission is to ensure that UN-led processes to set international goals for development and sustainability take account of the perspectives and priorities of the LDCs and promote leadership from the LDCs at the UN level. 

 

The IEG consists of 13 experts from LDCs, including Bangladesh, Bhutan, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Eritrea, Gambia, Haiti, Mali, Nepal, Senegal, and Uganda. The former prime minister of Haiti, Michèle Duvivier Pierre-Louis, is the Chair.

 

The IEG members work in research institutes, media, civil society organizations and government agencies in the LDCs.

New irrigation schemes will boost rice production in Korogwe – Says minister

Deputy minister in the Vice-President's Office (Environment),Charles Kitwanga.

Small-scale rice growers in Mafuleta village, Korogwe District of Tanga Region will soon start enjoying the benefit of having irrigation facility in the area of about 700 ha.

“Construction of Mafuleta Irrigation Scheme is on final touches and will be handed-over to wananchi in October, this year,” deputy minister in the Vice-President's Office (Environment) Charles Kitwanga said.

 

Kitwanga made the remarks here yesterday when responding to questions in the National Assembly on behalf of Prof Jumanne Maghembe, Minister for Water.

 

The deputy minister described Mafuleta Irrigation Scheme as important towards the boosting of crop production in the area.

 

He said right now, only 300 ha are under irrigation. “So, by building this irrigation facility, farmers will be able to cultivate about 700 ha. And if all these ha are farmed, people’s livelihoods in the area will be improved.”

 

The minister disclosed that the government through Participatory Agricultural Development and Empowerment Project (PADEP), allocated 35m/- for building part of the main canal of about 450 meters in 2007/2008.

 

In 2012/2013 fiscal year, he said, Korogwe District Council through the District Agricultural Development Plans (DADPs) allocated 203m/- to complete the project. “Out of 180m/- will be used to survey the scheme as well as building permanent intake of the irrigation facility, while 23m/- has been allocated for buying modern rice milling machines in an effort to add value to the crop,” Kitwanga told the House.

 

Over 450 households have been doing rice farming in the area using the traditional-made irrigation facility.

 

The minister also attested that construction process on another Mswaha-Darajani Irrigation Scheme is underway and is scheduled to be completed in August this year.

 

Upon its completion the project, which is close to the Mafuleta scheme, is expected to consume 46m/-. The project is been financed by PADEP and the district council.

 

The minister was responding to a question by Stephen Ngonyani, (Korogwe Rural, CCM), who wanted to know the timeframe for completion of the two irrigation schemes in the district.

 

Govt wages war against on illegal fishing at Nyumba ya Mungu

Minister for Livestock and Fisheries Development,David Mathayo David

The government is waging an all out war against illegal fishing at Nyumba ya Mungu dam—the Northern zone's major source of hydro-electric power.

Minister for Livestock and Fisheries Development David Mathayo David, issued a stern warning yesterday in the National Assembly when responding to question by Betty Machangu (Special Seats, CCM) who wanted to know the government’s plans to curb illegal fishing in the dam.

The lawmaker said illegal fishing is rampant in the area and most people who deal with the dubious business come from neighbouring countries.

 

The minister stated that from now on the government is going to carry-out a crackdown against people who engage in fishing using ‘destructive’ fishing gear, which in turn dwindles fish resources in the dam.

 

He however admitted that destructive fishing practices at Nyumba ya Mungu dam have reached a deadly proportion as majority of fishermen have been engaging in illegal fishing, harvesting the species at an alarming rate and by using the banned fishing-nets and even chemicals.

 

He however asked the Beach Management Units (BMUs) to team up with government’s patrol forces to address the challenge, which poses a serious threat to the dam. The dam has the capacity of generating 8MW.

 

“I call upon BMUs and people living on the shores of the dam to disclose those involved in illegal fishing activities, including people from the neighbouring countries to responsible authorities so that they can be taken to task,” he ordered.

 

“As government, we will take stern measures against local people who collaborate with aliens in sabotaging fishing in this important water body,” the minister stated.

 

He said the dam is overwhelmed with other human induced activities, which threaten the survival of the 45 year dam found between Manyara and Kilimanjaro regions and with different fish species.

 

Mathayo admitted that the dam is also threatened with limited number of staff whereby right now there are about 11, though the actual demand is 36.

 

Among the measures, which are in place include establishing a total of 20 BMUs, he said, adding that “the idea of these units is to work on scaling down all activities which are not friendly to fish resources.”

 

Current mass fishing practices at Nyumba ya Mungu dam are said to be mainly fueled by the fact that a number of fishermen who used to fish at Lake Jipe, located about 40km north of the dam, moved to it after the lake recently dried up mostly due to drought and also the invasion of water clogging weeds.

 

The situation compelled about 4,000 out of 5,000 families of fishermen who spent many years making their living around Lake Jipe, measuring 166 square km, to move southwards due to declining fishing activities.

Investors not satified with harnessing of fish resources

Tamimi Fisheries Company

Yemen based Tamimi Fisheries Company has through its representatives expressed disappointment with the low exploit of fisheries resources in Tanzania, especially on the Indian Ocean.

Tamimi Ally, the advisor to Tamimi Fisheries Company revealed the discontent at the just-ended 17th East Africa International Trade Fair exhibition held in Dar es Salaam over the weekend.

“We are well aware of the richness of the Indian Ocean and that is why we are interested in doing business with Tanzania,” said the Yemenis trade advisor.

He went on to state that his company is disappointed at the low amount of fish exploitation and related marine resources which he said is not enough for a processing plant, such as the one his company is looking to establish in the country.

“Our expectations were disappointed as the local fishing in Dar es Salaam is too weak to supply the plant and meet world market demand,” Ally said.

That being the case, he advised that the government create a better fisheries sector by having the local fishermen organise themselves into small groups or associations and establish colleges to train them.

The advisor elaborated that once they have formed associations then the small scale fishermen become legible for loans and it is then possible to establish a modernised fishing scheme that would pave the way for the country to compete in the world market.

Seconding his advisor’s displeasure and surprise with the low investment going into Tanzania, the Marketing Manager of Tamimi Fisheries Company, Awadh Al-Tamimi
said: “It is very sad that even the ministry concerned does not know or have the actual figures for importation and exportation of fish which gave us the impression that the government is not serious in the sector.”

Al-Tamimi said his colleagues visited to the Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries Development offices where they inquired as to the importation and exportation statistical figures on the fisheries sector.

“It becomes very hard for us and other potential investors interested in conducting business with Tanzania to assure ourselves of profit,” he explained.

Describing the unfortunate scenario, Al-Tamimi pointed out that Dar es Salaam, for example, has a bustling catering and hospitality industry with many prominent international hotels represented yet the city, like other regions depends on fish imports.

He said the amount harvested does not meet demand and the little that is harvested falls short of proper value addition due to a lack of processing plants and a very weak chain value addition apart from domestic consumption.

“Many Dar es Salaam residents, the majority being women, depend on fish sales to meet their financial as well as nutritional needs and therefore, if the government were to improve the sector, the people would all benefit greatly,” Al-Tamimi advised.

On an optimistic note, that does however contradict the observations and reports by Al-Tamimi and his colleague, a day before the EAITE ended, Theresia Mganga, the director of administration in the Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries Development revealed that at least 7trn/- is saved annually from restricted fish product imports.

She was speaking during the second graduation ceremony of the Mbegani Fisheries Development Centre in Bagamoyo District, Coast Region where she conferred diploma certificates to 188 graduates who completed two-year Masters Degree courses.

The institute covers Marine Engineering, Aquaculture, Fish Processing, Nautical Science and Boat Building. Also Environment and Coastal Resource Management, Master Fisherman and Quality Assurance and Marketing.

Mganga’s comment agrees with the foreign observers that Tanzania has ‘enough fish reserves’ but they sharply contradict when she suggests that these vast resources ‘satisfy the local market demand’ and also that because the local supply meets demand then ‘fish and fish related imports are low’.

The Tanzania national website reports that apart from the Indian Ocean, Tanzania’s fresh waters include the riparian shared waters of East African great lakes Victoria, Tanganyika and Nyasa and also small natural lakes, man-made lakes, river systems and many wetlands cover 58,000 square kilometres and all have high fish potential.

The site admits that, the country has a coastline of about 800 km declared as its Exclusion Economic Zone but has not yet exploited it and the present annual fish catch is only about 350,000 metric tonnes.

The number of fishermen who are permanently employed is 80,000 and few others obtain their livelihood indirectly from fishery related activities.

These artisanal fishermen produce about 90 percent of the total fish catch in the country meaning that only 10 percent is derived from industrial fishing.

Most of the fish caught is consumed locally while Nile perch with exception of sardines and prawns that are mostly for exports contributing to GDP a measly 1.6 to 3.1 percent annually. 

TGNP says govt grabbing villagers' land in regions

TGNP Executive Director, Usu Mallya

The Tanzania Gender and Networking Programme (TGNP) has strongly blamed the government for grabbing the Mshewe residents’ land in Mbeya Rural District and sold it to investors, leaving the villagers as tenants and workers on their ancestors’ land.

TGNP Executive Director Usu Mallya revealed this when briefing journalists in Dar es Salaam on the investigation report that was conducted by the NGO in May in the three regions of Morogoro, Shinyanga and Mbeya.

Mallya said that investors in Mbeya Region at Mshewe village, in particular have been given the land grabbed by the government leaving the indigenous being mere vasals and tenants in the plantations at low wages.

According to the report, Mallya said men are forced to bribe in order to get a chance to work in the plantations. Whereas on the other hand, women and young girls become labourers paid low wages of between 2,500/- and 3,000/- a day.

She said as a result women and girls working in those plantations have been facing various challenges such as gender violence including sexual bribery which has disseminated sexual diseases including HIV/Aids, gonorrhea, among other in the area.

She further said in their findings, they have also realised that in Kisaki Ward in Morogoro Rural Dustruct, there is a land dispute between small farmers and pastoralists. The dispute has led to the clearing of crops of farmers due to lack of area for pasturing.

Mallya said that the land dispute in that area has mainly been caused by corruption. Whereby, pastoralists are alleged to bribe local government leaders so that they should not be disturbed when they trespass to areas belonged to farmers, which are for cultivation.

Again, according to TGNP findings, lack of clean and safe water was another serious issue that needed quick measures to address it.

Mallya said that despite the national water policy whose one of the objectives in to ensure water availability is not found more than 400 meters. But it has failed to fulfill it, she barked.

In Isoso and Lubaga wards in Kishapu, water problem to people lead women and girls to travel distant routes searching for water. However, most often they have found themselves in difficult and dangerous situations, some being getting unexpected pregnancies after being raped in search of water.

Their report has also indicated that poor health services at Ilota village in Mbeya, Kisaki in Morogoro was still a major challenge. There are no enough medicines in some dispensaries. In Morogoro some residents are forced to contribute 70,000/-
Meanwhile, TGNP has called for the government to give back land taken from Mshewe residents so that they could continue with their usual lives as owners of a land and not refuge in their own country.

They have also urged leaders to fulfill their promises they had promised during their campaigns and should not remain silent. “Don’t turn these poor people as your capitals during political campaigns during general elections only, fulfill your promises to them,” she noted.

On their part, the Mshewe residents in Mbeya rural have claimed that their fertile land, on which they have been depending for decades has been given to investors, denying them land for agriculture and residential.

“We have been forced to become cheap labourers in investors’ plantations so that we can get a living, otherwise we can starve and eventually die of hunger if we don’t do that,” they lamented bitterly.

Norwegian fertiliser firm to build plant in Mtwara

YARA-International

A Norwegian fertiliser company, YARA-International has unveiled its long-term plans to set up fertilisers-manufacturing factory in Tanzania in a broader quest to enhance farmers’ access to the inputs.

The plan was disclosed at the weekend at a forum of fertilisers-distribution agencies organised by the Norway-based firm, which is specialised in the manufacturing and distribution of high-quality fertilisers globally, including Tanzania.

However, the latest revelation has come as the government struggles to lure potential foreign and local investors to support its ambitious and national-wide agriculture revolution crusade, dubbed ‘Kilimo Kwanza.’

Significant progress has been made since ‘Kilimo Kwanza’ concept came into force, but experts say some challenges still exist, including setting up a viable mechanism to increase usage of fertilisers, lack of awareness (on the part of farmers) on the importance of applying fertilisers.

YARA-Tanzania Country Director Pal Oystein Stormorken said the company has come up with a number of strategies targeting to address some of the snags inhibiting improved productivity in the agriculture, said to employ 80 per cent of the population.

In a span of three years since the company started operations in Tanzania, it has imported and distributed high-quality fertilisers to farmers across the country, he said, adding “and the results have been very impressing … improved productivity, harvests and more farmers’ income.”

The company has established fertilisers-distribution outlets in different regions countrywide, from which farmers could easily access the agricultural inputs.

As part of its long-term strategies, according to firm’s boss, the company plans to put up a fertilisers-manufacturing plant in Tanzania, but noted that implementation of the plan would depend on the natural gas situation in Mtwara and other regions in the southern part of the country.

Natural gas is an important ingredient in fertilisers-production, and that sufficient quantity of the resource could make the envisaged fertilisers-manufacturing plant a reality.

“In fact, if we are to set up a fertilizer plant here, it is not going to be for Tanzania alone, we will export the product to other East African countries and rest of Africa …. In other words, it must be a large-scale fertiliser-plant. That’s why we have to be satistified with the availability of raw material (natural gas),” observed YARA country director.

“Yes, we have such plans in future, but we need to make thorough assessment of natural gas situation before venturing into that (setting up fertilisers factory),” said Stormorken.

Hilary Patto, YARA-Tanzania Head of Marketing and Distribution, said besides selling fertilisers to the farmers, the company also educates them on the importance of using fertilisers and ABCs of applying the inputs.

In these initiatives, YARA collaborates with national agriculture development institutions and government agencies, Patto said.

Galus Mapunda, one of the farmers who attended the event, said “I used to harvest 500kgs of tobacco per one acre (before I started applying YARA fertilisers), but I am getting up to 1200kgs now.”

Songea-based farmer Oward Similar said: “At the moment, I get around 45 and 50 bags from one acre of maize, a drastic increase from 15 bags I used to harvest when applying other types of fertilisers. Bumper harvest has really improved my life and other farmers who use YARA fertilisers.” At the gala, which was attended by high-profile dignitaries, YARA awarded several individuals and local companies which excelled in the distribution of YARA products.
 

Government bans importation of substandard ‘Tiger’ batteries

The government has imposed a ban on importation of substandard batteries dubbed tiger head in the country for failure to adhere to the standard requirements hence threaten health of consumers and economy.

A statement issued by the Tanzania Bureau of Standard (TBS) over the weekend said the ban was introduced last week after identifying many manufacturers who were given standard certificate use it without following procedures.

The standard certification regulations of 2009 prohibit any one to use the TBS quality mark in products without having a licence which has been provided according to the international specified standards prepared by the Bureau.

According to the statement, the standards batch certification Act of imports, 2009 forbids any one to import into the Tanzanian market products which do not meet standards or batch which was not provided with quality certificates.

“We want to inform the public particularly importers of batteries dubbed tiger head that the producers have failed to meet standard requirement”, the statement noted.

The statement said the batteries will have to verify its standards before being shipped into the country under pre-shipment verification to conformity standards system (PVoC) and not other wise.

TBS signed contracts with three companies -- Bureau Veritas of France, Societe Generale De Surveillance (SGS) of Switzerland and Intertek Government and Trade Services of the UK who officially started inspection work on behalf of TBS in February last year.

However, the Bureau acting Director General Joseph Masikitiko was recently quoted as saying they are preparing a list of overseas manufacturers whose products are regularly imported and have a negative impact on the economy. We will visit them, verify their products and certify them,” he said.

Some of the products the bureau plans to start verifying their manufacturers are batteries and motorcycles popularly knows as ‘bodaboda’ that are increasingly imported and widely used to transport people both in urban and rural areas.

He revealed that they have come up with a number of new strategies tailored to curb importation of fake and substandard products. It will now verify and certify manufacturers of the products instead of dealing with importers and suppliers.

Still in its infancy stage, the plan aims at ensuring that manufacturers are held accountable whenever their suppliers are found in possession of fake or substandard brands of the