Lukuvi: Use of high tech to boost agriculture in Southern Highlands

The Southern Highlands zone residents were yesterday challenged to adopt science and technology methods in agriculture to add value to their crops.

The Minister of State Prime Minister’s Office (Policy Coordination and Parliamentary Affairs), William Lukuvi, said here that application of science and technology in agriculture could bring tangible results to farmers.

He made the call while speaking at a dialogue on Smart Partnership that brought together Mbeya, Njombe and host Iringa regions where he also said that the use of technology in agriculture will increase productivity in the sector.

“It is an undisputable fact that agriculture is the most dependable sector in our zone and it is high time we took serious measures, including application of high tech and science to boost it,” Lukuvi said.

He said zonal smart partnership dialogues have come at the right time since people will have ample time to air their views on the use of science and technology as catalyst towards revolutionising agriculture.

“After receiving opinions from the people, especially in the dialogues, the use of science and technology will be accommodated in the national development strategy so as to give agriculture a new push,” the minister explained.

Speaking at the same occasion, Mbeya Regional Commissioner Abbas Kandoro, said his region is producing more rice and fruits, requesting that it would be appropriate to employ science and technology from the time of preparing seeds.

"It is our optimism that the smart partnership dialogues will unleash various interests from groups in society and the technology should help in agribusiness,” Kandoro said.

He said Small Industries Development Organisation (SIDO) and Vocational Education Training Authority (VETA) should concentrate in producing small equipment that will help stimulate agricultural growth.

Earlier, the Executive Secretary of Tanzania National Business Council (TNBC), Raymond Mbilinyi, said smart partnership dialogues are meant to get opinions from different groups before they are presented to the national smart partnership dialogue next month.

"Since we are running short of time before the national smart partnership dialogue between June 1 and 2, this year we decided to organise these zonal dialogues,” Mbilinyi said, adding that the International Smart Partnership Dialogue will be held in Tanzania between June 28 and July 1, this year.

TNBC is co-ordinating all zonal and national smart partnership dialogues.

SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN