Women depend on forests-study
By Express Reporter
About 95 per cent of forest product collectors and sellers in Handeni and
Kilindi districts are women, while the remaining percentage comprises mainly
children of both sexes and men who collect medicinal plants and honey, a
research has indicated.
In most of the Sub Saharan countries, including Tanzania, women play the triple
role of producers, reproducers and general care of the household. They are
therefore heavily involved in efforts to reduce poverty.
According to a study conducted by Devota Nkwera, a Community Development Officer
based in Morogoro, due to lack of capital, among other factors, women rely
mostly on forest products for running the household.
The study further revealed that forest products collected were important in
supplying human food such as honey, wild vegetables, fruits and mushrooms. Fuel
wood and medicinal plants were also collected.
“Collection of these products is done in various seasons. Fruits, plants,
medicines as well as fuelwood were for example collected throughout the year
while vegetables were obtained both in rainy and dry seasons,” part of the
research report read.
In an interview with The Express recently, the researcher, Devota Nkwera said
that honey was collected mainly in dry season, while mushrooms were collected
during wet periods. Tubers on the other hand were gathered during hunger periods
in dry season.
Fuelwood, according to Nkwera, was used in every household, about 99 percent, as
a source of energy. The use of fuelwood, which was abundant in these villages,
takes up the money that could otherwise be spent for alternative sources of
energy such as kerosene.
She said, fuelwood was also sold in bundles along the road to customers from
nearby towns. Other alternative energy sources such as kerosene were used very
little and only for lighting. There was no electricity in these villages.
She said two important types of wild tubers used mainly during hunger period,
had been identified. These included Dioscorea demetorum (Ndiga) and Thylanchium
africanum (Mdudu). T. africanum is a small tree.
“The tubers are prepared by pealing and soaking them in water for at least a
week with the aim of reducing certain toxic material found in the tubers. They
are then dried and pounded to produce flour that could be cooked into porridge
or stiff porridge,” she explained.
On the other hand D. dumetorum (Ndiga) is a climbing yam whose processing is as
of T. africanun only that it can be cooked directly or dried to produce flour.
Both tubers have no commercial value yet, but they supplement household food
requirements.
About 35 percent according to Nkwera, of all vegetables consumed in a household
were collected from the forests and bushes. Most of the vegetables were obtained
between November and June.
Knowledge of wild vegetable and their collection and selling was commonly done
by women. The types of vegetables collected include Sounchus launea (Mchunga),
Malvastrum sida (Mlenda bwando) Oxgonium sinuatum (Mbigiri) Grewia sp. and
Bidens pilos.
There were mainly two processing methods - direct sun drying and boiling and sun
drying. Direct sun drying was mostly used for Grewia sp (Mlenda). After drying
the vegetables are pounded to get flour. The powder can be stored for a long
time.
SADC lays guidelines for
economic partnership
By Timothy Kitundu
Members of the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC), including Tanzania,
last week at a SADC group meeting adopted a Joint Roadmap that presents among
others the principles of Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) negotiations.
A communiqué issued by the EU Trade News reveals that during the first
negotiating session at Ministerial level, the SADC side put emphasis on several
trade related issues, including simplification of the rules of origin.
According to the communiqué, technical meetings will be organised after the
summer break to identify the regional priorities of the SADC-EU EPA negotiations
while the usual ‘orientation seminar ‘will be organised for SADC negotiators at
the end of September 2004.
The statement further indicates that EU Commissioners Poul Nielsen and Danuta
Hubner represented the EU at negotiations that were held with the SADC Group in
Namibia last month.
“In the last week of July, the ESA group of countries and EU officials agreed on
the priorities and scheduling of talks for the next nine months,” reads part of
the communiqué.
It says, ESA proposed three priorities, which include regional fishery framework
agreement, development issues which include supply side constraints, short term
costs of adjustments, market development and the ‘toolbox’ for regional
integration.
Food processing helps job
creation
By Express Reporter
Evaline Women’s Group, a group of women entrepreneurs based in Mwanga district
Kilimanjaro Region, has been able for the past two years, to salvage about one
third of all fruits produced in the district through canning and processing.
Fruits in the district are abundant and it is estimated that over 50 per cent of
all the fruits produced in the district lack market and hence are wasted through
rotting as market access outside the district is too restrictive.
The Group’s chairperson Agatha Massawe recently told The Express in an interview
in Moshi that before the group commenced the processing of fruits, an intensive
sensitisation programme was launched with the aim of educating the communities
on the importance of eating balanced diet.
“We took up this strategy as a way of securing potential market for the
processed products while at the same time helping the residents of the district
to improve their diet to reduce frequent diseases and undernourishments,” she
explained.
She said the other aspect that has been of assistance to women is the creation
of employment, whereby over 10 women are employed in the task of collecting
fruits and vegetables each season.
However, Massawe added, their main problems include lack of credit facilities,
which in most cases prevents them from undertaking large orders from neigbouring
towns as they cannot procure the necessary raw materials.
Massawe appealled to organisations such as The Equal Opportunities Trust Fund,
Telefood and others to extend their assistance to the levels of districts,
especially to women’s groups, where capital is a main problem.
Massawe mentioned some of the products that are processed as rosella flowers,
lemon grass (mchaichai) for curing, cassava flour, pure natural honey and dried
mango.
New water-saving drip
irrigation system
By Timothy Kitundu
A Dar es Salaam-based agricultural company Balton Tanzania Limited, has
developed a new irrigation system known as Family Drip Irrigation system (FDI)
which among others saves water by about 50-70 per cent over the conventional
check basin.
A report issued by the firm reveals that the system that can be used throughout
arid areas, which are quite common in Tanzania, can be of help particularly to
improve food security in the country.
“Food security has been threatened by declining productivity, soil salinity,
micro-nutrient deficiency, water logging ground water depletion and development
of resistance and resurgence in pests,” reads part of the report.
According to the report, vegetables are 80 to 90 per cent water, and because
they contain so much water, their yield and quality suffer very quickly from
drought. Irrigation therefore, particularly the FDI, increases size and weights
of yields.
The report further says that irrigation has been scientifically proved to
prevent defects like toughness, strong flavour, poor tip fill, and pod fill,
cracking, blossom-end rot and misshapen fruit. On the other hand, too much
irrigation reduces soluble solids if applied during fruit development.
FDI, according to the report, delivers water and agro-chemicals directly to the
root zones of the irrigated plants at a rate best suited to meet the needs of
the plants being irrigated, hence making efficiency water use compared to the
conventional methods.
The report mentions some of the advantages of FDI as smaller water source can be
used ensuring higher efficiency of water use because plants can be supplied with
precise amounts of water; improved plant protection; and reduction in the
occurrences of plant diseases because plant foliage remains dry.
Others include; lowering of labour requirements resulting into relatively low
operation costs with savings in labour up to 90 per cent of the costs and that
FDIs are low-pressure systems which can be adapted for use in green houses, and
with automated control systems.
The report reveals also that FDI system is a proven technology for the use of
high value crops. The crops mentioned by the report include those in the
category of horticulture, which are paprika, tomatoes and vegetables.
Others are fruits: passions, grapes and palm oil plants, sugar cane, coffee,
tea, cashew nuts and cotton. In tea plantations, the system has proved to be 50
per cent lower in labour costs compared to conventional methods.
Kahama District buys cotton
By Kabele Lazaro, Kahama
Almost three million kg of cotton have been purchased from primary societies in
Kahama District in Shinyanga Region and transported, since this buying season
commenced in June 21st 2004.
According to information circulated in Kahama town last weekend, at a sitting
between representatives of the primary societies and the District Government,
held at the District Commissioner, Andrew Masanje’s office, the amount of cotton
was bought between June and August 4th this year.
According to information available, KCCL Company bought 1.47 million kg of
cotton, FRESHO 773,191 kg, Ango Traders 371,337 kg and SANGO Company 134,551 kg.
CAGRY Company did not attend the sitting to give its figures, due to unknown
reasons.
Masanje reminded and cautioned buyers that they should follow closely the laws
and regulation governing the purchasing of cotton, adding, those who violate the
procedures, would be put to task, including cancellation of their licences.
He named some of the procedures and regulations to be followed as those of not
purchasing cotton on credit, using genuine weighing machines, reporting on the
purchased cotton including its transportation weekly, registering themselves
with primary societies where they purchase cotton, registering farmers with the
Input Fund and purchasing clean cotton.
Cooperative requests training
By Emmanuel Lazaro, Dodoma
Vijana Kitoweo Cooperative, which deals with roasting and selling of goats and
cows meat at Chalinze minor settlement in Dodoma Rural District, have asked for
training in order to enhance their businesses.
Enock Madulesi, Vijana Kitoweo Cooperative Chairman made the call when talking
to The Express at Chalinze minor settlement.
Madulesi said the 16 members of the cooperative, which was established early
last year, is confronted with insufficient business education knowledge such as
entrepreneurship and keeping accounts, which hinder growth of their capitals.
The cooperative, he said, intends to send two members to Abattoir College which
will open soon in Dodoma, but asked the government to provide them with training
in other fields.
The cooperative has also applied to Dodoma Rural Cooperative and Marketing
Office to provide it with similar training, but has received no response so far.
Moreover, he said, the cooperative is confronted with the problem of not having
a permanent building for their business.
Talking to the members of Vijana Kitoweo Cooperative, the Minister for Finance,
Basil Mramba advised the meat roasters and sellers to be neat and clean to
attract meat eaters and customers.
Institute participates in
agricultural reform
By Emmanuel Lazaro, Dodoma
Government Institute of Rural Development Programmes, situated in Dodoma, is
seeking more participation in contributing to the reform of the agricultural
sector in the country.
This was revealed by the Principal of the Institute of Rural Development,
Constantine Lifuliro, when closing the second year capacity builders’ workshop
for eight districts, of the Participatory Agricultural Development and
Empowerment Project (PADEP).
Lifuliro said the institute with a guarantee of educating various stakeholders
in rural development planning, is consoled to find that PADEP recognises the
role of the institute, but suggested the cooperation should extend further and
with more vigour, for the benefit of the nation.
It will be remembered, he said, “Since our country gained independence in 1961,
many projects and programmes have been established aiming at bringing
development in the agricultural sector.
But with all these projects and programmes, our farmers are still confronted
with poverty; revealing that many of the projects and programmes were not
targeted to the needs of the communities.”
Lifuliro requested agricultural experts countrywide not to intrude into
community programmes, instead they should use their expertise in helping
implementation of programmes, which have been initiated and planned by the
communities.
In order to achieve improved agriculture in our country, he said, there ought to
be a change in attitudes among the experts and the functionaries.
Explaining earlier about the project, PADEP official Dr. Shekania Bisanda said
the workshop was a preparation for the second phase of the project
implementation, and had incorporated participants from the nine districts of
Iramba, Sikonge, Urambo, Uyui, Monduli, Kiteto, Mbulu, Karatu and Babati.
Dr. Bisanda said the project, which is to be implemented within five years,
started last year in 26 districts of Tanzania Mainland and two districts in
Zanzibar and aims at raising income for farmers and eradicating food shortage in
the communities.
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