Tuesday 22 March, 2010 kilimokwanza@guardian.co.tz
EDITORIAL
DDCA drills 5,300 boreholes in 12yrs
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THE issue of water has become a major concern for the people of Tanzania and the third world countries at large. On seeing such escalating problems facing the people, government decided to transform selected organizations that carry out essential public functions into executive agencies
Paradox of rotting food as brothers face starvation
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n the past one month or so, there have been unfamiliar reports of farmers complaining of having too much produce on their hands. At the same time, efforts to give relief food to others who are starving because they did not harvest have been ongoing. There have been persistent cries by the farmers of Rukwa, articulated by their Regional Commissioner, and now even backed by the diplomatic community, calling for the lifting of the temporary ban on food exports so they can save their surplus maize from rotting. The food that is bursting the stores in Rukwa should of course have been sold off to different areas of Tanzania where there is shortage. Even where there is no acute shortage, putting the Rukwa maize on market would provide some relief from the high prices that consumers are facing. But unfortunately, due to lack of reasonably motorable roads, the food cannot be transported to different regions. That is why the Rukwa people are applying to export, because at least they can manage to transport to nearby Congo, Zambia or Malawi. Rukwa region simply happens to be nearer to these countries than it is to Dar es Salaam, Arusha, Mwanza and most of Tanzania. It is not that the Rukwa people would love to feed foreigners before their fellow Tanzanians. The miserable farmers cannot even sell their grain to the national strategic reserves, as there simply isn’t enough capacity by the state to purchase or store the grain. It is therefore not easy to convince the people of Rukwa, or anybody for that matter that the food export ban is in their interest. Since the food that is rotting in Rukwa cannot be taken to other Tanzanians, the ban is not serving Tanzania either, in this specific case. And again since the government is not allowing the food to be sold to nearby countries, the ban is not helping these neighbours either. The question in the minds of the people of Rukwa, including the Regional Commissioner who represents the central government, is therefore, whom the ban is serving. Other farmers are suffering with unsold produce not because of any official ban, but because of lack of infrastructure. The apple growers of Makete have aired their plight
rather dramatically. Faced with rotting apples which they cannot even sell for sh100 each due to lack of a road, they are appealing for contributions so they can pay strong young men to go distributing the apples free of charge, rather than watch their produce rot. These developments point to three urgent matters that must be addressed. First is storage. Investment must be made in storage capacity. This will not only improve food security, it serves also to stabilize prices as food would be available at all times of the year. While it is government’s intention to stay out of business, food storage is both a security and a strategic issue that cannot be left entirely to the market forces. The state can build huge grain stores and with time, offer them to private operators to manage. Secondly, there is need to address transport infrastructure. While efforts to upgrade the road network are ongoing and visible, this is mostly on the highways. Feeder roads that reach the farms must be addressed. Building roads cannot be too expensive for any country. If need be, let us borrow but have better roads connecting all productive areas to the market. However, road transport can be very expensive for bulky cargo over long distances. Efforts to revive the East African Railways that would be professionally managed are welcome. But Tanzania needs to invest more in safe marine transport on its many lakes and dense network of rivers. Thirdly, the capacity to process and add value to agricultural produce needs to be nurtured with urgency. Not only will this reduce the wastage and loss since unprocessed produce tends to be perishable, it will increase incomes in the countryside as well as employment. Alternative uses for agricultural produce other than being eaten as food can also be pursued through industrialisation. It also becomes possible to pursue export markets for processed products. Otherwise, urging farmers to produce more when their produce may end up rotting is not productive.
Wallace Mauggo Editor
By Guardian Writer
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Finally, debate on Kilimo Kwanza is gathering momentum. Experts, policy makers, scientists and development partners are beginning to express their views, some of them pretty strong, other quite urgent, on what must be done or avoided for the Kilimo Kwanza strategy to succeed
Kenya proposes Kilimo Salama in Kilimo Kwanza
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Investing in agriculture requires significant incetives
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Kilimo Salama it’s a simple concept based on the risky nature of farming. Kilimo Salama which means Safe Agriculture, is an insurance designed for Kenyan farmers so they may insure their farm outputs against drought and excess rain.
Talk about agriculture? You are certainly talking about people behind it.You are talking about agricultural transformation initiatives. You are talking about the crucial role played by the private sector in developing agriculture...
5 Art & Design: KN Mayunga
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WATER DEVELOPMENT
DDCA drills 5,300 boreholes in 12yrs
inside
Missing the export boat
The Guardian KILIMO KWANZA
Tuesday 22 March, 2010
To have your organisation promoted in Kilimo Kwanza, Call: 0787 571308, 0655 571308 0754 571308
HE issue of water has become a major concern for the people of Tanzania and the third world countries at large. On seeing such escalating problems facing the people, government decided to transform selected organizations that carry out essential public functions into executive agencies under Civil Service Reform Program. As a result of these government reforms, Drilling and Dams Construction Agency (DDCA) was created under the auspices of the then Ministry of Water and Livestock Development, which has now been changed into Water Development and Irrigation The firm is Tanzania’s sole agency that deals with the development of water resources including drilling of water wells and construction of earth-full Dams in order to sustainably allocate available water sources for different uses in the country. The Agency was established in 1997 under the Executive Agencies Act. No. 30 of 1997, and was launched on the 26th of March 1999, (though it had been operating since 1997) The role of the firm is to develop sustainable and safe water sources through efficient means and at a cost effective price, hence contribute to economic growth of the country. This objective is in line with the national objective of alleviating poverty and improving the health of the people in the country through provision of clean, safe and adequate water supply to rural and urban populations. DDCA is among the first executive agencies established with a view to ensure that water is supplied throughout the country through boreholes especially in the regular areas where the supply is scarce. Its specific objectives are to locate and develop safe and sustainable water sources through drilling of deep wells and construction of dams to increase water availability for different socio-economic uses and to provide reliable, timely quality and affordable services to rural, urban and peri-urban population. Because of a shortage of surface water, it became necessary to exploit ground water through borehole drilling. Out of thousands of water projects that have been initiated in rural Tanzania, boreholes form the majority. DDCA has successfully carried out a number of water projects in the country. Among them are projects concerning boreholes drilling, feasibility studies, design and construction of dams as well as design and construction of water supply systems. Before the firm undertakes its work of drilling a borehole in an area, it normally undertakes a topographical survey to determine soil testing and designing of earth fill dams. This is done by a team of professional experts the firm has employed in the field of civil engineering. The Agency has highly qualified and experienced personnel including, geologists, hydro-geologists, drilling engineers, land surveyors, and civil engineers in fields related to water resources development and management To ensure efficient work and satisfactory results, DDCA’s experts start with ground water prospecting using modern state of the art technology, drilling operations, measuring yield of water wells and laboratory analysis for water quality, and soil sampling to monitor underground water formations (lithology) Other services the firm executes are the installation of pumping systems e.g diesel, solar or electric driven submersible pumps, hand pumps, training of caretakers on management and maintenance of community water wells and dams, as well as training of hand, electric and solar pumps both surface and sub-surface. On average, of 450 boreholes are drilled annually compared to an average of 50 to 100, which were drilled per year by the government in previous years before the agency came into being. Statistics made available by DDCA in the country shows that, a total of 5,285 boreholes have been drilled by the firm, and out of these. The boreholes drilled provide water which is essential to life and its availability is crucial to both the industrial and agricultural well-being of a nation. In many African countries, governments have over the years strive to provide clean water to their people.
The New Sola dam provides water to 65,000 people and 100,000 livestock
The low water supply coverage manifests itself in low agricultural production and poor quality of life
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Tuesday 22 March, 2010
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The Guardian KILIMO KWANZA
Thus DDCA, having been working together with the international development organizations to establish water projects in rural Tanzania, it has also made it possible the available resources to provide information to their extractions to the directorate of water development in Tanzania. Water supply coverage in Tanzania according to statistics from the Ministry of Water and Irrigation is 53 percent in the rural areas and 73 percent in urban population who are served with clean water. As the human population, industries and irrigation schemes increases, the demand for water increases too and in order to arrest this situation, ground water exploration and exploitation as well as dam construction activities are necessary and DDCA has to be effective in performing these activities. The impact of low water supply coverage falls primarily on the poor in urban and rural areas where the urban poor may pay high prices to water vendors for small quantities of water often to poor quality. In rural areas, the low water supply coverage manifests itself in low agricultural production and poor quality of life. Water scarcity is therefore experienced in the rural areas where the majority of the people are poor. To rectify the situation, DDCA provides services to all people in urban areas without marginalizing the poor. According to DDCA’s Acting Chief Executive, Engineer David Bernard Songea, the agency is willing and has been providing services to the poor villages which are normally unable to pay for construction work. Records show that about 90 percent of deep wells drilled by DDCA are located in rural areas. In urban areas, ground water sources are rapidly being developed for individuals and institutions to meet the increasing demand for water supply for socio-economic uses. DDCA has been able to undertake a number of projects in urban areas including those connected with urban water supplies
in regions of Mainland Tanzania and Zanzibar. The agency has proved to be capable of undertaking the task of constructing new water sources and rehabilitating old ones at affordable costs. The firm has acquired from the government capital assets, which includes operational drilling rigs and earth moving equipment. DDCA is proud to have constructed a number of new dams as well as rehabilitating old ones in the country within the period of its existence. The Mugumu dam project is one aimed at solving the problem of water scarcity in Mugumu town and the surrounding villages. The town is the headquarters of Serengeti district in Mara region. The project’s construction has been revived and is now able to supply water to more than 35,000 residents and about 25,000 livestock in the area. The dam’s storage capacity is about 14 million cubic meters and is now able to supply water for 3 consecutive years incase of prolonged drought. The total construction costs for the dam is Tshs. 6.9 billion. Mwanyahina dam is another project that the agency is proud of, this is ion Meatu village in Shinyanga region. The dam was constructed to meet water demand for people and livestock and it has a storage capacity of about 1.5 million cubic meters. Kinyambwinga is dam project whose construction started last year, would provide water to nearly 3,900 people and 44,640 livestock at Kinyambwinga village, Bunda district in Mara region. On its completion, the dam’s reservoir’s capacity would be 108,275 cubic meters of water. New Sola has been rehabilitated. The dam has been the main source of water to more than 65,000 residents and about 100,000 livestock in Maswa town and 8 surrounding villages way back since 1974. Its repair started effectively in September 2007 and its storage capacity is estimated at 4.2 million cubic meters. A to Z Textile Mill based in Arusha had its water project which was done by DDCA, and this is to ensure the availability of sufficient water throughout the year in order to increase efficiency and higher production levels by the industry. The mill is a mosquito net industry whose nets are used to reduce the spread of malaria throughout the country. Therefore the project aimed at improving people’s lives. The execution of this project involved the activities such as drilling of three deep and sustainable water boreholes with production capacity of about 270 cubic meters per hour per borehole. The activities at the project also included the construction of two water storage tanks with storage capacity of 500 cubic meters each, installation of pipelines to convey water from the boreholes to the storage tanks and to the factory. Installation of two pumps each with pumping capacity of 80 liters, sand pumping head 75 meters. Construction of two steel water tanks each with storage capacity of 522 cubic meters. Laying of rising main PVC pipes (diameter 25 mm) from pumps house to overhead tank. The project had been successfully completed in December 2007 and its cost was estimated at Tshs. 643.5 million. The agency’s vision aspires to be the leading and most efficient organization in and outside the country in the business of water well drilling and construction of water storage dams, by providing sustainable water sources and ensuring that clients get value for money from services provided DDCA usually measures the success by the quality of the services that is offered. The firm provides services to its clients according to the set standards deliver not only timely but also quality services, pursuance of efficiency and cost effectiveness in service as well as strong customers focus. This achievement signifies that DDCA is now able to serve a large number of customers. Therefore, it is one of the reliable institutions in water sources development at present and has won the trust of its customers. The firm’s role in poverty alleviation targets to improve efficiency and effectiveness in delivery of public services through better business and financial management, hence contribute to the economic growth of the country by reducing the total cost of public service. Therefore the firm provides services to all people in urban and in rural areas without marginalizing the poor. The agency has been and is willing to provide water services to the poor villages who are normally unable to pay for construction works.
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The Guardian KILIMO KWANZA
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Tuesday 22 March, 2010
COVER STORY
Missing the export boat
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By Guardian Writer
Kenyan High Commissioner to Tanzania HE Mutindo Mutiso explains to The Guardian’s Angel Navuri the possible synergies between Tanzania’s Kilimo Kwanza and Kilimo Salama, the newly introduced safety net for Kenyan farmers: Question: So what is Kilimo Salama? Answer: Kilimo salama it’s a simple concept based on the risky nature of farming. As you know, the weather patterns are very unpredictable. Farmers invest heavily in agriculture inputs for crops and then get hit by rainfall failure. This happens because the farmer could not get weather updates on the right time to cultivate. Kilimo Salama which means Safe Agriculture, is an insurance designed for Kenyan farmers so they may insure their farm outputs against drought and excess rain. The project, which is a partnership between Syngenta Foundation for Sustainable Agriculture, UAP Insurance, and the telecoms operator Safaricom, will offer farmers who plant on as little as one acre insurance policies to shield them from significant financial losses when drought or excess rain are expected wreak havoc on their harvests. Kilimo Salama was designed based on the learning of a pilot project in Laikipia district where several hundred maize farmers insured their farm inputs against
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Maize being packed in sacks at Kibaigwa market in Dodoma.
Lesson from the past is that, the most successful cooperatives were those which organically and democratically grew from the smallholders themselves, rather than those handed down from the top
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“Now assume Kilimo Kwanza works, and we all fervently hope it does all over the world successful agricultural development has shown that making the sector highly capital, and input intensive leads to a substantial rise in labour productivity and therefore in come but also to a rapid decline
of the number of people that can be in the sector, for Tanzania where at the moment most employment creation takes place in rural areas and thus in agriculture what does this mean? With Kilimo Kwanza, where is the policy to create millions of jobs in industry and services for those who will leave their marginal shamba’s? “Yes agriculture needs to be modernize, perhaps not by distributing power tillers is every district but most definitely by allowing farmers to benefit from market opportunities and incentives, if farmers in Rukwa have an opportunity to export maize to Zambia and the DRC is the present export ban not negatively affecting them? Is it sensible to tell farmers what to produce? Let me quote from a recent newspaper article: He, a farmer decided not to plant tobacco in his fields near the main road, because cotton was announced as the official crop and in the past unofficial crops were uprooted. In my mind they should be helped when they are facing constraints not be constrained themselves . That is the policy environment. Agriculture is commercial business or it will not take off. Prime Minister Mizengo Pinda, at RAPOA workshop: We know that there is market failure, especially for both agricultural inputs and outputs. Yet in the medium to long term we would like to see a stronger role for the market to encourage efficient use of resources in development of agriculture. What should the role of the state in the short to medium term? “We have seen success with some out grower models. Is it possible to replicate these models across other crops? If not, what institutional framework could be applied to those crops that do not easily fit into the out grower model to ensure up scaling and promotion of an integrated system? “Scale of operation is important for cost
saving and enhancing competitiveness however we also know that land ownership is important for all Tanzanians, how can we promote agricultural competitiveness in the framework of small holdings? “Lesson from the past is that, the most successful cooperatives were those which organically and democratically grew from the smallholders themselves, rather than those handed down from the top. What are today’s impediments to the growth of cooperatives?” Ambassador of Ireland Anne Barrington, also at the RAPOA workshop: “There were two companies that were producing high quality products which involved small holder fruit farmers from the Uluguru Mountains in Morogoro region and from the Coast region. These farmers were supplying the factory with pineapples and oranges. “Both of these companies seemed to me to be a win-win-win; win for the companies themselves, win for small farmers and pastoral communities and win for Tanzania both for consumers and with the potential for regional and intercontinental trade. “To me this seemed to be exactly what Tanzania needed: Kilimo Kwanza in action. The visiting heads of mission were impressed. Recently enquired how much both companies were doing; to my surprised both had ceased production. “We need to know why this happened, on the face of it the companies were models of what was needed here local products from small marginalized farmers were processed, value was added and the product was sold on the national and international market. Now if these companies remain closed, a key outlet for pastoral communities has disappeared and the farmers’ fruit will rot on the trees and in the fields.” “It is inspiring for the government to have taken ASDP as a tool for implement-
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WHAT OTHERS SAY
Kenya proposes Kilimo Salama in Kilimo Kwanza selling of the products. Countries like The United States and Canada have addressed such systems to a high degree. During the Third Meeting in Kampala, the Third Session of the Second East African Legislative Assembly sitting at the Chambers of the Parliament of Uganda in Kampala has adopted a common strategy for food security in the region. Given the importance of food security in East Africa, especially in the light of climate change, the committee initiated, in early 2009, a process of evaluating the best way that the EAC can ensure food security for its entire population. The Committee recognised that the region as a whole had substantial unutilized potential for agriculture and that even the resources that are put into use are underutilised because of low productivity of labour, land and water. Despite the frequent pockets of food shortages and hunger in the EAC region and the below optimum production, the region on average produces adequate food for its population. Moreover, most of the food statistics used to assess food supply and adequacy underestimate the extent of supply because often they do not fully take into account food commodities/products from livestock, fisheries, other marine and aquatic products, horticultural produce, and forestry food products. For this reason, the EALA Committee on Agriculture, Tourism and Natural
drought in the long rains season of 2009, following the drought that had hit them the previous season, as measured by both weather stations. There was a payout and all farmers were compensated depending on the extent of the drought as measured at their weather station (a 30 percent and 80 percent payout, respectively). The pilot was the first of its kind in Kenya. Kilimo Salama features many elements like the mobile phone registry and payment system and distribution through rural micro-insurance retailers. So by paying a small fee-which is called premium, the farmer is assured of total farming. Kilimo Salama has another level - by giving the farmers basic equipments by distributing mobiles to enable them focus on weather of their own locality and get the necessary alerts that affect when to plant and when not to plant! Sms technology has in other words provided an advancement of security as regards weather. Kilimo Salama should thus be integrated to Kilimo Kwanza to consolidate this historic initiative. Kilimo Kwanza is a good start but the idea of weather has not been addressed accordingly. Q: How far has the region gone in pursuing common agriculture policies? A: The Common Agriculture policy of East Africa has adopted the agriculture products and addresses issues including
Investing in agriculture requires significant incentives
Unless Tanzania agriculture becomes outward looking, success with Kilimo Kwanza will hurt producers. Tanzania can be proud of many of its achievements in agriculture and rural development...
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inally, debate on Kilimo Kwanza is gathering momentum. Experts, policy makers, scientists and development partners are beginning to express their views, some of them pretty strong, other quite urgent, on what must be done or avoided for the Kilimo Kwanza strategy to succeed. Many views are emerging with some addressing serious fundamentals. One that has been strongly, in some cases passionately articulated over the past week is failure to prepare to seize available export opportunities and to expand forward linkages while promoting the growth of output in agricultural production. For example, when the farmlands become more productive, many farmhands will not be required, freeing a lot of labour that needs to be absorbed elsewhere. Strategies to develop agribusiness are needed. And the output must reach the market. The Tanzanian market is not enough, and the country needs to take advantage of both the current favourable demand in the international markets for certain agricultural products for Tanzania enjoys a comptetitive advantage as well as the different trade protocols it is party to, to access markets in other countries. There is also a need to aggressively and deliberately develop others. The age-old concern that preoccupied our independence time leaders of adding value to agricultural produce before export still prevails. The difference between then and now is that today, it is suicidal to just talk about this and unfair terms of trade without doing something about it. For as international agriculture expert Prof Hans Binswanger has said, “Fifty years of slow progress is too much, Kilimo Kwanza now!” Kilimo Kwanza does not end with improving farm output quantity and quality. Actually, that is just where it starts. A set of other factors to make the increased productivity useful must take place. These include storage and prevention of post harvest losses, infrastructure particularly transportation, manufacturing capacity, policy formulation, financial services and farmer education. With 80 percent of the population employed in the sector, streamlining the forward and backward linkages is not just for its sake; it is for the survival of the entire economy. That is why policies affecting agriculture should not be announced off the cuff, but must be a result of careful deliberations backed with research. As at now, there is a divergence of opinion in government itself regarding the temporary ban of export of grain. The Prime Minister feels in situations that have been well evaluated, farmers should be allowed to export their products. But the agriculture state minister says the ban must stay, until an exhaustive review. Situations like what is going on in Rukwa, where a million tonnes of maize may go to waste due to lack of storage and inability to sell to neighbouring countries that are dire need, must not be allowed to continue. Around independence time, the buzz word around many African economies was import substitution. This referred to the development of processing and manufacturing capacity, so that countries could make some of the industrial products they were importing to save on the scarce foreign exchange. Today, import substitution needs to be taken to another level of not just making more consumer products for ourselves but to produce a lot more of them for export. The case of an apple farm at Makete is amazing. A project for mobilizing people to grow apples started in 2003. Today, so many apples are being produced in Makete and there is nowhere to put them. The road is so bad that they cannot even be taken to Iring where they would retail for shs500. The Makete apples cannot even sell for sh100. They are available for free, but even then the few villagers can only eat a limited amount. Now the producers are appealing for funds to hire strong young men to distribute them further free of charge, rather watch them rot. But supermarkets in Tanzanian towns are selling imported apples. If a small plant to make and pack apple juice was set up in Makete, the desperate situation would be saved. Below are a few remarks that have been made by various people about this subject: Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to Tanzania Dr Ad Koekoek, at the Research on Poverty Alleviation (REPOA) 15TH Annual workshop:
The Guardian KILIMO KWANZA
Tuesday 22 March, 2010
ing ‘Kilimo Kwanza’ but there is a need for the private sector to be involved throughout the process. You need well improved links between rural and urban infrastructure, water, irrigation, agro-processing industries, markets and the financial sector. The government
ought to promote trade and agribusiness in the regional context so as to reap greater benefits from the East African Community.” Hans Binswanger Tshawane University of Technology, Pretoria’ SA: “Unless Tanzania agriculture becomes outward looking, success with Kilimo Kwanza will hurt producers. Tanzania can be proud of many of its achievements in agriculture and rural development. But improvement in Tanzania performance are still far too modest, and virtually absent in the export sector. “The improvements are not enough to bring about a radical acceleration of agricultural growth. The international agricultural environment has became much more favorable… Fifty years of slow progress is too much; Kilimo Kwanza now!” Egyptian Ambassador to Tanzania, HE Wael Adel Nasr, in an interview with the Kilimo Kwanza: “Tanzania has the most fertile soil I have ever seen. I have succeed in cultivating and growing fruits in my garden here at my residence and it is fantastic. The water in Tanzania is more than enough. If it is well utilised, Tanzania could be the biggest food exporter in the world. Tanzania has everything; the number of lakes it has is unbelievable. If Egypt could have just one percent of the rivers in Tanzania, it would do wonders because even now, we have a population of more than 84 million and we are managing in agriculture to the extent that we only import wheat, but the rest of the food we have. “We are ready to support agricultural development here and it is in and our interest so we can import from Tanzania in future. If in the Nile Basin countries we could come up with a unified policy to utilise basic agriculture inputs together, we would be the richest countries in the world.”
T By Theo Mushi
alk about agriculture? You are certainly talking about people behind it. You are talking about agricultural transformation initiatives. You are talking about the crucial role played by the private sector in developing agriculture. You name it. Empowering the main actors in agriculture – the farmers, is a precondition to the agricultural transformation process which started in the mid 1980s from a public sector led economy to a private sector driven market economy. The policy change made it necessary for the government to embark on a continuous dialogue with the private sector and other stakeholders on critical issues affecting our agricultural performance and overall economic development. In this regard, the Agricultural Council of Tanzania (ACT) which is an apex organization with a lobbying and advocacy role on key private sector agricultural issues on behalf of members and other stakeholders is providing a forum for all actors in the agricultural sector to engage in discussions on how to revamp – this sector. Albeit there are many issues to look at; however, this article will dwell on what ACT is doing to facilitate discussion on incentives in agriculture. During the whole month of September 2009, ACT conducted three meetings to discuss on the kind of incentives required to invest in agricultural endeavours. In order to have a broader representation, the meet-
ings were held at three zonal centers: Dar es Salaam (for East –Northern Zone), Mwanza (for Lake – Western Zone), Mbeya (for Southern Highlands Zone) This exercise was funded by the Business Environment Strengthening in Tanzania – Advocacy Component (BESTAC). The objective was to gather views from as many agricultural stakeholders as possible on what kind of incentives are needed for investing in agriculture, ultimately use their views as tool to advocate and influence the Government to formulate a pro- agriculture policy change, and ultimately introduce a package of incentives to attract investments in the agriculture sector. Farmers speaking their mind At the three meetings, a number of issues related to incentives in agriculture were raised, discussed and agreed upon. Participants acknowledged the importance of agriculture in term of improved incomes and social welfare, enhancing household food security and creation of employment. Yet investments in this sector are still very much low compared to other sectors such as mining industry and tourism. For example in 2008 investment in tourism and industries were 268 and 221 projects respectively, whereas investments in the agricultural sector recorded only 45 projects. The participating stakeholders were of the opinion that investing in agriculture is still constrained by a number of challenges, including poor rural infrastructure, increased fuel and input prices. Another contentious issue was prevalence of nuisance taxes imposed by the Central and Local Government Authorities that increase the cost of doing business. The participants were emphatic that so long as the costs of
production will remain high, very few people will be attracted to invest in agriculture. Land was observed as one of the critical elements in encouraging investments in agriculture. However the existing Village Land Act No. 5 of 1999 was found to have weaknesses that deter investments in agriculture. Most of the land has not been surveyed, mapped and valued. Furthermore most of our farmers and livestock keepers are ignorant of this Act, and how to make it work for them. It is also very important to treat land as an item of extreme value which can also serve as collateral when it comes to applying for loan from financial institutions. Another factor which is equally important is the question of education. Most of our farmers are lowly educated. Workshop participants urged that education should be treated as a strategic agent for mindset transformation and for the creation of a well educated society, sufficiently equipped with knowledge needed to competently and competitively solve the development challenges they face. Farmers’ education should focus on pertinent issues, like principles of land use planning, modern farming, and agri- business. It was emphasized that the Government, probably through the Tanzania Investment Centre should ensure that existing incentives for investing in agriculture are made known to all stakeholders. TIC should take effort to identify its stakeholders and individual investment interests. Paying attention to resource endowments of each area or district, and investing in strategic enterprises for agricultural transformation, while focusing on value chain analysis. Sourcing funds to facilitate agricultural activities is another determinant of success. Farmers in most cases need a working capital from financial institutions. There is a need to strategize on long term financing of agriculture at affordable interest rates. In this regard, the Government has initiated an Agricultural Development Bank which should be operational in a very near future. In the meantime, a special window to cater for the agricultural sector has been opened at the Tanzania Investment Bank. The Central Government has injected some Tsh.20 billion as a start-up. Sound incentives in agriculture could propel its expansion and development. The above mentioned incentives were brought to the surface by participants at the ACT initiated meetings. Albeit there are many more to contemplate about. This is in keeping with pillar number six of Kilimo Kwanza
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Resources was of the opinion that the East Africa Common Market provides an excellent opportunity to “make food insecurity history” in the EAC region through a Common Strategy for Food Security, that encompasses increased productivity, better handling and processing, and marketing of food products across the region. This required a common regional strategy. Before adopting the report, members urged partner states not to focus only on investing heavily on highway infrastructures, but also on rural feeder roads that bear direct impact on the common man of East Africa.
Q: What is your assessment on Kilimo Kwanza so far? A: Talking of Kilimo Kwanza, the government is trying to make sure food production increases but storage is another challenge. I am referring to strategic food reserves in terms of buying and preserving the food for the future. The government has a responsibility to feed its people at any cost but now the government is preaching the farmers to produce more yields but the farmers don’t have storage because we may be having a problem of plenty. Based on this challenge the government needs to build good storage for farmers because it is using a lot of money to make farmers increase the production. But it will all be wasted because there is no storage for bulky output and the farmers cant sell to other areas. There are three areas that the government needs to take seriously. These are securing for the farmer fair price on their investment; addressing their need to be facilitated in terms of storage and other agriculture inputs, and insulating them from the vagaries of nature. But ironically, if all this succeeds there will be a war because the cartels control the farmer and the markets of the world How can Kilimo Kwanza and Kilimo Salama help each other? Kilimo Salama should now be integrated to Kilimo Kwanza to enhance the holistic development of the agriculture sector. And in the spirit of bilateral cooperation we can work together and build bridges to make this phenomena a success.
MAJI WEEK 16th – 22nd March, 2010 “CLEAN AND SAFE WATER FOR GOOD HEALTH”
THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS, THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, MANAGEMENT AND DAWASCO STAFF JOIN ALL TANZANIANS TO MARK WORLD MAJI WEEK 2010.
IN DAWASCO, WATER IS IMPORTANT FOR LIFE. IN ORDER TO IMPROVE WATER SERVICES, EVERY ONE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR PAYING THEIR MONTHLY BILLS. SETTLE YOUR BILLS AT ANY DAWASCO CENTRE OR AT ANY BRANCH OF CRDB BANK, BARCLAYS, BOA BANK AND NMB. P.O.BOX 5340 Dar es Salaam, Telophone 22-2131191/4,Fax 22-2110931, Emergency 255-75644266, Email:customercare@dawasco.com, Web:www.dawasco.com
DAWASCO
WE WILL REACH YOU
The Guardian KILIMO KWANZA
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Tuesday 22 March, 2010
MAJI WEEK
THE UNITED REPUBLIC OF TANZANIA
MINISTRY OF WATER AND IRRIGATION
MAJI WEEK, MARCH 16 – 22, 2010
Theme: Clean Water for Healthy World
NEW WATER LEGISLATION AND ROLES OF THE SOCIETY IN IMPLEMENTING THEM 1. Introduction On 28th April, 2009 the Parliament of the United Republic of Tanzania enacted the Water Resources Management Act, number 11 of 2009 (hereinafter “WRMA”) and the Water Supply and Sanitation Act, number 12 of 2009 (hereinafter “WSSA”). According to article 97(1) of the Constitution of the United Republic of Tanzania of 1977 (“the Constitution”), any Bill passed by the Parliament shall be assented by the President of the United Republic so as to become law. Thus in accordance with the Constitution, His Excellency the President of the United Republic assented the two Bills into law on 12th May, 2009. The two Acts came into force on 1st August, 2009 after the commencement notices published in the Gazette via Government Notices Nos. 234 and 235 of 10th July, 2009. The WRMA repeals the Water Utilisation (Control and Regulation) Act, number
42 of 1974 [Chapter 331 R.E. 2002] and the WSSA repeals the Waterworks Act, [Chapter 272 R.E. 2002]. The repealed laws ceased to apply since 1st August, 2009 when the new Acts came into force. On account of the fact that the current water laws are new, it is proper to take measures to inform the society the existence of these new water laws so that they comprehend their rights and duties provided in the new Acts as well as the roles of other institutions in implementing the Acts. In so doing the society can effectively participate in the management and development of the water sector. It is on this basis that in celebrating the water week for year 2010, this article on ‘New Water Legislation and Obligations of Society in Implementing Them’ has been prepared to inform the society the existence of these new laws, and highlight some of important provisions provided therein so that they un-
derstand and implement them. 2. Some Important Provisions in the New Water Legislation 2.1 The Water Resources Management Act Number 11 of 2009 This Act provide for the establishment of the National Water Board, Basin Water Boards, Catchment/subcatchment Water Committees and Water Users Associations. The thrust of WRMA is management of water resources in the country. Contain provisions which provide for management, conservation, protection, development and utilization of water resources. Like any other piece of legislation dealing with management of natural resources, section 10 (1) of WRMA spells out that all water resources in Mainland Tanzania shall continue to be public water and vested in the President as trustee for and on behalf of the citizens.
Therefore, there is no private ownership of water resources. The use of water from any source (lake, river, dam, spring, underground water, etc) and discharging waste water in any water source shall be done after obtaining a water use permit or discharge permit respectively from Basin Water Board. Uses of water which do not require a permit are as stipulated in sections 11, 12 and 52 which include abstracting and use the water from any source without construction of any works; use of water from shallow hand dug well of which its depth does not exceed the depth stipulated by the Minister in regulations; harvesting rain water and use them so long as the works for harvesting such water does not exceed the capacity stipulated by the Minister in regulations and use of water by virtue of customary right. All such uses of water without permit are limited to use of water for domestic purContinues page 7
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poses only otherwise one has to obtain water use permit For purposes of managing, developing and protecting water resources, section 31 ofWRMA provide for the preparation of National Integrated Water Resources Management Plan which will be prepared based on integrated water resources management plans prepared by Basin Water Boards and Catchment Water Committees. The Plan shall be subject to consultations with all stakeholders before the approval is made. It is through this Plan that data and information regarding water balance, water demands present and forecasted, water availability and potential areas for designation as protected zones and groundwater controlled areas will be identified. Also WRMA has provisions which introduce the establishment of protected zones for purposes of protecting and conserving surface and underground water. Human activities likely to adversely affect the conservation and protection of water sources are prohibited within sixty meters from water sources but the Minister for water may by notice in the Government Gazette prohibit such activities beyond sixty metres. Criminal offences and the penalties to be imposed to any person who will be found guilty of an offence have been provided. Apart from imprisonment and fines, the offender may be required to pay for the damages he/she has caused basing on the polluter pays principle. On issues of administration, the WRMA provide the institutional framework and stipulate the powers and functions of the Minister responsible for Water Resources, Director of Water Resources, National Water Board, Catchment Water Committees, Water Users As-
Minister for Agriculture and Irrigation Professor Mark Mwandosya sociations and the public generally. 2.2 The Water Supply and Sanitation Act, number 12 of 2009 According to section 4 of the Act, the objective of this Act is to mobilize and ensure the right of every person in Tanzania to have access to efficient, effective and sustainable water supply and
sanitation services by taking into account the several principles one being delegation of management functions of water supply and sanitation services to the lowest appropriate levels. The thrust of WSSA is sustainable management, operation and regulation of water supply and sanitation services which includes disposal of waste water in the
whole country except Dar es Salaam and some areas of Coast Region which are administered by the Dar es Salaam Water and Sewerage Authority Act of 2001 (DAWASA Act). WSSA provides for the establishment of National Water Investment Fund, Water Supply and Sanitation Authorities (WSSA) , and Community Owned Water Supply Organisations (COWSOs) and enumerates the powers and functions of the Minister responsible for Water, the Minister responsible for Regional Administration and Local Governments, Regional Secretariats and Local Governments Authorities. While the objective of the Fund is to provide for investment support for water service provision and management of catchments areas serving water supply abstraction, WSSAs and COWSOs are entities established with responsibilities of providing water and sanitation services in their areas of jurisdiction. A COWSOs which may be established and registered for purposes of managing water schemes and providing water and sanitation services through such schemes may be in the form of Water Consumer Association, Water Trustee, Cooperative society, Non-governmental organization, company or any other body or organization established under any written law. Sections 31, 33 and 34 when read in tandem we find that a COWSO is established by an agreement of the majority of the members of a community and registered by Local Government Authorities. 3. Duties of the Society in Implementing the New Water legislation The legal system in Tanzania is based on the princi-
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ple that the Constitution is the fundamental law of the country. All other laws are enacted by the Parliament according to the authority of the Constitution. Therefore, in discussing the duties of the society in implementing the laws of the country, in my view, such duties may be divided into two categories namely (i) duties embedded in a specific law and (ii) duties imposed by the Constitution. 3.1 Duties Embedded in a Specific Law A specific law here refers to a dedicated piece of legislation governing a certain sector, for instance water legislation. Therefore, the new water legislation as specific laws governing the water sector, have provisions which impose certain duties to the society as far as the management of the water sector is concern. According to section 4(1)(e) of WRMA, the objective of WRMA is to ensure that the nation’s water resources are protected, used, developed, conserved, managed and controlled taking into account among others the principle of promoting stakeholders’ involvement in water resources management at all levels. As I have already explained above, the institutional set up under this Act ascends to the highest level from the lowest level, that is, the water users associations. According to section 80 of WRMA, water users associations are responsible for management, distribution and conservation of water sources. In this respect, the society has the duty to manage and conserve water resources through water users associations. Besides, section 7 of WRMA provides that every person residing in Mainland Tanzania has a stake and a duty to safeguard and protect
water resources and to inform the relevant authority of any activity and phenomenon that may affect the quantity and quality of the water resources significantly. A similar provision is found in the National Environmental Management Act, Cap.191 regarding protection and conservation of the environment in which “environment” is defined to include water. As the law imposes such duties to an individual who is a member of the society, surely it is obvious that the society as a set have a collective r duty to safeguard and protect water resources. The aspect of involving the community has also been taken into account by WSSA as far as provision of water supply and sanitation services is concern. Regarding the roles of the community this Act, emphasize on transferring of ownership of water supply schemes in rural areas to the respective community and enabling beneficiaries and stakeholders to participate effectively in the management and operation of community water supply. The objective here is to give the community full mandate of protecting the water infrastructures as they will be owned by themselves. 3.2 Duties Imposed by the Constitution The Constitution as the basic law of the country, lay the solid foundation on the society’s duties in implementing any written law of the country. In this context articles 26 and 27 of the Constitution provide as follows and I quote: 26. (1) Every person has the duty to observe and to abide by this Constitution and the laws of the United Republic. (2) Every person has the right, in accordance with the procedure provided by law, to
take legal action to ensure the protection of this Constitution and the laws of the land. 27. (1)
Every person has the duty to protect the natural resources of the United Republic, the property of the state authority, all property collectively owned by the people, and also to respect another person’s property. (2) All persons shall be required by law to safeguard the property of the state authority and all property collectively owned by the people, to combat all forms of waste and squander, and to manage the national economy assiduously with the attitude of people who are masters of the destiny of their nation. When one reads the above quoted articles of the Constitution, will deduce that it is the society which has the main duty to implement or otherwise enforce the laws of the country. Such duties may be summarized as (i) observing and abiding the laws of the country’s (ii) taking legal action to ensure protection of the laws of the country (iii) protecting the natural resources of the Country and property of the state authority (iv) combating all forms of waste and squander, and (v) mastering of the destiny of the nation. Basing on these constitutional provisions, it suffice to say that any law enacted in accordance with the Constitution enjoys the constitutional safeguards and privileges of being implemented by the society irrespective of whether
or not such law has explicit provision imposing such a duty to the society. The new water legislation being the laws of the country enacted in accordance with the Constitution enjoys such safeguards and privileges of being implemented by the society. Therefore regarding the new water legislation, the society has a duty to ensure that it observes and abide them and to take legal action to ensure their protection. Similarly, water resources as public water and natural resources of the United Republic, the society have the duty to protect them and combating all forms of waste and squandering.
4. Conclusion
By way of concluding remarks we can say that the society has the stake duty to implement the new water legislation. In fulfilling the duties imposed by the Constitution and the new water legislation, the society determining the destiny of their nation and the nation’s water resources. The importance of water is very well known by all. Despite the fact that water is crucial for socio economic activities, it has been agreed that ‘water is life’ and therefore the fact is ‘no water no life’. From these premises a conclusion may be drawn that availability of water determine the destiny of man’s life. Availability of water depends on the positive actions of society in relation to water resources. Taking into account the importance of water in life, section 4 of WRMA explicitly states that the purpose of the Act is to ensure that the nation’s water resources are protected, used, developed, conserved, managed and controlled in a manner that takes into account the needs of the present and future generation. Let we agree and support the premise that “WATER IS LIFE”.