Agency to Assist Farmers to Modernize Agriculture

December 26, 2011

Dar es Salaam. A French institution plans to impart entrepreneurial skills of Tanzanian farmers and businessmen to help them benefit from growth in agriculture and other sectors.

Through a 2010-2014 Strategic Plan the International Alliance for Development and Research would facilitate implementation of ambitious economic development programmes to modernise the economy, creating wealth and jobs.

The chief executive officer of CIDR, Isabelle Hoyaux, said in Dar es Salaam last week that some of the projects in the strategic plan include financing of rural and urban entrepreneurs through partner microfinance institutions.

Economic globalisation has taken on new forms with the race to acquire natural resources and agricultural products, according to CIDR, also known as Centre International de Development et de Recherches by its French acronym.

The purchase of land in Africa to produce foodstuffs to meet needs in emerging economies such as China and India, at the expense of food security for the producing countries, is a real concern for policy makers especially in the light of recent food crisis and it's social consequences.

According to Hoyaux did not give any details of the plan and how much it would cost. She noted that agricultural and rural development requires entrepreneurial approach that combine  agricultural, food and environmental issues from the beginning.

Paol Picot CIDR East Africa co-coordinator said agriculture development must be based on strong linkages between rural producers and urban markets.

Dynamic and entrepreneurial countries such as Tanzania and Ghana have already seen rapid growth of high potential value chains driven by private sector, effectively boosting markets and economic growth.

Hoyaux said that CIDR will promote contractual agreements, develop financing methodologies and encourage use of innovative technologies.

CIDR, which intends to setting up a regional NGO in Mbeya for the region's economic welfare of its' people has fith fifty years of experience leading innovative programs in Africa now operates in Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Ghana, Guinea, Mali, Senegal, Tchad, Togo, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Comoro and Magadascar.

- The Citizen

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