From 1st to 8th August 2009, Agricultural Council of Tanzania (ACT) took part in the Farmers Day Exhibition (Nane Nane) which was held at the Nzuguni, in Dodoma Municipality.

Kilimo Kwanza is the current household name in Tanzania. Its popularity is hinged on its centrality in the economic development endeavors of our nation. Kilimo Kwanza is a well thought initiative created by a think-tank taxed by the Government (via Tanzania National Business Council) to look into ways and means to revitalize our agriculture by addressing crosscutting issues.

The 29th August 2009 was an eventful day for ACT. It was day which witnessed two noteworthy events. The National Stakeholders Policy Workshop and The Annual General Meeting. The venue for these two events was Sokoine University of Agriculture, Morogoro.

The Annual General Meeting followed the normal sequence of activities:
           Confirmation of the minutes of the previous meeting.
           Adoption of the Chairman’s Report
           Adoption of the Annual Account’s Report
           Appointment of the Auditors for your 2008-2009.
           Election of the Board of Directors

THE KILIMO KWANZA RESOLUTION
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WHEREAS the Tanzania National Business Council (TNBC), under its Chairman, H.E. Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete, President of the United Republic of Tanzania held a two day meeting on 2nd and 3rd June 2009 at Kunduchi Beach Hotel, Dar es Salaam, to discuss the policies and strategies for the transformation of Tanzania’s agriculture under the theme “KILIMO KWANZA ” and its implementation;

AZIMIO LA KILIMO KWANZA
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KWA KUWA Baraza la Taifa la Biashara (TNBC), chini ya Mwenyekiti wake Mheshimiwa Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete, Rais wa Jamhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania, lilifanya mkutano tarehe 2 na 3 mwezi Juni 2009 jijini Dar es Salaam, kujadili sera na mikakati ya kuleta mapinduzi ya kilimo cha Tanzania pamoja na utekelezaji wake chini ya kaulimbiu ya           “KILIMO KWANZA”;

The Thematic Working Group on the Marketing and Private Sector Development Component (MPSD) of the Agricultural Sector Development Programme (ASDP) convened a fifteen days retreat from 26th March to 10th April, 2009 to discuss and develop MPSD Component guidelines in ASDP.

The team is comprised of the Ministry of Industries, Trade and Marketing, Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security and Cooperatives, Ministry of Livestock Development and fisheries, Prime Ministers Office – Regional Administration and Local Government and the private sector.  (ACT and MVIWATA ) are representing the Private Sector.

At last the stakeholders in Agricultural Sector have a cause for a smile.  They will soon have a financial institution to specifically cater for them.  The idea of establishing an Agricultural Bank was first sounded off as early as year 2000.  It was discussed at many fora. Similarly, at different occasions, both the President of the United Republic of Tanzania and the Prime Minister have spoken in favour of creating such a bank.

Financial institutions are key partners capable of offering support to farmers and farmer organizations.  However, their lending conditions are to say the least, unfriendly to small as well as large farmers.  We need an institution from which our farmers can borrow money with affordable interest rate, and payable in a reasonable schedule.  In this regard, the idea of establishing an Agricultural Development Bank is gratifying.

1. On behalf of the whole Tanzanian agricultural community, the Agricultural Council of Tanzania [ACT] would like to take this opportunity to extend our sincere gratitude to His Excellency President Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete and the Fourth Phase Government for his stand and their endeavors to revitalise the agricultural sector and give real meaning that the Agricultural Sector is the backbone of the Tanzanian Economy because it touches the lives of ALL Tanzanians since it is the sector which feeds the Tanzanian population, provides its factories with raw materials and generates a very significant portion of its foreign exchange.

Last November, a team of three ACT Senior officers- Ms. Janet Bitegeko, Mr. Saidi Saidi and Mr. Emmanuel Mwachullah toured two regions of the Northern Zone for the purpose of introducing ACT to agricultural Stakeholders as well as to recruit members. The tour enabled the trio to:-
- Meet a cross-section of agricultural Stakeholders
- Introduce the same to this National Organisation.
- Collect information and data relevant to agriculture
- Conduct a recruitment drive to ACT membership.
- Gather views and suggestions on how to improve our performance.