Tanzania: Concerted Efforts Needed to Curb Dwindling Fish Stocks

FISHERIES experts and marine scientists say stocks of fish and other aquatic life are dwindling at alarming rates in most of the country's water bodies.
Tanzania is blessed with many water bodies which include the Indian Ocean, Lake Victoria, Lake Rukwa and Lake Tanganyika, where many fish species are said to be already extinct or about to be so. Lake Victoria, with a surface area of 68,800 square kilometres, is Africa's largest lake by area, and the world's second largest freshwater lake (by surface area), after Lake Superior in North America.
Experts say pollution and environmental degradation has led to extinction of a large number of fish species in Lake Victoria over the last four decades. Fish in the lake continue to be plundered at an alarming rate calling for urgent steps to save marine. A recent study revealed that while there were over 400 fish species in Lake Victoria during 1920s, the number dropped to less than 30 at present. They include Nile Perch (sangara), Tilapia (sato) and sardines (dagaa).

The trend is alarming and calls for concerted efforts to safeguard the resources from over fishing and environmental pollution. Residents in the Lake Victoria Basin are in danger as a result of pollution of the lake and people are already consuming contaminated fish.
A few years ago local and international consumers raised concern over the use of dangerous fishing methods. There were reports that some unscrupulous fishermen use poison to catch fish. The poisoned fish were being sold in Mwanza, Dar es Salaam, Songea and Arusha while other fish are exported to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Rwanda, Burundi and Uganda.

A recent survey by Lake Victoria Environmental Management Programme (LVEMP) revealed, among other things, that the fish breeding grounds have extensively been destroyed by water pollution. Some people use illegal fishing gear, such as gillnets, monofilaments and beach seines.
In the Indian Ocean, experts say fish stocks are also seriously dwindling, especially at spots near the country's coastline, which has a length of 1,424 kilometres. This means that in the near future fishermen must have powerful boats to sail away into deep sea for fishing activities, instead of using simple canoes as is the case at present.

Tanzania: Mlowa Valley - a Haven for Youths

 

Makambako — RESIDENTS of Makambako Township especially the youth have been challenged to engage in agriculture activities for sustainable development.
The challenge has been thrown by the Director General of Rufiji Basin Development Authority (RUBADA), Mr Aloyce Masanja, when visiting youths dealing with horticulture in Mlowa Valley in Makambako Township in Njombe Region on Monday.
"Youths in this place have a potential to be role models to others in the Southern Agricultural Growth Corridor of Tanzania (SAGCOT). They deserve support," he said.
Makambako is among areas under SAGCOT. He said that Mlowa Valley is among a few locations in that region that can be used in horticulture especially for cultivation of avocados and tomatoes; a venture that can enrich Makambako youths. "This is a huge opportunity for you.

Use it for your benefit," he told the youths, adding that Rubada was ready to help them. He also told the youths and other people that they should consider using Songwe Airport in transporting their produce. The move, he said, would help them excel in business.
"Songwe Airport is there to serve you. You should emulate your colleagues in Arusha who use KIA (Kilimanjaro International Airport) in transporting their products," he said. He was of the view that the centrality of Makambako makes the township an ideal location for a maize market and that the residents should consider that an opportunity that they should seize.
"Makambako Township is located within maize producing regions. Leaders should take note of this and use this ideal geography for the benefit of their people," he said.

On his part, an agriculture official at Makambako, Mr Michael Mlyuka, said that they are making sure that irrigation sources are protected so that they are used for agriculture development.
"We are making sure that Mlowa Valley horticulture production increase," he said. "He explained that they have already trained several youths on modern horticulture practices," he said.

Tanzania: Cotton Farmers Need Leadership

Mwanza — POLITICIANS in cotton growing regions have been urged to refrain from dirty politics in connection with contract farming involving cotton and instead encourage farmers to carry out improved farming.
Opening the cotton stakeholders meeting in Mwanza City, Prime Minister Mizengo Pinda said that clinging to the claim that contract farming will not bring prosperity to farmers is hypocrisy. "I understand that there is a group of people who believe that contract farming will not serve their personal interests.
So, they are doing anything they can to frustrate the effort," he said. The premier also called for the revamping of the Tanzania Cotton Growers Association (TACOGA) in the belief that the association cannot bring about a farmers' green revolution because, as it is now, it needs a stronger management. He noted that this is the time to end the conflicts that are simmering because they are of no benefit.
He said that the cotton sub-sector should be reformed. He added that transforming cotton farming would bring about greater livelihoods to farmers. The most critical challenges that hurt cotton production include low yields.
Up to now the national production average is 300 kilos per hectare as gauged against the objective of achieving 1,500 kilos by 2015.