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By Mariam Said
IRRIGATION agriculture and the use of modern technologies is the way to ensure food security in African countries, including Tanzania.
Director General of Water 4 Mercy, Mr Nermine Khouzam Rubin, issued the remarks during a training to improve agricultural technology, including growing vegetables that was held at the Agricultural Innovation and Technology Centre (AITEC).
Mr Rubin expressed that irrigation, the use of technology and better management of water are the ways which will help increase production and strengthen food reserves and security in the country.
He said throug proper use of water the country, as well as the African continent, can be transformed into a green belt.
“Through rural projects, citizens could unite and eradicate poverty,” he noted.
He added that Don Bosco College in collaboration with experts from Israel has been providing training in productive agriculture to ensure it has a desired contribution in the economy.
Mr Rubin expressed if agriculture becomes productive it will employ many young people and address poverty in sub-Saharan countries.
Opening the training, Kondoa District Commissioner, Dr Hamis Mkananchi, said the government has been doing great job in transforming the agriculture.
The government significantly increased the budget for the agriculture and major reforms are expected to boost the sector.
“Many of us believe that Dodoma can’t be green, what is required is to change people’s attitudes from traditional agriculture to modern agriculture,” he started.
Dr Mkanachi also said irrigation agriculture, if given a boost, will change lives and increase productivity.
“Don Bosco has come with technology in collaboration with experts from Israel, a country that has made progress in agriculture. We should embrace that technology,” he emphasized.
He commended the college (Don Bosco) for decision of moving from offering only Technical studies to introducing agriculture course.
“We wish one day this area could be for agricultural tourism so that many people could come to learn about this project because the technology used should be known to many people,” he said.
The Principal of Don Bosco College, Father Boniface Mchami, said the College offers 13 courses, and three years ago they started the agriculture course as short-term courses and from next year they will start offering a diploma in Agriculture
He tipped that in collaboration with Water 4 Mercy and Technology from Israel, they established a class farm on an area of seven acres to ensure the technology is conveyed to the farmers