A special committee set up by the Tanzanian government has been appointed to address the challenges facing the countrys tobacco farmers, including the evaluation of rising debts
The deputy minister for agriculture, food and cooperatives, Adam Malima, informed the National Assembly that the committee expected to find long-term solutions to challenges facing farmers, especially those from the Tabora region.
“In finding answers to the problem, the government has formed a special committee under the leadership of the Tabora Regional Commissioner, of which among other things, will assess actual farm debts which have actual relation with loans borrowed in the primary cooperative unions,” he said.
Malima also stated that tobacco farmers have been exploited by their leaders through their cooperative unions, adding that this had involved a number of bank employees during the building of warehouses and supply of farm inputs.
The committee will aim to find a solution that will allow farmers through their primary cooperative unions to borrow farm inputs from suppliers, it stated.
