Singida poised for major economic shift through strong cooperative societies
SINGIDA: SINGIDA Region is set for a significant economic transformation, driven by the revitalisation and strengthening of cooperative societies. This strategic move, announced by Regional Commissioner Ms. Halima Dendego, aims to boost incomes across all levels of the region. RC Dendego revealed these plans during her opening remarks at a one-day workshop on the Warehouse …
SINGIDA: SINGIDA Region is set for a significant economic transformation, driven by the revitalisation and strengthening of cooperative societies.
This strategic move, announced by Regional Commissioner Ms. Halima Dendego, aims to boost incomes across all levels of the region.
RC Dendego revealed these plans during her opening remarks at a one-day workshop on the Warehouse Receipt System mobilisation strategy for farmers.
The workshop gathered leaders of various cooperative societies and farmer representatives from all seven councils in the region.
She emphasised that the Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party, through its 2020 Election Manifesto, identifies cooperatives as a vital tool for uplifting the marginalised.
“Articles 33 and 34 of the Manifesto highlight the need to build, protect, defend and strengthen cooperatives. As stated in the document, cooperatives are among the key responsibilities that a CCM-led government must implement. It is our duty, therefore, as government to ensure that our cooperatives are functioning properly,” she said.
The RC said the government has taken deliberate measures to create an enabling environment for farmers, including addressing the long-standing challenge of low crop prices with the warehouse receipt system being seen as a key solution.
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“This time around, we are determined to flip the script economically. Singida must shed the label of being a poor region. We are wealthy, every crop grows well here. What we need is expert support and strong cooperatives that can help solve farmers’ challenges and ensure proper management. When we say we’re flipping the table, we mean it,” she affirmed.
Project Officer for the Green Production in landscape Singida (GPLS) and Crop Rotation under Helvetas Tanzania, Mr Christopher Chaula said the project seeks to increase the income of 15,000 farmers producing legumes and oilseed crops through organic farming practices.
He explained that the initiative is based on crop rotation methods and that the Green Production Project promotes sustainable agriculture, which enhances soil fertility and suppresses harmful pests naturally.
The five-year project, which began in 2023, is funded by the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs (DANIDA). So far, it has reached 6,950 out of the targeted 15,000 farmers.
Some of the workshop participants, including Chairperson of the Singida Region Cooperative Union (SIFACU), Mr Samwel Daninga, Eva Saidi and Christopher Kitila expressed satisfaction with the warehouse receipt system, describing it as the only mechanism that guarantees farmers reliable markets while eliminating middlemen.