A total of 1,423 industries have been set up in Tanzania within one year of President John Magufuli in office, it has been revealed.
Principal Trade Officer in the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, Mr Wilfred Kahwa, made the revelation yesterday, noting that the industries were developed between October 2015 and October 2016. Some 19 industrial development projects initiated within the year (October 2015 to October 2016) are also under implementation.
Mr Kahwa made the speech while in a workshop that also coincided with the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of National Network of Farmers Groups Tanzania (MVIWATA), where he presented a paper on government commitment towards making Tanzania an industrialised country.
The workshop that was organised by MVIWATA was aimed at discussing and deliberating on the position of peasants in the country towards the development of industrial economy in Tanzania.
Mr Kahwa named regions including Coast, Kigoma, Lindi, Mtwara, Tanga and Mwanza as the areas where the industries have been set up. Majority of the industries, according to the Principal Trade Officer, included manufacturing and processing industries as well as other large and medium ones.
“The government is very much committed to ensure that the country attains its goal of becoming an industrialised one as planned is met,” he said, adding that it also aims to ensure that it contributes 15 per cent in the GDP and provides employment to 40 per cent of the citizens come 2020. He said that currently, industrial development in the country contributes 9.1 per cent in the GDP.
Opening the workshop, the Morogoro Regional Commissioner (RC), Stephen Kebwe, assured the participants of the network of government and its commitment to solve challenges facing them in the country.
In a speech read on his behalf by the District Commissioner (DC) of Morogoro Urban, Ms Regina Chonjo, the RC singled out land conflicts as one of the major challenges, yet to be addressed in order to allow smooth industrial development especially in the rural areas.
Earlier, MVIWATA had expressed the need for the government to embark on serious and committed measures that would ensure small farmers in the country are prepared well towards making Tanzania industrialised.
The Chairperson of the Network, Ms Veronica Sophy, said that peasants were vital in the development of an industrialised economy, adding that it was also necessary for the authority to start grooming them by creating friendly environment for their productions.
“Farmers in Tanzania face many challenges including land conflicts and poor agricultural inputs,” she said, reiterating the need for the government to address the challenge and enable the farmers to cope well as they gear towards the development of many industries in the country.