MOROGORO FARMERS FACE A NEW CLIMATE REALITY AS COMMUNITIES SEARCH FOR WAYS TO ADAPT

 MOROGORO FARMERS FACE A NEW CLIMATE REALITY AS COMMUNITIES SEARCH FOR WAYS TO ADAPT

By Thadei Hafigwa

MOROGORO, Tanzania

For generations, smallholder farmers in Morogoro Region have depended on familiar rainfall patterns to decide when to prepare their farms, plant seeds and expect harvests.

Today, that farming calendar is becoming increasingly difficult to predict.

Across parts of Morogoro, farmers and pastoralists are reporting changing rainfall patterns, prolonged dry spells, flooding and declining water availability. The consequences extend beyond farms, affecting household food supplies, incomes and the choices families make about their future.

In Mvomero District, research involving pastoral communities found that 77 percent of respondents believed rainfall had decreased and become less predictable. The study also found that the short rains, locally known as vuli, had become increasingly unreliable.

For farmers, uncertainty over rainfall can mean more than a difficult season. It can mean planting at the wrong time, losing seed and fertilizer investments, harvesting less food and having less money to meet household needs.

When the rains no longer follow the calendar

In rural communities, the changing climate is often experienced not through statistics but through decisions made in the field.A farmer who once knew approximately when to plant maize or rice must now consider whether rainfall will arrive on time, stop prematurely or come in heavy downpours capable of destroying crops.

Evidence from Kiroka village in Morogoro illustrates the complexity of the problem. The community faces both water shortages during dry periods and flooding during heavy rains. Research has linked flooding in lowland areas to runoff from highlands, while declining rainfall can leave water sources and irrigation canals dry, contributing to crop failure.

The result is a paradox: communities can experience too much water at one time and too little when they need it most.This instability puts pressure on food production and household income.

Kilombero: pressure on rice production and irrigation

The challenge is particularly visible in the Kilombero Valley, one of Tanzania's important agricultural areas. Farmers in Mkula Ward have reported significant declines in rice production. One farmer cited by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) said her seasonal rice harvest had fallen from 30 tonnes to 10 tonnes in recent years.

She attributed the decline to extreme weather events, deterioration of soil quality and pest problems, while farmers also identified seed quality, post-harvest facilities and unpredictable markets as additional challenges.

The experience demonstrates an important reality about climate reporting: climate change is rarely the only factor affecting a farmer.Poor infrastructure, limited access to quality seeds, soil degradation, weak markets and inadequate irrigation can combine with changing weather to make farming increasingly difficult.

At Mkula irrigation scheme, for example, only about 100 hectares of the 254 hectares originally designated for irrigation were being irrigated because of inadequate infrastructure, according to IUCN. Efforts to improve irrigation infrastructure, post-harvest handling and farmers' knowledge of climate-smart agriculture are therefore central to strengthening production.

Water is becoming an economic issue

The changing availability of water is also reshaping livelihoods around the Ngerengere River catchment. For farmers, water is directly connected to production. For households, it is connected to drinking, cooking and other domestic activities. When water sources decline, competition between different users can intensify.

In the wider Ruvu basin, efforts are under way to restore degraded land, protect water sources and use nature-based solutions to improve water security. A reported project aims to restore at least 3,000 hectares of degraded land and replenish more than 584 million litres of water in the basin. It also targets at least 2,000 farmers with climate-resilient agricultural practices.

The approach is significant because it moves beyond simply responding to water shortages. It seeks to address the condition of the landscape that determines whether water is retained, stored and available downstream.

Tree planting, restoration of degraded areas, better land-use practices and protection of water sources are therefore becoming part of the agricultural adaptation conversation.

Women carry another part of the burden

The impact of climate change is not evenly distributed within rural households. Women often carry responsibility for food preparation, water collection, childcare and other domestic activities while also participating in agricultural production. When water becomes scarce or harvests decline, these responsibilities can become more demanding.

But women are also emerging as important agents of adaptation. In Mvomero, 28-year-old farmer Jackrina Mzeru has been reported to combine pine and avocado trees with vegetable production, alongside traditional approaches to pest management.

Another farmer, Mary Gasper Mkwama, has adopted agro forestry by growing avocado trees alongside crops. Her experience has been highlighted as an example of how integrating trees into farms can provide food, income and environmental benefits.

According to the reported case, a local initiative involving Agriwezesha had planted more than 440,000 trees in Morogoro, including avocado, pine, grevillea and cypress, with the aim of stabilizing slopes, supporting households and improving resilience to climate extremes.

These experiences show that adaptation is not necessarily about abandoning traditional agriculture. In many cases, farmers are modifying it.

Young people and the question of the future

Climate pressure is also becoming a question about whether young people will continue to see agriculture as a viable livelihood. When repeated crop failures reduce household income, farming can become less attractive to young people who are already looking for employment and economic opportunities outside rural areas.

Research on Tanzania has found a relationship between declining agricultural income and internal migration. One analysis cited by the Migration Policy Institute found that the probability of rural households engaging in internal migration increased by about 13 percent for every one percent reduction in agricultural income.

Migration should not automatically be interpreted as a failure of rural communities. For some households, moving temporarily or permanently can be a strategy for finding alternative income. But if climate-related agricultural losses continue without adequate adaptation support, migration can increasingly become a necessity rather than a choice.

Communities are not waiting for solutions

Despite the challenges, farmers in Morogoro are already experimenting with different approaches. In Kiroka, adaptation measures have included the System of Rice Intensification, which involves wider spacing of seedlings, careful water management and soil-moisture conservation. In upland areas, farmers have also used contour bunds to reduce soil erosion and retain water, while planting crops such as bananas, vegetables and pineapples.

Other strategies include planting trees, using improved or drought-tolerant seeds, strengthening irrigation, diversifying household income and improving access to climate information.

In the Ruvu basin, proposed livelihood diversification includes activities such as beekeeping, fish farming and fodder production. Such measures are important because they reduce dependence on a single source of income.

The adptation gap

However, adopting climate-smart practices is not always easy. A farmer may know that drought-tolerant seed could reduce risk but still lack the money to purchase it. Another may understand the value of irrigation but lack access to reliable water infrastructure.

This creates what can be described as an adaptation gap: the difference between knowing what can help and having the resources needed to implement it.Tanzania's climate policy direction places emphasis on climate-smart agriculture, including drought-resistant seeds, improved water management and efficient irrigation technologies.

For rural communities in Morogoro, however, policy commitments need to translate into accessible services at village level. Farmers need affordable improved seeds, functioning irrigation schemes, extension services, reliable climate information, access to finance and markets for diversified products.

The climate story emerging from Morogoro is therefore not simply a story of drought, floods or declining harvests. It is a story about people trying to protect their livelihoods in an increasingly uncertain environment.

In Mvomero, farmers are adjusting their agricultural practices to changing rainfall. In the Ngerengere catchment, water conservation and restoration are becoming increasingly important. In Kilombero, irrigation farmers are seeking ways to maintain production while confronting water and infrastructure challenges.

Trees can protect soils and provide additional income. Improved irrigation can reduce dependence on rainfall. Drought-tolerant crops can reduce production risks. Better land management can improve water retention. Diversified livelihoods can protect households when one source of income fails.

But these measures work best when farmers have the knowledge, finance, infrastructure and institutions needed to sustain them.For Morogoro's smallholder farmers, climate change is no longer an abstract environmental issue. It is increasingly visible in the timing of planting, the availability of water, the size of harvests, household income and decisions about whether young people remain in agriculture.

The challenge now is whether government, researchers, development organizations and other stakeholders can match that local determination with the investment and technical support required to make adaptation work at scale.For the farmers whose livelihoods depend on the next rain, resilience cannot wait for the climate to become predictable again.

KILOSA YATOA SH. BILIONI 1.6 KWA WANAWAKE, VIJANA NA WATU WENYE ULEMAVU

KILOSA YATOA SH. BILIONI 1.6 KWA WANAWAKE, VIJANA NA WATU WENYE ULEMAVU

Na Thadei Hafigwa

HALMASHAURI ya Wilaya ya Kilosa mkoani Morogoro imetoa mikopo yenye thamani ya Sh. bilioni 1.6 kwa vikundi 127 vya wanawake, vijana na watu wenye ulemavu katika mwaka wa fedha 2025/2026, hatua inayolenga kuongeza ajira, kukuza ujasiriamali na kuinua kipato cha wananchi.

Mikopo hiyo imetolewa kupitia mpango wa kutenga asilimia 10 ya mapato ya ndani ya halmashauri kwa ajili ya kuwawezesha kiuchumi wanawake, vijana na watu wenye ulemavu.

Akizungumza kuhusu utekelezaji wa mpango huo, Mkurugenzi Mtendaji wa Halmashauri ya Wilaya ya Kilosa, Beatrice Mwinuka, amesema mikopo hiyo imeendelea kuwa nyenzo muhimu katika kuwawezesha wananchi kujiajiri na kuendesha shughuli mbalimbali za uzalishaji na biashara.

Amesema mpango huo pia unalenga kuboresha ustawi wa makundi hayo kwa kuwawezesha kupata mitaji ya kuanzisha na kuendeleza shughuli za kiuchumi, hivyo kuongeza kipato cha kaya na kuchangia maendeleo ya jamii.

Mwinuka ameeleza hayo wakati wa shughuli za ufuatiliaji wa vikundi vilivyonufaika na mikopo hiyo katika kata za Dumila na Magole, ambapo viongozi walipata fursa ya kuona namna wanufaika wanavyotumia fedha walizokopeshwa.

Katika ziara hiyo, Mbunge wa Viti Maalumu Mkoa wa Tanga, Husna Sekiboko, amesisitiza umuhimu wa wananchi kulinda amani na utulivu, akieleza kuwa mazingira salama ni msingi muhimu wa maendeleo ya kiuchumi na kijamii.

Sekiboko amesema wananchi wanapaswa kutumia fursa zinazotolewa na Serikali kwa kuwekeza katika shughuli zenye tija, huku wakizingatia mshikamano na ushirikiano katika jamii.

Kwa upande wao, baadhi ya wanufaika wa mikopo hiyo wameishukuru Serikali, chini ya uongozi wa Rais wa Jamhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania, Dkt. Samia Suluhu Hassan, kwa kuendelea kuweka mazingira ya kuwawezesha wananchi kupata mitaji kupitia mpango huo.

Wamesema mikopo hiyo imewasaidia kupanua biashara, kununua vifaa vya uzalishaji na kuongeza kipato cha familia, huku wakieleza kuwa fursa hiyo imewapa uwezo wa kujitegemea na kuboresha maisha yao.

Aidha, wanufaika hao wameviomba vikundi vingine vinavyopata mikopo kutumia fedha hizo kwa malengo yaliyokusudiwa, pamoja na kuhakikisha marejesho yanafanyika kwa wakati ili kuwawezesha wanachama wengine kunufaika na fursa hiyo.

Utekelezaji wa mpango wa asilimia 10 ya mapato ya ndani unaendelea kuwa miongoni mwa hatua zinazolenga kuwawezesha wanawake, vijana na watu wenye ulemavu kushiriki kikamilifu katika shughuli za kiuchumi na kujenga msingi wa maendeleo endelevu katika halmashauri.

PROF. KABUDI AITAKA NSSF WANANCHI SEKTA ISIYO RASMI

PROF. KABUDI AITAKA NSSF KUWAFIKIA WANANCHI SEKTA ISIYO RASMI

Na Thadei Hafigwa

Waziri wa Nchi, Ofisi ya Waziri Mkuu, Sera, Bunge na Uratibu, Prof. Palamagamba Kabudi, ameitaka Mfuko wa Taifa wa Hifadhi ya Jamii (NSSF) kushirikiana na viongozi wa mikoa, wilaya na halmashauri katika kutoa elimu na kuhamasisha wananchi wanaofanya shughuli katika sekta isiyo rasmi kujiunga na Hifadhi Skimu.

Prof. Kabudi amesema hatua hiyo ni muhimu katika kuwawezesha wananchi hao kuwa na mfumo wa kujilinda kiuchumi na kuhakikisha wanakuwa na uhakika wa maisha yao ya sasa na baadaye kupitia hifadhi ya jamii.

Waziri huyo alitoa wito huo wakati wa kilele cha Maonesho ya 33 ya Nanenane 2026,Kanda ya Mashariki yaliyofanyika katika Viwanja vya Mwalimu Julius K. Nyerere, Manispaa ya Morogoro.

Mkuu wa Mkoa wa Morogoro Adam Malima.

Amesema Serikali inayoongozwa na Rais wa Jamhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania, Dkt. Samia Suluhu Hassan, inalenga kuhakikisha wananchi wengi zaidi, wakiwemo wanaojishughulisha na shughuli mbalimbali katika sekta isiyo rasmi, wanapata fursa ya kujiunga na mifumo ya hifadhi ya jamii kupitia Hifadhi Scheme inayosimamiwa na NSSF.

Prof. Kabudi ameitaka NSSF kuongeza nguvu katika kuwafikia wananchi moja kwa moja katika maeneo wanakofanyia shughuli zao za kiuchumi, badala ya kusubiri wananchi wafike katika ofisi za mfuko huo.

“NSSF shirikiana na viongozi wa mikoa, wilaya na halmashauri tuhakikishe tunakwenda kuwafuata wananchi mahali walipo katika maeneo yao ya uzalishaji, maeneo yao ya masoko, maeneo yao ya shughuli mbalimbali ili kuhakikisha Watanzania wengi ambao wapo katika sekta isiyo rasmi wanajiunga na Hifadhi Scheme,” amesema Prof. Kabudi.

Amesema sekta isiyo rasmi ina mchango mkubwa katika uchumi wa Taifa, hivyo ni muhimu wananchi wanaojishughulisha na shughuli hizo kutambua umuhimu wa kuwa na mfumo wa hifadhi ya jamii.

Mkuu wa Mkoa wa Pwani, Abubakar Kulenge.

Kwa mujibu wa Prof. Kabudi, wananchi wanapaswa kutumia fursa hiyo kujenga utamaduni wa kujiwekea akiba kwa ajili ya kukabiliana na changamoto mbalimbali za maisha na kupata mafao yanayostahili kwa mujibu wa masharti ya skimu.

Katika hatua nyingine, Prof. Kabudi amepongeza Maonesho ya Nanenane ya mwaka huu akisema yameendelea kuwa jukwaa muhimu la wananchi, wakulima, wafugaji, wavuvi, wataalamu na wadau mbalimbali kuonesha teknolojia na ubunifu unaoweza kuongeza tija katika uzalishaji.

Amesema ongezeko la teknolojia zinazoibukia katika maonesho hayo ni sehemu ya utekelezaji wa Dira ya Taifa ya Maendeleo 2050, ambayo inalenga kujenga uchumi wenye tija, ushindani na unaotumia maarifa na teknolojia.

Kwa upande wake, Mkuu wa Mkoa wa Morogoro, Mhe. Adam Kighoma Malima, amesema Maonesho ya Nanenane ya mwaka huu yameonesha ongezeko la teknolojia na ubunifu unaolenga kuongeza tija na kupunguza gharama za uzalishaji.

Amesema teknolojia hizo zinatoa fursa kwa wananchi kujifunza mbinu bora za uzalishaji katika sekta mbalimbali, hususan kilimo, mifugo na uvuvi.

Malima amesisitiza umuhimu wa wananchi kutumia fursa zinazotokana na maonesho hayo kwa kujifunza teknolojia zinazofaa, kuzitumia katika shughuli zao za uzalishaji na kuongeza thamani ya bidhaa zao ili kuongeza kipato na kuchangia maendeleo ya uchumi wa Taifa.

Mkuu wa Mkoa wa Twanga,Dkt.Matrida Buriani

Maonesho ya Nanenane yanaendelea kuwa jukwaa muhimu la kuwakutanisha wadau wa sekta mbalimbali za uzalishaji, kutoa elimu na kuonesha teknolojia, bidhaa na huduma zinazolenga kuboresha maisha ya wananchi na kuongeza tija katika uchumi.

 RAIS MSTAAFU WA AWAMU YA NNE,DKT.JAKAYA KIKWETE AKIWA KATIKA PICHA YA PAMOJA NA VIONGOZI WA HALMASHAURI YA WILAYA YA KIBAHA

KIBAHA YAIBUKA BINGWA NANENANE PWANI, YANG’ARA KATIKA MAONESHO KANDA YA MASHARIKI

Na Thadei Hafigwa

HALMASHAURI ya Wilaya ya Kibaha imeibuka mshindi wa kwanza kwa Mkoa wa Pwani katika Maonesho ya Nanenane Kanda ya Mashariki 2026, baada ya kuonesha ubunifu, teknolojia na fursa mbalimbali katika sekta za kilimo, mifugo na uvuvi.

Ushindi huo umeiweka Kibaha katika nafasi ya juu miongoni mwa Halmashauri zinazoshiriki maonesho hayo yanayofanyika katika Viwanja vya Mwalimu Julius K. Nyerere, Manispaa ya Morogoro.

Tuzo hiyo ilitolewa Agosti 8, 2026, na Waziri wa Nchi, Ofisi ya Waziri Mkuu anayeshughulikia Sera, Bunge, Uratibu na Watu Wenye Ulemavu, Prof. Palamagamba John Kabudi, ambaye alikuwa Mgeni Rasmi katika kilele cha Maonesho ya Nanenane Kanda ya Mashariki.

Kibaha imepata ushindi huo baada ya kuonesha shughuli mbalimbali za kiuchumi zinazofanywa katika wilaya hiyo, pamoja na teknolojia na ubunifu unaolenga kuongeza tija katika uzalishaji na kuboresha maisha ya wananchi.

Maonesho ya Nanenane yameendelea kuwa jukwaa muhimu la kuwaunganisha wakulima, wafugaji, wavuvi, wataalamu, taasisi za Serikali, sekta binafsi na wadau wa maendeleo kwa ajili ya kuonesha teknolojia, kubadilishana uzoefu na kutafuta fursa za masoko.

Kupitia maonesho hayo, washiriki wamepata fursa ya kuonesha bidhaa zao, kutoa elimu kwa wananchi na kueleza fursa mbalimbali zinazopatikana katika maeneo yao.

Kwa Kibaha, ushindi huo unatarajiwa kuongeza hamasa kwa Halmashauri kuendelea kuwekeza katika teknolojia, ubunifu na huduma zinazowawezesha wananchi kuongeza tija katika shughuli za uzalishaji.

Katika tukio jingine lililovutia katika Maonesho ya Nanenane Kanda ya Mashariki, Rais Mstaafu wa Awamu ya Nne, Dkt. Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete, alitembelea banda la Halmashauri ya Wilaya ya Mlimba na kujionea shughuli mbalimbali zinazofanyika katika maonesho hayo.

Dkt. Kikwete alisifu matumizi ya teknolojia za kisasa katika kilimo, akieleza kuwa matumizi sahihi ya teknolojia yanaweza kumsaidia mkulima kuongeza uzalishaji, kipato na uwezo wa kukabiliana na changamoto ya uhaba wa chakula.

Alisema teknolojia hizo zina nafasi kubwa katika kumkwamua mkulima kiuchumi na kumwezesha kuzalisha kwa tija zaidi.

Ziara hiyo ilitoa fursa kwa viongozi na wadau wa sekta ya kilimo kuonesha maendeleo yaliyofikiwa katika matumizi ya teknolojia na ubunifu katika shughuli za uzalishaji.

Maonesho ya Nanenane Kanda ya Mashariki yanafanyika katika Viwanja vya Mwalimu Julius K. Nyerere, Morogoro, yakishirikisha mikoa ya Morogoro, Pwani, Tanga na Dar es Salaam.

Maonesho hayo yanalenga kuwawezesha wananchi kupata elimu na taarifa kuhusu teknolojia za kilimo, mifugo na uvuvi, pamoja na fursa za uwekezaji, masoko na kuongeza thamani ya mazao.

Ushindi wa Kibaha katika kundi la Halmashauri za Mkoa wa Pwani unaendelea kuonesha umuhimu wa Nanenane kama jukwaa la ushindani wenye tija, ubunifu na kuhamasisha Halmashauri kuwekeza zaidi katika maendeleo ya sekta za uzalishaji.

Kwa ujumla, Maonesho ya Nanenane 2026 yameendelea kutoa ujumbe kwamba teknolojia, ubunifu na uelewa wa masoko ni msingi muhimu wa kuongeza tija kwa wakulima, wafugaji na wavuvi na hatimaye kuchochea uchumi wa wananchi na Taifa kwa ujumla.

 

 WAZIRI WA NCHI,OFISI YA WAZIRI MKUU SERA,BUNGE NA WATU WENYE ULEMAVU PALAMAGAMA KABUDI AKIKABIDHI ZAWADI KWA VIONGOZI WA HALMASHAURI YA WILAYA YA MVOMERO WAKATI WA KUFUNGA MAONESHO YA NANENANE KANDA YA MASHARIKI.

MVOMERO YAINGIA TATU BORA NANENANE 2026, YAONESHA NGUVU YA KILIMO NA UBUNIFU

Na Thadei Hafigwa

HALMASHAURI ya Wilaya ya Mvomero imeibuka mshindi wa tatu kimkoa katika Maonesho ya 33 ya Nanenane Kanda ya Mashariki 2026, ikionesha hatua inayoongeza hadhi ya wilaya hiyo katika matumizi ya teknolojia, ubunifu na uzalishaji wa kilimo.

Mvomero imepata nafasi hiyo katika maonesho yanayofanyika katika Viwanja vya Mwalimu Julius K. Nyerere, Manispaa ya Morogoro, yanayowakutanisha wadau mbalimbali kutoka sekta za kilimo, mifugo na uvuvi.

Mafanikio hayo yanaelezwa kuwa ni matokeo ya jitihada za Halmashauri katika kuhamasisha uzalishaji wa mazao, matumizi ya teknolojia za kisasa za kilimo pamoja na kuwapatia wananchi huduma na taarifa zinazoweza kuongeza tija katika shughuli zao za kiuchumi.

Katika maonesho hayo, Mvomero imeonesha shughuli mbalimbali za uzalishaji, ubunifu na teknolojia zinazotumiwa na wakulima na wadau wengine wa kilimo, huku wananchi wakipata fursa ya kujifunza kuhusu mbinu bora za uzalishaji na kuongeza thamani ya mazao.

Maonesho ya Nanenane yameendelea kuwa jukwaa muhimu la kuwakutanisha wakulima, wafugaji, wavuvi, wataalamu, taasisi za Serikali, sekta binafsi na wadau wa maendeleo kwa lengo la kubadilishana uzoefu, kuonesha teknolojia mpya na kujenga fursa za masoko.

Maonesho hayo ya Kanda ya Mashariki yataendelea hadi Agosti 10, 2026, yakitarajiwa kuendelea kutoa fursa kwa wananchi kupata elimu, teknolojia na taarifa kuhusu fursa zilizopo katika sekta za kilimo, mifugo na uvuvi.

Maonesho ya Nanenane mwaka huu yanafanyika chini ya kaulimbiu:“Tambua Soko: Ongeza Tija, Kutekeleza Dira 2050.”

Kaulimbiu hiyo inasisitiza umuhimu wa wakulima, wafugaji, wavuvi na wadau wengine wa sekta za uzalishaji kuelewa mahitaji ya soko kabla na wakati wa uzalishaji ili kuongeza tija, ubora na ushindani wa bidhaa zao.

Kwa Mvomero, nafasi ya tatu katika ushindani huo inaongeza hamasa ya kuendelea kuwekeza katika teknolojia za kisasa, ubunifu na uzalishaji unaozingatia mahitaji ya soko ili kuongeza kipato cha wananchi na kuchangia maendeleo ya kiuchumi ya Mkoa wa Morogoro.

Mafanikio hayo pia yanaweka msisitizo katika umuhimu wa Halmashauri kutumia majukwaa kama Nanenane kuonesha fursa zilizopo katika maeneo yao, kuvutia wawekezaji na kuwaunganisha wazalishaji na masoko.

Kwa msingi huo, nafasi ya Mvomero katika tatu bora si tu ushindi wa maonesho, bali ni ishara ya juhudi za kuimarisha sekta ya kilimo na shughuli nyingine za uzalishaji kwa kutumia maarifa, teknolojia na ubunifu unaolenga kuongeza tija na ushindani wa bidhaa za Tanzania.

SERIKALI YAWEKA MKAKATI WA FEDHA, MIUNDOMBINU KUCHOCHEA UCHUMI NYANDA ZA JUU KUSINI

Waziri wa Fedha, Balozi Khamis Mussa Omar (Mb)

 SERIKALI YAWEKA MKAKATI WA FEDHA, MIUNDOMBINU KUCHOCHEA UCHUMI NYANDA ZA JUU KUSINI

Na Mwandishi wetu

SERIKALI imeweka mkakati wa kuhakikisha upatikanaji wa fedha za miradi ya miundombinu unakuwa wa uhakika, hatua inayolenga kuharakisha utekelezaji wa miradi ya barabara na miundombinu mingine muhimu kwa ajili ya kuchochea shughuli za uzalishaji na ukuaji wa uchumi nchini.

Mkakati huo unalenga zaidi kuimarisha miundombinu katika maeneo ya uzalishaji, hususan Kanda ya Nyanda za Juu Kusini, ambayo ni miongoni mwa maeneo muhimu kwa uzalishaji wa chai na mazao mbalimbali ya kilimo.

Waziri wa Fedha, Balozi Khamis Mussa Omar (Mb), aliyasema hayo alipofika katika Ofisi ya Mkuu wa Mkoa wa Mbeya wakati wa kuhitimisha sherehe za Maadhimisho ya Nane-Nane yaliyofanyika katika Viwanja vya John Mwakangale, jijini Mbeya.

Alisema Serikali imejipanga kuhakikisha fedha za kutekeleza miradi ya maendeleo zinapatikana kwa wakati ili kuondoa changamoto ya kuchelewa kwa utekelezaji wa miradi, hasa ya barabara na miundombinu mingine inayochochea shughuli za kiuchumi.

Kwa mujibu wa Waziri huyo, kwa muda mrefu utekelezaji wa baadhi ya miradi ya maendeleo ulikuwa ukikabiliwa na changamoto ya ucheleweshaji wa fedha, hali iliyosababisha miradi kadhaa kusuasua.

Hata hivyo, alisema Serikali imefanya mageuzi ya kimfumo kwa kuweka utaratibu wa kuhakikisha asilimia 70 ya mapato yanayokusanywa kupitia mifuko maalum yanaelekezwa moja kwa moja kwenye mifuko hiyo badala ya kupitia Hazina.

“Katika mwezi wa Julai pekee, jumla ya shilingi bilioni 324 zilitolewa kwa mifuko mbalimbali ya maendeleo, ambapo shilingi bilioni 76 zilipelekwa moja kwa moja kwenye Mfuko wa Barabara. Utaratibu huu utaendelea kwa mwaka mzima wa fedha ili kuhakikisha miradi ya miundombinu haikwamishwi na uhaba wa fedha,” alisema Mhe. Balozi Omar.

Balozi Omar alisema Serikali pia inaendelea kushirikiana na sekta ya fedha kutafuta njia mbadala za kupata fedha nyingi kwa wakati kwa ajili ya kugharamia miradi mikubwa ya miundombinu.

Alisema miongoni mwa njia zinazotazamwa ni matumizi ya hati fungani za miundombinu (infrastructure bonds), ambazo zinaweza kusaidia kupata fedha za miradi mikubwa mapema badala ya kusubiri mapato ya ndani kukusanywa hatua kwa hatua.

Kwa mujibu wake, hatua hiyo itasaidia Serikali kuharakisha utekelezaji wa miradi yenye umuhimu mkubwa kwa uchumi na wananchi.

Akizungumzia umuhimu wa miundombinu, Balozi Omar alisema barabara ni kiungo muhimu kati ya maeneo ya uzalishaji, masoko na viwanda, hivyo uwekezaji katika sekta hiyo una nafasi kubwa katika kuongeza tija na kipato cha wananchi.

Alisema hali hiyo ni muhimu zaidi katika Kanda ya Nyanda za Juu Kusini, ambako kilimo cha chai na mazao mengine kinafanyika kwa kiwango kikubwa.

“Maeneo haya ya Nyanda za Juu Kusini, ambako zao la chai na mazao mengine ya kilimo huzalishwa kwa wingi, miundombinu bora ya barabara itasaidia kuongeza tija kwa wakulima na kuchochea ukuaji wa viwanda vya kuongeza thamani ya mazao hayo,” alisema.

Aliongeza kuwa miundombinu bora itarahisisha usafirishaji wa mazao, kupunguza gharama za usafirishaji na upotevu wa bidhaa, pamoja na kufungua fursa za masoko mapya kwa wakulima na wazalishaji.

“Hii ndiyo njia ya kuongeza kipato cha wakulima na kukuza uchumi wa nchi,” alisema.

Balozi Omar pia alisisitiza umuhimu wa kuimarisha usimamizi wa miradi ya miundombinu ili kuhakikisha wakandarasi wanatekeleza majukumu yao kwa kuzingatia mikataba waliyoingia na Serikali.

Alisema wakandarasi watakaobainika kuchelewesha utekelezaji wa miradi bila sababu za msingi watachukuliwa hatua kali, ikiwemo kuwekwa kwenye orodha ya kutopatiwa zabuni nyingine za Serikali.

Alisisitiza kuwa suala la miundombinu si ajenda ya kisiasa pekee, bali ni sehemu ya kutafuta suluhisho la changamoto zinazowakabili wananchi katika maisha na shughuli zao za kiuchumi.

Alisema hali mbaya ya barabara katika baadhi ya maeneo imekuwa kikwazo kwa shughuli za uzalishaji, usafirishaji wa bidhaa na upatikanaji wa masoko.

Kwa upande wake, Mkuu wa Mkoa wa Mbeya, Beno Malisa, alisema Mkoa huo unatambua na kuthamini jitihada zinazofanywa na Serikali katika kuboresha miundombinu, hususan barabara.

Alisema Serikali imetenga zaidi ya shilingi bilioni 9 kwa ajili ya ujenzi wa barabara ya njia nne inayounganisha Igawa–Uyole–Songwe–Tunduma, akieleza kuwa mradi huo ni hatua muhimu katika kuboresha usafiri na usafirishaji katika Mkoa wa Mbeya.

Kwa mujibu wa Mhe. Malisa, ujenzi huo utasaidia kupunguza msongamano wa magari, kurahisisha usafirishaji wa bidhaa na kufungua fursa mpya za biashara na uwekezaji.

“Mradi huu utarahisisha usafiri na usafirishaji wa bidhaa, kupunguza msongamano wa magari na kufungua fursa mpya za kiuchumi kwa wananchi na wawekezaji,” alisema.

Malisa alisema pamoja na maboresho ya barabara, Serikali inaendelea kuwekeza katika huduma nyingine muhimu, ikiwemo umeme na maji, ili kuweka mazingira bora kwa shughuli za uzalishaji na uwekezaji.

Alisema TANESCO tayari imetoa ratiba ya kupeleka umeme katika maeneo yaliyokuwa na uhitaji mkubwa wa huduma hiyo.

Alibainisha kuwa upatikanaji wa umeme katika maeneo ya uzalishaji, ikiwemo migodi inayozalisha hadi kilo 400 za dhahabu kwa mwezi, utasaidia kuongeza tija na thamani ya uzalishaji.

Alisema maboresho ya huduma za maji, umeme na miundombinu mingine yataendelea kuwa msingi muhimu wa kuboresha maisha ya wananchi na kuchochea ukuaji wa uchumi wa Mkoa wa Mbeya.

Kwa ujumla, Serikali imeeleza kuwa uwekezaji katika miundombinu utaendelea kupewa kipaumbele kama nyenzo muhimu ya kuunganisha wazalishaji na masoko, kupunguza gharama za uzalishaji na usafirishaji, kuongeza thamani ya mazao na hatimaye kuongeza kipato cha wananchi pamoja na kuchochea ukuaji wa uchumi wa Taifa.

 

GOVERNMENT WITNESSES SIGNING OF MINDU DAM EMBANKMENT RAISING PROJECT

Morogoro Regional Commissioner,Adam Malima,centre,poses for a group photo with other leaders while displaying the construction contract documents for the Mindu Dam embankment.

GOVERNMENT WITNESSES SIGNING OF MINDU DAM EMBANKMENT RAISING PROJECT

By Thadei Hafigwa

The Morogoro Regional Government has adopted a strategy to address the impacts of climate change by raising the embankment of Mindu Dam, which is a major source of water for residents of Morogoro Municipality.

Government leaders in Morogoro Region witnessed the signing of a contract for the implementation of the Mindu Dam embankment-raising project between the Morogoro Urban Water Supply and Sanitation Authority (MORUWASA) and China-based Sinohydro Corporation.

The project is estimated to cost TZS 33 billion and is financed by the Agence Française de Développement (AFD), the French Development Agency.

Speaking shortly after the signing ceremony, Morogoro Regional Commissioner, Adam Malima, said Sinohydro emerged as the successful bidder to implement the project, noting that the company has extensive experience, having also participated in the construction of the Kidunda Dam Project.

Malima said the government is committed to ensuring that the project is implemented on time and in accordance with the required standards in order to strengthen the availability of clean and safe water for residents of Morogoro.

He also condemned environmental destruction within the Mindu Dam catchment area, stressing that all activities that threaten water sources must be stopped immediately.

He said residents who will be required to vacate areas within the dam's protected zone will be compensated in phases, with the government expecting to spend more than TZS 9.7 billion on the compensation exercise.

Mindu Dam which located in Morogoro Manicipal council,has been increasingly affected by human activiites and the impacts of climate change.

He further directed the Morogoro Regional Mining Office to ensure that mining activities within and around the Mindu Dam area are stopped in order to protect the environment and conserve the important water source.

For his part, the MORUWASA Managing Director, CPA Sais Kyejo, said the project will involve raising the dam embankment by 2.5 metres, a measure that will increase the dam's water storage capacity from 12.62 billion cubic litres to more than 22 billion cubic litres.

“This increase will help reduce the challenges of accessing clean and safe water among residents of Morogoro Region, while the project is expected to be completed within 18 months, as stipulated in the contract,” said CPA Kyejo.

Meanwhile, the Chairman of the MORUWASA Board, Professor Moses Warioba, said the authority will continue improving water services to meet the growing demand resulting from population growth as well as increasing social and economic activities in Morogoro Region.

Professor Warioba said expansion of water infrastructure is essential to ensuring that residents have reliable access to clean and safe water, adding that MORUWASA will continue implementing sustainable strategies to strengthen water services for the development of the region. 

FBME CUSTOMERS TO RECEIVE 100 PERCENT OF THEIR DEPOSITS

          Mr.  Isack Kihwili, Director General of the Deposit Insurance Board (DIB)

FBME CUSTOMERS TO RECEIVE 100 PERCENT OF THEIR DEPOSITS

By Thadei Hafigwa

The Deposit Insurance Board (DIB) has begun the process of paying the fourth phase of compensation to Tanzanian customers who held deposits with the former FBME Bank Limited, a move that will complete the repayment of 100 percent of their deposits.

This was revealed by Isack Kihwili, Director General of the Deposit Insurance Board (DIB), while speaking to journalists in Morogoro about the progress of compensation payments to customers of the bank.

According to Kihwili, FBME Bank Limited was closed by the Bank of Tanzania (BOT) on May 8, 2017, and placed under liquidation after it was established that the bank had engaged in activities that violated the conditions of its banking licence.

Following the closure, the Bank of Tanzania appointed the Deposit Insurance Board as the liquidator of the bank in accordance with the Banking and Financial Institutions Act, 2006.

Kihwili said a total of 2,280 customers who had deposits of more than TSh 1.5 million at the time the bank was closed had claims against FBME.

He explained that among them, 1,414 were Tanzanian customers, whose claims amounted to TSh 35,233.95 million, while 866 international customers who held accounts in Tanzania had claims valued at TSh 308,216.62 million.

Kihwili said that as of June 30, 2026, Tanzanian customers had already received 85 percent of their deposits through three previous phases of compensation.

Journalists attentively listening to the General Director of deposit Insurance Board(DIB) Mr.Isack Kihwili(not at photo)

He said the first phase involved payment of 30 percent, the second phase 25 percent, and the third phase 30 percent.

According to the DIB, as of June 30, 2026, a total of 986 customers, equivalent to 69.73 percent of the 1,414 claimants, had received compensation amounting to 85 percent of their deposits, valued at TSh 26,021.09 million out of a total of TSh 29,928.23 million.

However, 428 customers, equivalent to 30.27 percent of the claimants, had not yet been paid. Their claims were valued at TSh 3,907.14 million.

The DIB said one of the major reasons some customers had not been paid was their failure to submit their claims.

Speaking about the current phase of the process, Kihwili said the DIB had successfully collected sufficient funds to pay the remaining 15 percent of the deposits, following efforts to trace and recover assets belonging to the former FBME Bank.

He said the DIB convened a meeting of the Creditors’ Committee on July 29, 2026, to approve the payments and, following the approval, had already begun the payment process for the affected customers.

Kihwili said completion of the payments would mean that Tanzanian customers who had deposited their money with FBME Bank Limited would have received 100 percent of their deposits. While the process of completing payments to Tanzanian customers is underway, the DIB continues to address the claims of other customers.

According to the statement, the DIB, in collaboration with the Liquidator of the Cyprus Branch, continues to recover FBME assets to facilitate payments to depositors who have not yet been compensated. These include international customers and customers of the Cyprus branch, as well as other creditors in accordance with the law.

Kihwili urged members of the public to continue placing their deposits with banks and financial institutions licensed by the Bank of Tanzania, noting that deposits held in such institutions are protected under the deposit insurance scheme in accordance with the law.

The DIB also expressed its appreciation to FBME customers for their patience throughout the liquidation process, as well as to the Government for its cooperation, advice and guidance, which have contributed to reaching the current stage of the process.

Morogoro Strengthens Early Childhood Development through Integrated Services

 

Morogoro Strengthens Early Childhood Development through Integrated Services

By Thadei Hafigwa

The future of Tanzania depends on how well today's children are nurtured, protected, and prepared for life. In Morogoro Region, significant progress is being made through the implementation of the National Integrated Early Childhood Development Programme (PJT-MMMAM), a multi-sector initiative aimed at ensuring every child receives quality healthcare, proper nutrition, early learning opportunities, protection from violence, and responsive parenting.

Presenting the regional implementation report for January–June 2026, Ms. Amisa Kagambo, Social Welfare Officer from the Morogoro Regional Secretariat, highlighted remarkable achievements that demonstrate the region's commitment to giving children the best possible start in life.

During the reporting period, more than 603,000 children under two years received essential immunization services, over 61,000 pregnant women accessed maternal healthcare, and thousands of families benefited from nutrition education and emergency maternal referral services. The programme also supported school feeding initiatives, rescued vulnerable children living on the streets, strengthened child protection systems, expanded early childhood education, and promoted positive parenting through community outreach and media campaigns.

Despite these achievements, Ms. Kagambo noted that challenges remain, including low birth registration, insufficient registration of childcare centres, limited services for children with special needs, inadequate funding, and weak data management systems. Addressing these gaps will require stronger collaboration among government institutions, development partners, communities, and parents.

As Morogoro continues investing in children's health, education, nutrition, and protection, the programme sends a clear message: every child deserves a safe, healthy, and nurturing environment to reach their full potential. The success of the initiative will depend on sustained commitment from all stakeholders to ensure that no child is left behind.