Tanzania Agricultural Research Institute

Dr.Paul S. Saidia (Director of TARI Ukiriguru center and the national coordinator of cotton crop) accompanied by a team of researchers, early April 4,2024 visited the fertilizer manufacturing company well known as "ITRACOM" based in Dodoma - Nara Industrial area. While at the factory, they managed to meet with the management of the company where they met Dr. Kenneth F. Masuki (ITRACOM-Deputy Managing Director), Dr. Nestory Maduhu (Director of human resources) and Dr. Ntukamazina Nepomuscene (Director of research and innovation).

The researchers had the opportunity to negotiate with the management of the factory in the area of making partnership to facilitate the availability of fertilizer with the right nutrients for the cotton crop despite the fertilizers produced in the factory, which are FOMI-Otesha, FOMO-Kuzia and FOMI-Nenepesha.

The Deputy Director of the factory, Dr. Kenneth F. Masuki said" We are ready to cooperate with TARI Ukiriguru in the area of fertilizer according to the needs of the cotton crop. We are also ready to visit the center so that we develop a protocol for fertilizer trial farmers and later to establish trial farms in the sites that will be agreed on”. He added by saying that currently the factory has the capacity to produce 400,000 tons of fertilizer per year and the goal is to produce 1,000,000 tons of fertilizer by June 2024.

On his part, the Center Director of the TARI-Ukiriguru thanked the management of ITRACOM for being ready to cooperate with TARI Ukiriguru to facilitate the availability of fertilizer that matches the needs of the cotton crop in all its stages of growth. Lastly, he asked them to arrive early at TARI-Ukiriguru to enable the process to start as early as possible.