Tanzania Agricultural Research Institute

In efforts to disseminate technologies to various agricultural stakeholders, this time the Tanzania Agricultural Research Institute (TARI) through Dakawa Center has gone on to train in three schools, Msasani and Wami Dakawa Primary Schools, as well as Wami Secondary School in the Mvomero District, Morogoro Region.

The training was conducted from 30/11/2021 to 06/12/2021 for a team of researchers in various disciplines, including technology transfer, rice plant breeding, and rice agronomy, to visit schools in their areas where a total of 1,258 people (494 men, 763 women) were reached. Of these, 882 students (417 males, 465 females), are in standards IV-VI for primary schools, Form I and III for secondary school. The teachers were 66 (16 men and 50 women) and 310 parents (62 men, 248 women).

Farmers carefully follow matters related to attributes and the availability of newly released improved rice varieties addressed by Mr. Ngabo Pamba (the technology transfer specialist) from TARI Dakawa during training at Wami Dakawa Primary School.

The training focused on Employment Opportunities in Agriculture, especially in adopting the concept of Farming-as-Business (for students) as well as the Promotion of the Use of Newly Released Seed of Improved Rice Varieties discovered by TARI Dakawa in collaboration with other stakeholders, for teachers and parents who are prospective farmers or farmers, for now.

The aim of this training was to build students’ awareness about employment opportunities in the value chains of various crops, especially in the rice sub-sector, to motivate and attract them to agricultural activities for self-employment, and food and income securities once they graduate from schools or grow up to become youths. In addition, the training is intended to inform, build capacity and promote the use of quality rice seeds for teachers and parents (farmers) so that they increase rice productivity and production for their households and the country as a whole. Similarly, the training visits are aimed at building and/or strengthening the relationship between the Educational Institutions and the TARI Dakawa Center starting from the Morogoro region; and the goal is to reach the whole country.

In this workshop participants had the opportunity to ask and receive answers to a variety of questions about farming including estimate production costs per acre of rice field, and the availability and proper use of inputs (quality improved seeds, fertilizers, and pesticides). In addition, they wanted to know and be answered about the challenges of obtaining soft input loans and marketing agricultural products. Similarly, students sang songs and poems with attractive messages towards agriculture for themselves, their peers, and teachers.

The training has received a great deal of response from students, teachers, and leaders of these educational institutions where many have pledged to make training visits to TARI Dakawa Center earlier next year to receive in-depth training as well as organize similar training for students hoping to graduate from standard seven and form four.

It is our call to various stakeholders to grab this opportunity to work with TARI with the aim of inspiring and attracting young people in agriculture while still in primary and secondary schools, and colleges.

Wami secondary school teachers posing for a photo with researchers visited the school for the training