Sports are not just for recreation and entertainment and FARM Concern International (FCI) has started using soccer matches to promote a sense of farming and agricultural undertakings among youth in Arusha and Kilimanjaro regions.
FCI decided to take the initiative following the realization that most farmers in Tanzania happen to be elderly people and as far as Arusha and Kilimanjaro precincts are concerned, agriculture is a sector dominated by older women, while the youth are totally unconcerned, choosing, instead, to migrate into urban areas, seeking white-collar jobs.
But for FCI, which is an Africa-wide Market Development Agency, developing pro-poor marketing models and strategic alliances to enhance economic growth among poor communities in various countries in Sub- Saharan Africa, once farming activities are transformed to become ‘interesting’, the youth will be encouraged to participate.
FCI regional desk manager for Tanzania, Ebeneza Githutha, revealed this when speaking at a special forum organized by FCI to encourage youth to get into agri-business in their respective areas of Hai, Siha, Arusha and Meru in Kilimanjaro and Arusha region.
“We have been assisting farmers in different ways, but we came to learn that there are many youth out there who are complaining over lack of employment, when land is there for them to do farming,” the FCI official said.
“As FCI, we have a product called Commercial Village model whereby farmers are assisted on how to do agri-business as well as linking them with markets of their produces.
But involvement of youth in this area is too minimal, and you find young people are in love with sports and we introduced a competition whereby sixteen football teams in 16 villages competed.”
More than 300 youth were involved in the football competition, which kicked off on September 5, this year, with Hai District Administrative Secretary (DAS) Juliet Mushi commending FCI for its endeavours in empowering youth into agri-business.
She said a large number of Tanzanian population is youth; hence the need for them to embark into farming remained important. “It is time for youth to use the opportunity and step-out of poverty,” she said, calling university and college graduates to embark into productive farming.
Nasai FC of Siha thrashed Leguruki FC of Arusha district 4-1 in a final match manned by a female referee, Agness Namdumi. The winners were awarded, among other prizes, a maize peeler machine which has the capacity of peeling 200 bags of maize per day.
“The idea is to encourage youth to form groups and embark upon profitable farming, as we link them with different players from agro-dealers to financial institutions,” said Githutha.
Salome Mmakasa, Quality assurance team leader with the Great African Food Company (GAFCO), called on youth in the area to embark into organic farming, because they are free from harmful chemicals.
One of the project beneficiary, Benson Mmari described agri-business as an ideal solution towards addressing poverty in the country.
“For the past five years, I have been engaging in agribusiness and I am enjoying its benefits,” said Mmari, who boasted to send his children to good schools, built a decent house as well as owning dairy cattle out of farming.
By EVERSHANY SWAY, Tanzania Daily News