Is agriculture the real backbone of our economy?

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The 'Kilimo Kwanza'-the policy focusing on agrarian revolution was introduced by President Jakaya Kikwete when in the battle for votes for his second half session to complete his ten years term of presidency.

Critics say he introduced the policy as a gear to push him into power as it was actively used during the election campaign of the year 2010.

The extent to what the Kilimo kwanza will be influential to the socio-economic development of Tanzania depends on the perspective on which the policy was built.

If it was mere politics we better cast away our expectations. To determine whether the policy is for real economic stride, the simple way to confirm this won’t be any other than critically examining the areas of strengths and weakness of the policy.

The areas of weakness are obviously seen to outnumber those of strengths and lay a foundation towards criticizing this policy of agrarian revolution as described the one established not in a well planned base likely to yield notable fruits to the Tanzanians most of them suffering the destitution.

The fractures Kilimo kwanza policy is living with are the ones to make it fail to relegate poverty from the embrace of the Tanzanians who are slowly acquiring acumen after the long exposure to life challenges. Lack of education and absolute poverty have proved to be an open handicap to the success of the policy.

People are not aware of the advantage of the use of fertilizers and quality seeds. These obstacles of comprehension contribute to the failure of Kilimo Kwanza.

Despite the highly reduced prices for fertilizers and seeds, some of Tanzanians who are poor in terms of financial capability lose their right to these subsidies as they fail to pay even for the low prices of these farming facilities and leave earthly-grace to unscrupulous VEOs, WEOs and agents responsible for Kilimo Kwanza.

How to transport agricultural products from farms to markets or other areas where they can be used remains a great challenge to the government when with its policy of kilimo kwanza.

After the farmers become industrious and do their level best to make output of highest level they are forced to face terms of desperation when the means to transport their produce becomes a parable. With this situation confined mostly in the southern part of Tanzania, we agree each other of the said weakness of the policy.

As the government fails to find markets for the agricultural produce result of kilimo kwanza is where the policy can not be a relief of economic hardships when the farmers have lost a lot of sweat but receiving little sweet dividends.

Poor performance of the industrial sector predispose agricultural sector becoming weak in eradicating the socio-economic distress of citizens as we approach 52 years since we attained our independence.

The farmers produce a lot of produce but no industries to process these produce and hence make the country fail to get foreign currency necessary for economic improvement. There is no real success to the agricultural sector without industrial base. This is really a challenge to the government.

The financial crisis of the year 2008 affected the whole world and this is evident as every part of the globe has set up policies to bolster the economic base of its own. The European countries are applying austerity economics-a policy of cutting budget deficit through decreasing government expenditures. This is a threat to the economy of Tanzania whose budget is made complete by 40 percent of foreign aid.

As the western people are applying austerity economics what is our focus? If we apply the same policy as Europe we are going to suffer the loss as our economy is very weak to endure the outcomes of it. Let me quote a very small part of one of the speeches made by The Founder of the Nation, Mwalimu Julius Nyerere, "…………..we cannot continue with the economy which depends on agriculture without industries, but we can build industries out of the agricultural sector………."

The utterance of Nyerere is of great validity as the English people suggest us to cut the coat according to the cross. What we have is what will make us obtain other things.

Currently we have poor industrial base but we have strong agricultural base due to large area of arable land. Let us invest heavily and effectively on agricultural to make us capable of industrialization which will give out employment opportunities and favorable balance of payment due to high value of exports.

The government has to ensure reliable market for agricultural produce, improve transport and communication networks and provide education to Tanzanian to ensure that the theme Kilimo kwanza materializes. Also the government should effectively coordinate the whole structure of kilimo kwanza as it is not trusted by those eying it.