Firm turns to irrigation to raise crop production

Misenyi. Global Agency Limited (GAL) is expanding its sorghum farming operations as it seeks to deliver on its business deal with Tanzania Breweries Limited (TBL), the company said here at the weekend.

“We are determined to move into full swing into sorghum farming to tap on the available market opportunities,” GAL managing director Fidelis Bashasha told members of the board of trustee and management team for Private Agricultural Sector Support Trust (Pass) here at the weekend.

The team was on a tour of a farm at Bucharago Village.

GAL is among companies which have benefited from Pass guaranteed loans from commercial banks.

The company has so far secured a $1 million (about Sh2.2 billion) Pass guaranteed credit facility for agricultural investment.

Mr Bashasha said the company has won a business deal to supply TBL with 3,000 tonnes of sorghum per season. “TBL’s annual demand for sorghum stands at 9,000 tonnes which we can hardly supply due to our limited production capacity...but, with all these investments on progress, we are certain of meeting the entire demand by the next three years.”

Bucharago Farm manager Petros Bvunzawabaya said for the past three years, the project focused on rain-fed crop farming, growing maize, rice, sugar beans and soya but production has been impeded by unfavourable weather. That is why irrigation is being promoted.

Pass managing director Nicomed Bohay reminded the company to engage the surrounding communities in sorghum production as out growers, saying it was the condition for the loan guarantee. According to Mr Bvunzawabaya, the project has been well received at the locality, with over 200 people having registered as sorghum out growers. Pass business committee chairman Hatibu Senkoro commended promoters of the farming project, which he described as visionary and strategic.