FAO assures Magufuli support in agriculture, industrialisation transformation

Dar es Salaam. The Director General of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), Mr Jose Graziano da Silva, has assured President John Magufuli full support in transforming agriculture by promoting crops production and starting processing agro-processing factories in the country.

Statement signed by director of Presidential Communications, Mr Gerson Msigwa, says Mr Da Silva made such remarks at State House today, September 6, when he met President Magufuli for private talks.

During their talks Mr Da Silva thanked the Head of State for support and cooperation Tanzania has extended to FAO in the last 40 years which it has been operating in the country.

“Tanzania will largely benefit from increased food production and export, promoting employment and national revenue through transformation that will join agriculture and industries dealing with meat and fish processing,” he said.

President Magufuli assured the FAO boss that his government will continue cooperating with the organisation, insisting he would prefer cooperation be extended in building agriculture, livestock and fisheries products processing industries.

“The country has many lakes, 1,422 kilometers of oceanic zone and enough rivers for investment in fish processing. Being the second African country with large livestock population Tanzania has huge demand of meat processing factories,” the statement quotes Dr Magufuli to have said adding:

“Seventy five percent of the country population is the youth capable of producing enough agricultural products for industrial use. The country has recorded 7.1 per cent economic growth, only stakeholders are required to work together with the country in using the opportunities.”

In another development, President Magufuli met the outgoing Chinese envoy, Dr Lu Youqing, and commended him for great job he has done in his five years of service in the country.

He said Dr Lu has scaled up cooperation between the two countries, promoted investment in areas of infrastructure, education, agriculture, health and promote trade between two countries.

For his part, Dr Lu promised to be the country’s ambassador after returning back in China by investors in the country.