Sido: We’ll train start-ups on capacity building for growth

Bariadi. The Small Industries Development Organisation (Sido) has started to build capacities to Tanzanians wishing to set up small-scale factories.

That is aimed at supporting the country’s realisation of the industrialisation drive.

“Training is most important tool for people wishing to establish small-scale industries and Sido will support them,” said Industry, Trade and Investment minister Charles Mwijage here.

He was opening the new Sido regional office.

He said the government plans for 2018/19 are to empower Sido to spearhead the industrialisation drive through training people who wish to establish small- and medium-size industries.

“Simiyu is doing well economically. You should exploit these opportunities especially industries to add value to farm produce.”

Simiyu regional commissioner Anthony Mtaka said the opening of the Sido office would save costs to people who used to travel to Shinyanga to seek the organisation’s services.

“The inauguration of the Sido office in Simiyu Region will open doors for small and medium entrepreneurs to establish industries and speed up economic growth,” Mtaka said.

He said the region had high post-harvest losses due to lack of value addition, which had harmed farmers. “Capacity building programmes offered by Sido will inspire entrepreneurs to establish factories to minimise post-harvest losses to a large extent,” he said.

Sido director general Sylvester Mpanduji said the organisation was positioned to improve services to help entrepreneurs and the government on industrialisation.

“The government has allocated Sh5.5 billion for the construction of new offices and refurbishment of old ones,” Prof Mpanduji said.

According to him, Sido’s main objective is to spearhead the establishment of small-scale industries all over Tanzania to hasten economic growth and create jobs.

“Development of any country starts with the small industries,” he said.