Slow start for Nane Nane as entry fees hiked

Morogoro. Celebrations to mark Farmers Day, known as Nane Nane, have started countrywide ahead of the climax on August 8.

In the eastern zone, the annual event opened with a slow start as attendance was low.

However, a number of government and private institutions and firms taking part in the event continued to renovate their pavilions while some exhibitors like Morogoro, Coast and Tanga regional councils have already started exhibiting various agricultural items.

Some visitors who talked to The Citizen at the Mwalimu Nyerere Cultural Show Grounds said one of the probable reasons for people’s low turn out on the first day was a higher entry fee compared to previous years.

Another visitor, who is also a farmer, Mr Abasi Makonyi, said, “This year’s entry fee is Sh1,000. It is high, a number of would-be-visitors cannot afford it. This amount is different from that of last year, whereby many visitors paid Sh500. But this time around you can even count visitors.”

For her part, Kilindi district commissioner in Tanga Region, Ms Sauda Mtondoo, who visited the show grounds, urged agriculture experts to ensure they provided comprehensive expertise to visiting farmers.

She also suggested to agro-firms to help farmers access loans.

In eastern zone, the exhibitors are being conducted at Mwalimu Nyerere Cultural Show Grounds in Morogoro Region.