RESEARCH WITH DEVELOPMENT: KIGOMA FARMERS GET EXCITED OF A NEW PROJECT

I am leading a team of Crops Research Staff from ARTI-Tumbi to Kigoma Region to begin the actual implementation of verification trials project for maize, bean and paddy varieties. The project is being implemented in the three Districts and one municipal Council of Kigoma Region namely Kibondo, Kasulu, Kigoma Rural and Kigoma Urban for three seasons from the year 2005/06. The project is funded by Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA) through Agricultural Sector Project Support. On top of verifying the 15 different seeds, the project will also create eliteness among farmers about the varieties and allow them to select the best using their own criteria. This means the project will contribute to decreasing information gap between research-extension and farmers by bringing them together in a common forum. Last month Mr. Atugonza L. Bilaro, Cereal Breeder and one of the Project Coordinators visited the region to introduce the project, assessing the readiness of farmers to collaborate with research and extension and creating an overall rapport. His report indicates the anxiety of farmers on the new project and their readiness to participate. The project aims at verifying the research technologies developed in different stations in Tanzania to Kigoma situation. Other members in the team are Charles Chuwa, Justin Ringo and driver Gerald Ndunguru.