Tanzania Agricultural Development Bank (TADB) and Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA) has entered a Memorandum of Understanding of cooperation in capacity building and research and development.
The MoU will facilitate collaboration in the development and implementation of capacity building programmes for smallholder farmers, medium and large scale farmers and agro-processors in Tanzania and SUA graduates for practical training and employment at TADB and its partner institutions.
Speaking on the objective of cooperation, the Acting Managing Director of TADB, Francis Assenga said that the signed MoU would increase mobilization of sustainable financial resources for agricultural research and development and capacity building for smallholder farmers, medium and large scale farmers and agro-processors in Tanzania.
“As an apex bank this MoU will assist us to simplify development of a knowledge database and network with adequate agricultural sector information to facilitate informed decisions at the policy and implementation levels,” he said.
According to the signed document other objectives include to facilitate placement of SUA graduates for practical training and employment at TADB and its partner institution; and provision of a framework for establishing effective and continuing collaboration in the area of Agricultural Research and Development, Staff Capacity Building and Employment of SUA Graduates.
Speaking on the scope of collaboration SUA’s Principal of College of Agriculture, Prof. Susan Nchimbi-Msolla said that the partnership would aid at formulating resources mobilization strategies for agricultural research and development and capacity building activities.
“This is a crucial partnership that will benefit both parties mostly in specific areas of collaboration will include conducting research on agricultural value chains of focus, designing and implementing climate-smart agriculture projects and preparing and implementing capacity building programs for smallholder farmers, medium and large scale farmers and agro-processors, which are important actors in agriculture development in the country,” Prof. Susan Nchimbi-Msolla.
