Kilimo

Bw.Daniel Luther

Mkuu wa Idara ya Kilimo,Umwagiliaji na Ushirika.

Agriculture, Irrigation and Cooperatives 

1.1   Agriculture Administration

The Agriculture, Irrigation and Cooperatives is one among 13 departments in Babati Town Council and comprised of three sections namely Agriculture, Irrigation and Co-operatives. The department requires a total number of 28 staff for its three sections. Currently there are 17 agricultural staff and 3 cooperative officers with a deficit of 7 agricultural staff and 1 co-operative officer.

Agricultural activities in the council are the major economic income generating which employ and engage over 75% of the urban manpower through cultivation of both food and cash crops, processing and marketing agricultural commodities, distribution and selling of inputs, agro- mechanizations supplies, trading of produces, recycling and marketing agro processed by-products, etc. The Major food crops produced and traded are Maize, Pigeon peas, Banana, Beans, sorghum, cassava, vegetables and sweet potatoes, and cash crops produced are sunflower, lablab, Simsim, edible Mushroom and Coffee. 

Core functions of Agriculture section are:

• Provision of Agriculture extension Services including technical advice regarding Good agronomic practices in the Council.
• Planning, Budgeting and implementation of Agriculture Sector’ projects and operations in the Council.
• Co-ordination of all Agricultural Extension services and Research activities provided by different Agriculture Sector Partners.
• Preparation of various Agriculture sector reports in the Council.
• Provision of training to the sector stakeholders on farming, processing and marketing practices and systems.
• Linkage of farmers groups to different services providers and users in the agricultural supply chains.
• Conducting collaborative field experiments, trials and demonstrations of existing and emerging agricultural technologies.
• Establishing crop production projections, Mitigations and controlling mechanisms of outbreak of crop diseases and Pests.
• Facilitation and supervision of quality seed production.
• Control of quality seeds and fertilizers supplies systems.
• Promotion of agriculture mechanization and proper uses of inputs and farm equipment.
• Linking, integrating and coordinating all agriculture sector stakeholder in the Council.
• Organizing, co-coordinating and participation of Agriculture festivals and exhibitions at all levels.

1.1.1 Soils and Climate characteristics 

Soils in the Council are characterized with volcanic origin ranging from loam to clay alluvial soils. The soil profile is entrenched with dark brown layers of Lava which make them extremely vulnerable to soil erosion. Within the layers light-colored sandy soils which are dominant features. Black cotton soils are predominant in various depressions and escarpments in the council. All these soils are characterized by significant humus levels which makes it potential for wide range of agricultural production.

The Council Climate is characterized by the rift valley features which are divided into two climatic zones namely highland and low-land zones. The mean annual temperature for both climatic zones is 23⁰C, the coldest months such as June and July as 15⁰C, and average temperature for the warmest months such as December 34⁰C.

The Council generally receives bimodal rainy patterns; short rains from October to December and long rains from March to May. The rainfall ranges between 600mm and 1200 mm annually with an average annual rainfall of 831. However, there are instances of variation in the rainfall and temperature trends which are largely ascribed by climate changes. As well, re-occurrence incidences of floods and extended drought periods are due to untrustworthy climatic circumstances.

The Agro-Ecological Zones:

Crop production in the Council is attributed to the existing agro-ecological zones of which there are differences in rainfall amount and pattern, landform, soil types and practices in land use. The council area can be divided into three Agro-ecological Zones as described below.

• Highlands: Mainly experienced in areas along the mountain Kwaraa, Haraa forests and areas of Singu village with attitude of over 1600 m.a.s.l, high rainfall above annual average of 1000mm usually bi- modal type which last for 240 – 280 days, and maximum temperature of below 23⁰C. The zone is vey potential for Coffee, banana, potato, yams, Beans, Vegetable crops, Vanilla, Maize, fruit trees and forestation.
• Midlands: Found in lake Babati catchment and rift valley curbs, with and altitude ranging from 1200 – 1600 m.a.s.l., rainfall ranging from 900- 1000 mm per annum usually bi-modal type which last for 155 – 210 days and temperature ranges between 20 - 25⁰C. The area is very potential for wide range of crops farming such as sunflower, pigeon peas, maize, beans, lablab, potatoes, banana, Cassava and vegetable crops.
• Lowlands: Generally found along Mutuka, Chemchem, Malangi and Kiongozi areas with an altitude ranging below 1200 m.a.s.l and rainfall below annual mean of 900mm which usually last for 90 – 120 days and temperatures of over 25⁰C. The zone is attributed with moderate fertile soils potential for sunflower, Simsim, groundnuts, maize (composite), cassava, potatoes, and sugarcanes and vegetables (In irrigated areas).
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• Farming Systems and crop production
• In the council there is a total of 25,648 Ha of arable land of which 700Ha is potential land for irrigation at Dawar, Himiti- Managhat belt (150Ha), Kwere (50Ha), Maisaka (80Ha),  Hanadeco (80Ha) and along Kiongozi river (50), while only 212 Ha are traditionally irrigated and used on vegetables caltivation. Cropping systems in the council are mono- and intercropping system for most of the crops.   
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• Agricultural Infrastructures
• In the Council, there are numerous agricultural investment most of which are the results of Public - Private partnership. These infrastructures include:
• Two Ward Agricultural Resource Centres (WARCs): these were contructed by the Council in collaboration with the communities in Maisaka and Nangara Wards through financial support from the development partners under ASDP I. The exisisting WARCs incorporate the 2-in-One expedient extension houses.
• Three Agricultural markets at Babati, Darajani and Silent inn have been constructed under the support of the central Government through LGCD Grant and Council the Council through its own revenue collections.
• Three Agricultural produce marketing Centres at Mutuka, Daghailoy and Malangi Villages still on progress to completion, primarily were supported under ASDP I/DADPs then by the central Government through LGCD Grants.
• Extension Houses: there are other 2 old resdential houses at Nakwa village and Bonga town. These were contructed in 20^th centuries through agriculture development program supported by the Government by then.  
• Storage facilities: There are 40 formal Warehouses with a total storage capacity of 40,745 tons used on commercial and numerous home stores, silos, airtight bags and traditional storage facilities used at household levels for domestic purposes. They are both used for durables storage.    
• Agricultural Mechanizations and processing: There is a significant number of different agro-mechanization and processing machines in the council most of which are private owned. These are such as 92 tractors, 60 trailers, 894 oxen Carts, 10 Harrows, 2 sub-soilers, 2 weeders, 4 rippers,  5 planters, 69 oxen plough, 19 power tillers, <50,000 hand hoes, 29 irrigating water pumps, 3320 sprayers, 21 maize/sorghum shellers, 111 sets of  maize milling machines, 24 sunflowers expellers, 2 seed oil refinery plants and 5 bakeries.

Irrigation

• Over 700Ha of the agriculture potential land in the Council is potential for irrigation in different areas such as Dawar, along the Himiti- Managhat green belt (150Ha), Kwere (50Ha), Maisaka (80Ha),  Hanadeco (80Ha) and along Kiongozi river (50), while around 212 Ha are currently traditionally irrigated and used on vegetables caltivation.  

The major functions of irrigation section are:

• Preparation of Irrigation projects write – ups for funds seeking.
• Conducting feasibility studies and designing of irrigation projects.
• Supervising and Monitoring of the construction of irrigation infrastructures.
• Capacitating irrigator’s organizations on the skills of Operations, maintenance and proper use of irrigation schemes. 
• Preparing progress and implementation reports of irrigation section.

Co- operatives

The main responsibilities of Co-operatives section is to sensitize, organize, register pre- and Co-operatives societies, promotion, inspection and mobilization of rural savings and credits societies and conducting financial audit to co-operative societies in the area. Others are, to capacitate farmers with knowledge and skills of crop marketing and preparation and presentation of reports on progress of implementation of its core responsibilities.

In the council so far, a total of 1229 people (685 Male: 544 Female) and 30 farmer groups have joined in a total of 23 active co-operative societies in the council including; 14 SACCOS (with a capital of 706,792,029/=), 2 AMCOs (with a capital of 18,304,860/=), 4 Industrial co-operatives Societies (with a capital of 271,726,000/=) and Livestock and beekeepers’ co-operatives societies (with a capital of 12,590,000/=).

The Council is working hand in hand with other supporting institutions in collaboration with the farmers’ community in promoting agriculture sector.  The institutions on hand are such as Tanzania Horticulture Association (TAHA), SEVIA, Norwegian Church Aid (NCA), Diyosis of Mountain Kilimanjaro (DMK), Research institutions (SELIAN Agricultural Research Institution (SARI), Tanzania Coffee Research Institution (TaCRi), Ilonga Agricultural Research Institution,  Tengeru Agricultural institution, Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA), Sunflower Processors (UMAMBE), Inputs Supplies such as TFA, YARA, Private inputs stockiest, and Financial Institution (NMB, CRDB, TADB, PRIDE and various local SACCOs; and Tanzania Chamber of commerce, industrial and Agriculture (TCCIA), Small and medium Industries Development Organization (SIDO), Manyara Sunflower processors Association (MASUPA) and Muunganiko wa Vikundi vya Wakulima Tanzania (MVIWATA).