HIGH LEVEL IHEMI CLUSTER LEADERSHIP COMPACT REVIEW MEETING

The program for the high level Ihemu Cluster leadership compact Review Meeting organized by the Southern Agricultural Growth Corridor in Tanzania (SAGCOT) in progress  in the  Sunrise Social Hall in Njombe Region yesterday. 

The Ihemu Cluster of SAGCOT is formed by two regions of Iringa and Njombe, it has been a year since they have developed the Ihemi Compact. 

During the meeeting they looked on the progress made, review the challenges, and agree on the way forward. 

The revised compact will thereafter guide them in the next 12 months. The meeting attracted government representatives from Iringa and Njombe regions, development partners like the World Bank, the government, the private sector, Civil Society Organizations and farmer groups.

Geoffrey Kirenga  CEO SAGCOT Centre, TANZANIA talking the media during the  compact review meeting.

The Acting Njombe Regional Commissioner, who is also Ludewa District Commissioner Anatory Choya making a point during the press conference.

The smallholder Njombe potato farmers representative Beno Mgaya is explaining the challenges they face as potato farmer in Njombe region which includes lack of reliable market for their crop but  commended the coming of SAGCOT program of inclusive value chain approach to fix things in order.

The former national assembly speaker Anna Makinda, who is also then chairperson of Tanzania Tea Board (TTB) talking the media beside the Southern Agricultural  Growth Corridor of Tanzania (SAGCOT) high level cluster leadership compact meeting held in Njombe. She said SAGCOT is the only remedy tea farming in Tanzania.

Small holder diary farmer Teresia Maganga from Iringa during press conference.

The SAGCOT initiative recognizes variations of opportunities within the corridor and has prioritized specific areas for targeted developments classified as clusters. These Clusters are: Rufiji, Kilombero, Ihemi, Sumbawanga, Ludewa and Mbarali Clusters. The regions of Iringa and Njombe make the Ihemi Cluster. 

The Ihemi cluster was officially launched in May 2015 in Iringa. During the launching process – they (participants) participated in the formulation of the Ihemi Cluster Development Framework and its implementation compact. 

The compact was a product of an intensive and interactive debate between the public (government leadership in Iringa and Njombe Regions), the private sector companies that have invested in Iringa and Njombe regions and the Non State Actors (who are mostly NGOs and Farmers organizations active in the two regions). 

A compact statement was signed and a work plan for its implementation was developed.