Tanzania's Minister for Finance Hon. Mustafa Mkullo (second left, second row) joins counterparts for a group photo at the end of their meeting in St. Lucia
Photos and Story By Ayoub mzee
Commonwealth secretary general Kamalesh Sharma said countries should consider seriously increasing food production to tame the current rising prices.
Commonwealth secretary general Kamalesh Sharma said countries should consider seriously increasing food production to tame the current rising prices.
Mr Sharma proposed better methods of farming should be adopted to increase the food basket which will definitely have an impact on prices.
"One view we feel should be considered very seriously is increased food production. There can be no doubt the situation can be ameliorated by increased food production," he observed.
Mr Sharma was speaking in Castries, St Lucia during the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Finance Ministers meeting called to discuss the skyrocketing food and fuel crisis.
However, he warned developing countries against diverting money meant for education, health, water provision and combating HIV/Aids and other diseases to cushion the public from soaring prices of food and fuel.
Mr Sharma said funds meant for the Millennium Development Goals should not be used to cushion the public because this could be a setback to the general development of countries.
The Commonwealth’s view of increased food production to tame high prices ties in with a proposal the World Bank has been toying with.
Mr Sharma proposed that food production can only be increased if countries invested in extension services to farmers, water management, control of soil erosion, pest and rodent control.
Minimising food wastage, packaging and marketing was also crucial, he added.
Developed states should contribute by providing latest technology and finances to developing states. Investment in high yielding seeds was also crucial.
Thanks Mr.Ayoub Mzee for the update.Keep us updated.Yes,food prices are flying high but not many in our country(Tanzania) can notice this because I,recently, read one story that people in Kigoma are exporting 'Makopa'(dried cassava) to neighbouring countries i.e they have excess food in stock.Sounds awakard?
ReplyDeleteIn Tanzania,we can increase food production.Our land is fertile,good water resources BUT think about pembejeo(?), mbolea(fertilizers) prices?-Flying too high.Think about using jembe la mkono(hand hoe) during this era.These are some few challenges to the government(Hon.Mustafa Mkullo).
It sounds rather strange to me that despite the enormous financial crisis facing the US our excessively dependent fragile lopsided distorted economy does not seem to have responded to the external financial shocks!Does it mean that Tanzania has never been affected by the woes of US Financial collapse? Or does it mean that by the very token that a sick human body should respond to the infection and show atleast some rise in body temperature,indicating the presence of some malaria infection,equally so an economy should show atleast some responsiveness to the external financial shocks?Having failed to respond should we then conclude that our economy is a dead economy completely out of all classics?How come nothing has been reported amiss in the banking industry,bizness as usual;how come the bank interest rates have not been shaken,bizness as usual;how come the TZ Exchange rate viz the US Dollar has not shaken a bit,bizness as usual?And so many other economic facets remaining unchanged!What this means is that our domestic economy does not REPEAT does not have virtually NO INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL LINKAGES AT ALL!Even if someone were to pour into our economy some Trillions of Dollar Aid,still there would be no noticeable economic growth!Every year our political leaders would have the audacity to burst out with pride in annual budget parliaments with such impressive hypothetical statistics of galloping economic growth rates and astounding declining inflationary rates defeating the witts of Numskullz and Nitwitts!Hapa nyumbani wazee hatuna mipango ya maendeleo wala bajeti ya maendeleo.Kilichopo kila mwaka ni Bajeti ya Matumizi (Shopping Budget List) na orodha ya Manunuzi katika sekta mbalimbali ambazo hazina mahusiano ya ndani!Even if Dear Zinjanthropus were to come back in TZ,take my word this country will remain as she is in the next 100 years!We have totally been misled into some other unthinkable economic postulates which will drive this counrty nowhere!There is so much missing that should have been put in place to make our economy tick!Maybe its time we should learn from the Credit Crunch of the United States of America!Funny isn't it!Nobody here in the country neither in the banking sector is at all worried about creditable customers possibility of withdrawing their cash and shifting their accounts ashore!What the hell is going up there!Food food food hakuna jingine!
ReplyDeletehii st.lucia ni nchi???iko wapi yan maeneo gani
ReplyDeleteBalozi Michu,samahani najitahdi kujifunza uchumi kupitita blog yako kulipa!
ReplyDeleteHuyo anon wa Oct 08,2008 3:03 ameandika comments nzito kweli kweli ingawa ametumia lugha ngumu sana ya kiuchumi lakini nimedaka machache.Kama atarudi anisaidie kidogo.
*In a simple language,technically, why does the blogger say if someone had to pour some trillions of USD Aid in our economy still there would be no noticeable economic growth.
*How will the US economic crisis affect Africa(especially Tanzania).
*Which factors led to Lehman brothers and AIG plunge.
*What is the meaning of Bailout.Nilisikia majuzi USA wanataka kutoa sijui Bailout ya USD700m kuyaokoa hayo mashirika.Hii ni kitu gani??