Adeladius Makwega – Musoma, Mara
This is Friday, January 9, 2026. The Regional Commissioner of Mara is in his office when he receives a visit from Tanzania’s Deputy Minister for Agriculture, David Silinde, accompanied by several officials from the ministry and its affiliated institutions. The Regional Commissioner begins the discussion by touching on irrigation farming, promoting it as reliable agriculture, noting that Lake Victoria is found everywhere in Mara Region, and appealing to the Ministry of Agriculture to support this initiative.
“For example, the Bugwema Valley has not been properly utilized for a long time, and even some areas of the Mara River Valley are not being well used. There are people who wanted to grow sugarcane and establish a sugar factory, and they intended to involve local citizens in sugarcane farming. These individuals—one from Kenya and another from Kenya with Bulgarian roots—intended to set up a sugar factory. I am placing these matters on your table; I know they have already reached your offices, but I ask that you work on them quickly.”
After these remarks, the Deputy Minister for Agriculture thanked the Regional Commissioner of Mara for the warm reception and congratulated him on the good work he has been doing since assuming leadership of the region, before bidding him farewell as he proceeded with his visit.
Minister Silinde visited two projects, the last of which was the Bugwema Valley, an area owned by the Agricultural Authority.
First, citizens raised several complaints about being harassed, beaten, and having their crops destroyed by the Tanzania Agricultural Authority. They pleaded that even when the government is implementing its projects, it must inform citizens in advance, because Bugwema land belongs to Tanzanians, and the people of Bugwema are part of Tanzania.
“That Cotton Board has been very adept at changing names—today it’s the Cotton Board, tomorrow it’s the Cotton Authority, the same people with the same behavior—you are putting new wine in old bottles. This land has been ours since 1967, not 1974. Mwalimu Nyerere emphasized irrigation farming, saying that for Tanzanians to progress we need four things: land, people, clean politics, and good leadership. Right now, the people are there, but the remaining three are not in order. For example, land—this Cotton Authority is destabilizing us; and as for the rest, the situation is dire. So what do we do now?
All Prime Ministers from Sokoine, Warioba, to Salim Ahmed Salim protected us on the Bugwema issue—why has the situation changed now?”
These were the words of one Bugwema resident in front of the Deputy Minister.
The Deputy Minister for Agriculture contacted the Minister of Agriculture, Daniel Chongolo, to seek guidance on how to resolve the Bugwema issue, and then said:
“We are failing because the agriculture we depend on is rain-fed. Even the Cotton Authority has failed to farm properly when the rains came. Now the whole world no longer depends on rain-fed agriculture; it is irrigation agriculture. If you put in irrigation infrastructure, you will harvest for sure. This is the goal of the Government of Tanzania.
My ministry has conducted feasibility studies for all 22 valleys, and even the Bugwema Valley is among them. Starting in the February this year, you will begin farming throughout the year.”
Earlier, while launching the National Irrigation Program for farmers of Musoma Urban, who were allocated land in Musoma Rural at Etaro area, the Deputy Minister for Agriculture said that all farmers would be empowered to achieve the goal of practicing irrigation farming. He explained that in 15 regions, 65 constituencies, covering 8,000 acres, and benefiting more than 4,000 farmers, the irrigation farming program would provide modern tools—already delivered to Etaro Village—so that Tanzanians stop relying on rain-fed agriculture.
What does Mwanakwetu say today?
According to national statistics, it is estimated that 75 percent of Tanzanians are farmers, yet only 4.6 percent use irrigation farming, and even then with poor tools. Meanwhile, Morocco, South Africa, and Egypt are the only African countries performing well in irrigation agriculture. Ironically, Egypt uses water from the Nile River, which originates from Lake Victoria located in Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania—yet in Tanzania, irrigation agriculture remains below 10 percent. Tanzania is dragging its feet on irrigation agriculture.
Mwanakwetu, Are you there ? Remember:
“How Tanzania Is Lagging Behind in Irrigation Agriculture
I wish you a good day.
makwadeladius@gmail.com
0717649257
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