Researcher advocates cotton as the major cash crop

From Daily News, Dar es Salaam
By FATMA ABDU in Buchosa

IN efforts to transform Tanzania into an industrial economy, farmers in Mwanza region’s Buchosa district have been challenged to revive production of cotton as their main cash crop.

Speaking here during the Open Forum for Agricultural Biotechnology (OFAB) organised training under Tanzania Commission for Science and Technology (COSTECH), Cotton Pathologist from Ukiliguru Research Centre Stella Chiriini said cotton has great potential of boosting the national economy and farmers’ income.

The training that attracted extension officers in the district aims at increasing awareness among agro-extension officers on the importance of using modern technology in production of cassava, potatoes and cotton crops in the district.

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EAC to intensify Lake Victoria maritime safety, curb Nile Perch decline

From Daily News, Dar es Salaam
By DEUS NGOWI in Arusha
THE East African Community (EAC) is moving in to ensure maritime safety, boost environmental conservation as well as tackle illegal fishing as massive decline of Nile Perch has hit Lake Victoria.

A research carried out by Lake Victoria Fisheries Organisation (LVFO) indicated that in 2015, there was a major decline in Nile Perch stocks from 1.2 million tonnes to 0.8 million tonnes while stock of sardines went down to 0.7 million tonnes from 1.3 million tonnes.

That has been revealed by the Chairman of EAC Council of Ministers, Dr Ali Kivenjija in his budget speech to the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) for 2017/18, saying LVFO conducted the survey in order to estimate the amount of fish in the lake and the proportions available for harvesting.

Dr Kivenjija further revealed that the results of the biennial Fishery Frame Surveys, the last conducted last year recorded an increase of illegal nets (monofilaments) by 59 per cent, hence calling for intensive surveillance to curb illegalities.

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Why stigma? Fistula can be treated

From Daily News, Dar es Salaam
By MAUREEN ODUNGA

IT WAS all smiles as Sikujua Mabula (19) from Mwanza Region went through successful obstetric fistula surgery when aged 17 years which had posed threat to her normal labour delivery.

“For seven consecutive days, I experienced labour pangs, but still could not give birth. On the eighth day, I delivered a stillborn baby whose only head managed to come out,” she pointed out while evading eye contacts.

Mabula hinted that the pregnancy forced her to get married to the man who had impregnated her despite not being prepared to tie a knot with him.

“A few months after the marriage, my husband advised me to return to my parents because life was becoming uncompromising and return when things becomes normal. “Back home, I used to attend clinic where doctors told me that the baby was big and I would only give birth through caesarean surgery.

A few months to my delivery time, my mother-in-law advised me to return so that they would give me company,” she further narrated.

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Preps for Lake Victoria vessel tender in high gear

From Daily News, Dar es Salaam
By Daily News reporter

TENDERS for the purchase of a new passenger vessel to ply between the Lake Victoria ports of Mwanza and Bukoba will be opened next month, as the old vessels are in different stages of massive rehabilitation.

The Acting General Manager of Marine Services Company Ltd (MSCL), Mr Benedict Hamisi, said yesterday that the opening of the tenders will signal a preamble to the assembling of a brand new and specialized vessel that will improve maritime transportation in Africa’s biggest lake.

“We will open the tenders on 12th June, as one of the decisive steps towards implementing a pledge made by then candidate John Magufuli, during the 2015 General Election campaign,” he said.

He recalled that, as candidate on a Chama Cha Mapinduzi ticket, Dr Magufuli had pledged that, if he were to emerge victorious and become Head of State, he would be instrumental in facilitating the purchase of a new vessel with a capacity of 1,200 passengers.

According to Mr Hamisi, apart from the envisaged purchase of a new vessel, the government had also invested heavily in the rehabilitation of Mv Victoria, Mv Butiama and Mv Liemba, to improve services in Lakes Victoria and Tanganyika.

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Ebola advisory: No handshakes, please, you’re in Mwanza

From Daily News, Dar es Salaam
By PIUS RUGONZIBWA in Mwanza

AN alert on the deadly Ebola disease is sweeping across Mwanza Region as residents here are cautioned to check the movements of visitors from the DR Congo.

The ‘advisory’ now making the rounds was issued Mwanza Regional Commissioner (RC) John Mongela yesterday during a stakeholders meeting called strategically to brainstorm and chart out measures the region could in case of an outbreak.

The City of Mwanza and its environs receives many visitors from across the Great Lakes Region, with at least 100 fish traders alone coming into Mwanza every day – invariably all of them from the DRC where four people are reported to have died from Ebola and 37 others infected lately.

Mr Mongela says even though his officials were yet to report any Ebola cases or suspect, the authorities had “reason to start taking precautionary measures due to its proximity with DRC.”

Our region is not spared when it comes to threats of Ebola due to a number of factors … such as migrations of people from our neighbours in the DRC being the main factor.

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