DAR ES SALAAM — Tanzanian authorities have said plans are afoot to open soil analysis laboratories in all districts in the country to enable farmers to make informed decisions.
The laboratories will be fitted in agricultural centers to be established in the districts during the 2021-2022 financial year that starts on July 1, Hussein Bashe, the deputy minister for agriculture told parliament in the capital Dodoma on Saturday.
Bashe was responding to Members of Parliament who wanted to know efforts by the government aimed at enabling farmers to know the status of soil before they cultivate different types of crops.
The lawmakers raised the soil testing issue during a week-long debate on the 2021/2022 National Development Plan that was presented by Philip Mpango, the minister for finance and planning, last week.
“Soil analysis is used to determine the level of nutrients found in soil samples and this enables farmers make informed decisions,” Bashe told the House.
He said the creation of the soil testing laboratories will go in tandem with the distribution of 7,400 motorcycles fitted with the global positioning systems and tablets to extension officers that will be involved in the soil testing.
“The motorcycles will enable extension officers to reach as many farmers as possible in remote rural areas of the country,” said Bashe.
