MVIWATA under the support of TRUST AFRICA is implementing a Public Expenditure Tracking System (PETS) project whose goal is to ensure that there is increasing governance, transparency and accountability in agricultural sector and that planning, budgeting and implementation of policies, strategies and plans in agriculture reflects the needs and priorities of small holder farmers in the country. The project through a number of initiative has identified tailor made trainings as a way of capacitating smallholder farmers with knowledge on PETS so that they can be involved in formulation and implementation of economic and social projects that are implemented by Local government Authorities (LGAs) in their areas and with this activity a total 197 (101Males, 96Females) smallholder farmers were trained from Morogoro rural particularly in Kisaki and Gwata ward both of Morogoro rural District.
The experience gained from implementing PETS in the village with PETS trainees (Kisaki Kituoni, Nyarutanga, Gomero, Kichangani, Gwata Ujembe, Kinonko and Maseyu) has shown positive results for all parties, farmers on one side and the government to the other side the fact which. Some of the noted achievements of PETS activities are: village assemblies which in many villages were called upon the urge of introducing PETS Teams to the villagers and have stopped following the result of the PETS teams after conducting the PETS exercise; awareness creation on the rights and responsibilities of everyone in the LGA; built and strengthened capacity of small holder farmers to raise their voices with evidence to make the public officials accountable with the entrusted resource.
This meeting was prepared to officially introduce and provide feedback of the PETS activity in the areas where farmers have identified and conducted the PETS crucial to the important steps on undertaking the PETS exercise.
Objectives.
The General objective for this policy session was to introduce PETS activities and provide feedback on the PETS activities implemented by Farmers in Kisaki and Gwata wards
Specifically the activity aimed at;
- To provide feedback of the PETS activity conducted in the areas
- To formulate an action plan on the result presented from the PETS exercise
- To get basic information on agricultural and other projects tracked by the PETS teams
Participants.
This meeting was attended by 39 (16FE,23MA) farmers from Gwata and Kisaki wards,9 Local Government Authority leaders, 3 Media persons, 3 Ward councillors including the Chairperson, 10 MDC officers including the District Executive Director and 5 MVIWATA staffs, following the visit of the District Commissioner many officer, District Executive Director, ward councillors and Chairperson had to leave the meeting and accompany the DC who had a visitation meeting in some wards.
MVIWATA staff team comprised of five pesonel; Driver, Training officer, Communication officer, Information Technology Officer and Legal Officer. The team first had a brief meeting with District Executive Director, District Council Chairperson and DAICO.
Opening the meeting;
Kibena, DC Chairperson gave opening remarks and opened the session. She said that in principle this is government’s responsibility and but thanked MVIWATA for taking the responsibility and train SHFs. “MVIWATA has been working with us successfully for a very long time, for instance Tawa and Kinole Wards can be sampled as wards in Tanzania with SHFs who have been benefiting endlessly with the presence of MVIWATA” She said, she also cited KINOLE SACCOSS as another structure owned and benefiting the Small Holder Farmers as a product of MVIWATA activities to organize farmers.
“With trainings and MVIWATA initiatives at large it is possible for Small Holder Farmers to have assume improvement in their life standards” with this and other words the training was opened and went on.
Presentations;
Then followed a presentation from MVIWATA Training Officer explaining on PETS, meaning, importance, policy and legal provisions that support PETS in Tanzania, Steps followed in conducting PETS in Gwata and Kisaki, Projects that the PETS Teams conducted PETS exercise on, results of the PETS activities and way forward. This presentation was followed by other side presentation from Gomero, Nyarutanga, Kisaki Stesheni who had more clear results on the projects under PETS exercise and in their presentations a thorough analysis of each project under each village was presented forward the meeting participants.
Discussion;
The first discussion was opened up and directed towards the PETS presentation and below are some of the views from farmers;
Views from the participants.
- Clear understanding of our responsibility on the Local Government Authorities.
- Lack of cooperation from the Local Government Authority leaders at the village and ward levels
- Use of legal receipts and prudent financial record keeping in the village, the need for auditing
- Planned budget should be directed to enhance construction of irrigation schemes
- Village administration problems and challenges including village boundaries disputes
- Poor road infrastructures which in turn hinder a number of economic activities from running smoothly.
- Lack of teachers to carter for educational services in the areas, the fact which was brought forward by farmers from Gwata and Kisaki.
The following are some answers from the District Council Officers;
- About the out of date medicines including ALU, the issue is attributed to MSD and that they are currently taking back the medicines
- On the scrapped building, currently it is advised for each health centre or hospital to a committee which will put forward such recommendations and brought them forward to the District Council
- Sensitizing all villagers to have
- Follow up will be made on all irrigation projects.
- Villagers should make sure that they form project committee to oversee the implementation of any project in their locality and demand for updated information on every project in their village assemblies.
Presentation from District Agricultural, Irrigation and Cooperative Officer.
The last presentation was made by DAICO. The presentation was on the 2019/2020 District Agricultural Budget Following the presentation the farmers were given a chance to raise their concerns and in totality they all claimed that the budget didn’t really reflect the needs of smallholder farmers and that they were surprised on how did the district council came up with such priorities.
Concerns from the farmers pertaining to the presentation.
- Availability of irrigation schemes in different areas
- Land disputes between farmers and pastoralists, village and village, village and conservation areas should be resolved for agriculture to sustain rural lives
- Social services should be channelled to rural areas in a quality and quantity equivalable to the town areas
- Agricultural markets and agricultural produce and product prices should be in top priorities n budget as farmers produce alot but lack profitable markets to sell their produces.
Answers from the District Councillor Officers.
- With the teachers issues, teachers will be transferred.
- TARURA will be notified with the road issues and the issue to be monitored so they can act accordingly.
- Villages should help in building some important structures such as school toilets and the like and the district council will only help after seeing such initiative.
Results of the meeting
- One policy session was successfully carried where smallholder farmers’ priorities and concerns on agricultural budget were given out.
- The meeting was used as a platform to sensitize smallholder farmers on MVIWATA fee membership and networking.
Way forward from the meeting
- Every will have to part to go and work on the issues that aspired during the meeting.
- Smallholder Farmers who attended the meeting will have to go and sensitize their fellow farmers in villages to ask for and attend the Village Assembly and participate fully and accordingly.
- Increased cooperation among the farmers and the Local Government Authority leaders at all levels in finding solutions to different challenges that arise.
- The PETS teams to submit their report monthly to MVIWATA offices to see the progress of the implemented activities
The meeting was closed by District Agriculture, Irrigation and Cooperative Officer by thanking all meeting participants and MVIWATA for such initiative in training smallholder farmers.
