The Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA) has officially signed a contract with the Madaba District Council in the Ruvuma Region to take ownership of a 10,000-hectare plot of land for the establishment of a tree farming and practical training area for its students and the community.

Before signing the agreement in the council hall, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Academic, Research, and Consultancy, Prof. Maulid Mwatawala, on behalf of the Vice-Chancellor Prof. Raphael Chibunda, stated that the purpose of acquiring this land is for training and income generation.

“Currently, the government is urging universities to increase their internal revenue to become self-sustaining rather than relying on government subsidies. As the Sokoine University of Agriculture, we have expertise in forestry, and based on our experience with Olmotonyi Forest in Arusha, we believe investing here in Madaba will set an example for other universities,” explained Prof. Mwatawala.

He mentioned that the HEET Project has accelerated the tree planting process at the Ifinga farm by allocating funds for expanding the area and increasing the number of trees to be planted. This year alone, they plan to plant 500 hectares through HEET project funding.

Prof. Mwatawala also emphasized that the land they acquired, after compensating the residents of Magingo village, will serve the purpose of establishing a processing plant for the forest products. This move will add value to forestry activities, especially with a steady supply of raw materials from this farm.

Prof.Mwatawala

Offering his greetings on behalf of the Madaba District, the Executive Director, Mr. Sajidu Idrisa, expressed his belief that the arrival of SUA would not only accelerate tree planting but also enhance the income of the employed residents, villages, and the district as a whole.

“For the district to perform well and execute various development projects, it must have sufficient revenue from its various activities. Therefore, we believe that the university’s presence will enable the institution to generate funds and increase its internal revenue. Moreover, the district will also benefit from your presence and that of other investors,” stated Mr. Idrisa.

He utilized the opportunity to ask SUA to continue boosting tree planting efforts on the farm and to teach the community best practices in tree farming and methods to combat fire disasters that significantly affect this kind of agriculture.