FARMERS DAY

Hi eco generation members, as we approach the end of our term we have learned so much from various reports and monthly events. It has been an outstanding experience for all of us, toady I would like to share with you what happened recently in my country. Tanzania is one of the countries in which its economy depends on agriculture almost 80% of our national income comes from agriculture in that said each on 8^th August we have a national celebration called farmers? day. Each region is responsible for hosting the celebrations, various agricultural products, and facilities are being show cased. In this year?s celebration the theme was ?big results now in agriculture sector?, This theme is mainly focused on increasing productivity in the agriculture sector, as well as improving the lives of farmers who entirely depend on agriculture. The big result now is a national wide campaign that aims at boosting the economy of the country.

I was glad that I could make it to these years celebrations. It was filled with lots of new things. One of important things I learned from the celebrations was the despite the fact that agriculture in one way is a cause of negative impacts on the environment, but also agriculture can contribute to environmental conservation on the other way round. It is know that farming activities can be a cause of soil erosion, land degradation, soil pollution , deforestation and many other negative impacts,. This is due to use of pesticides, herding large number of cattle?s, and cultivating on steep slopes. Farming in Tanzania has facilitated the disappearance of natural water streams and rivers since some people do farming along the river beds. Generally farming in Tanzania went side by side with environmental destruction.

In the recent years the government made policies that promote farming and environmental protection, and launched various campaigns. It?s from these campaigns that various farming techniques were applied and promoted sustainable agriculture hence protecting the environment as well all. Agriculture promoted the use of clean energy like biogas which can be created at home for families that keep livestock. Also the use of organic foods that are not genetically modified, this promotes protection of land from chemical, it prevents land degradation, not only that but the government has gone further to giving farming land to people so as to prevent farming along riverbeds, steep slopes and forest reserve areas, modern farming also has promoted the quality of soil, unlike in the past years after a few years of farming the soil loosed its fertility and farmers had to shit to somewhere else to find fertile soil that?s not the case anymore. Its amazing how much the sector has improved and moreover how it has managed to conserve the environment as well.

As an environmental conscious person am happy for all the progress taking place, we are in a win-win situation. However I still think the government, various stakeholders and farmers should put more efforts to conserve our environment, there is no doubt that more is still to be done and everyone is putting efforts. I wish my country luck towards sustainable farming.