Tanzania’s Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries has set up eight incubation centers to train young people on modern livestock and fish farming skills. The move aims to tackle the country’s youth unemployment challenge. The Minister for Livestock and Fisheries, Mr Abdallah Ulega, made the announcement during the 9th Annual Agricultural Policy Conference (AAPC), which focused on Tanzania’s competitiveness in the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
Importance of self-employment
Addressing the audience under the theme ‘Tanzania’s Competitiveness in the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA): Challenges and Opportunities for the Agricultural, Livestock and Fisheries sectors,’ Mr Ulega thanked President Dr Samia Suluhu Hassan for endorsing the program to train young people for commercial breeding. He said that only 150 of the approximately 1,600 veterinary college graduates each year find formal employment in Tanzania, which highlights the importance of self-employment.
30 Incubation Centers Planned
Mr Ulega said that in the 2023/2024 financial year, the ministry plans to establish 30 centers to offer training to 900 young people. Each center will have at least 30 young people who will be trained on livestock and fish farming skills. He stressed that the ministry has already identified markets for the young people to sell their livestock and related products. The young people will be able to sell their production approximately four times a year, which will enable them to earn income and become self-employed after completing the training.
Boosting Fish Farming Skills
Mr Ulega also noted that these centers will offer training in the fishing sector to improve the fishing skills of young people. The Tanzanian government’s decision to establish centers for young people is a solution of country’s youth unemployment problem, that will help them find employment after completing the training. This initiative will create opportunities for young people to participate in the country’s economic growth.
