NJAA YAJA: Dear Mr. President, On a Serious Note...

[Rev. Kishoka]

Akizungumza kutoka soko la Kariakoo jijini, Bw. Joseph Moses, alisema ni kweli mazao ya chakula yamepanda na sio mara ya kwanza kwani katika msimu wa mvua barabara nyingi zinakuwa hazipitiki na mafuta kutumika kwa wingi.

``Miundombinu ya barabara iliyopo ni mibovu huko vijijini kunakotoka chakula, ndio sababu kuu ya kupanda kwa bei ya mazao kutoka kwa wakulima mashambani kwani ufikishaji wake sokoni unakuwa mgumu,`` alisema.

Aliongeza kuwa chanzo kikuu cha kumfikishia mlaji wa mwisho bidhaa kinatokana na usafiri na hivyo kupanda kwa bei ya mafuta, petroli na dizeli, nako kumechangia ongezeko la bei ya bidhaa sokoni.

Naye Bw. Makengwaa Idrisa, Mfanyabiashara wa Kisutu alisema tatizo kuu linalowakabili wafanyabiashara ni kupanda kwa mafuta kila mara.

Alitoa ushauri kwa ngazi zinazohusika kufuatilia au kutafuta suluhisho la bei hizo ili kwamba kudhibiti bei holela ya bidhaa sokoni.

Kwa upande wake, Bw. John Anthony, Mfanyabiashara wa Tandale alisema ni kweli bidhaa nyingi sokoni zimepanda kutokana na mpaka wa Tanzania na Kenya kufunguliwa.

``Wakati Kenya wakiwa kwenye mgogoro wafanyabiashara walielekeza nguvu nyingi kuleta bidhaa zao jijini Dar es Salaam, lakini baada ya kumalizika kwa ugomvi sasa wanaingia kwa wingi nchini humo hali inayofanya bidhaa kupungua Dar na kukosekana ushindani, hali ambayo inapandisha bei,`` alisema Bw. John.

Naye Bw. Jabir Richard mfanyabiashara wa Mwananyamala, alisema bidha zimepanda na kwamba bado zinaweza kuendelea kupanda kutokana na kupanda kwa gharama za mafuta na pia kumalizika kwenye maghala.

Alisema ni kawaida wakulima kuuza vyakula kwa bei ya juu hasa kipindi hiki ambacho wanasubiri mavuno, hali ambayo hufanya wale wasafirishaji nao kupandisha gharama zao.

SOURCE: Nipashe

If such in depth analysis is being made by a simple retailer of Kariakoo and our learned planners from Planning, Finance, Ikulu, Waziri Mkuu, Kilimo and Miundo mbinu are mum, do we really have a government and leaders who serve for the interest and welfare of our Nation?

 

[Mzee Mwanakijiji]

Na ninaamini pia tatizo jingine ni sisi kutokuwa na uwezo wa kusindika chakula kwa kiwango cha kimataifa na kukiwezesha kusubiri kwa angalau miezi kumi na mbili. Ukiondoa mazao ya nafaka ambayo hayahitaji ugumu mkubwa kusindika, vyakula kama samaki, nyama, mboga, na matunda hatujaweza kuvisindika kitaalamu sana hasa kama lengo ni kuviweka katika hifadhi ya chakula.

 

[Jamco_Za]

Watanzania tumezoea kuishi in the "now" kiasi kwamba hatufikiri muda mrefu baadaye.

Sasa hivi mtu unaenda sokoni unapata chakula cha leo, yamekwisha. Binafsi naamini watu watakaopata shida sana ya chakula watakuwa ni Dar kwenyewe kwani wengi wanategemea chakula kutoka mikoani.

Sasa mwaka huu "ompunga" toka Kyela hakuna na nafaka nyingine zikawa za shida. Itakapotokea kuwa kuwa mikoa ya pembezoni na nchi jirani zinaanza kufa njaa na mikoa yetu yenye kuzalisha chakula itakapoanza tena kuuza chakula nje, ndipo viongozi watapiga marufuku kuuza nafaka nje.

Matokeo yake ni mgongano wa uchumi wa soko, usalama wa chakula na mahitaji ya kipato cha watu wetu.

Sasa tufanye nini:

a. Serikali ifute kodi za mazao ya chakula karibu yote ili watu waweze kuagiza chakula kwa wingi.

b. Idara ya Maafa ya Waziri Mkuu waanza mara moja kutembelea maghala yetu ya Taifa na kuhakiki ni kiasi gani cha nafaka na vyakula tulivyonavyo na vinaweza kuhimili kwa muda gani.

c. Pindi mvua zikianza kupungua au maeneo ambayo hayana mvua kubwa kwa kuangalia hali ya hewa tuanze kusogeza chakula karibu na maeneo yanayoweza kuathirika. Tusisubiri hati tusikie "mahali fulani watu wanakufa njaa" halafu ndio tuanze kuomba misaada.

c. Naamini tukipanga vizuri hatuhitaji msaada wa senti hata moja kuweza kuwalisha watu wetu. Jifunzeni wakati wa Nyerere na hatua alizochukua kuepusha nchi na njaa mwaka 1962, mwaka 74, na mwanzoni mwa themanini. Msiache watu wetu wadhalilike kwa kukosa Chakula.

Chonde Chonde...

Mkuu.
Kwa serikali yetu iliyozoea kufanya kazi kwa reactive approach hakuna kitakachofanyika hata kimoja wanasubiri njaa itinge ndo waanze maandalizi wakati ambao tayri watakuwa wamechelewa kwani kila sehemu ulimwenguni chakula tayari kitakuwa kimepanda bei.
Ndio maana nilishauri sisi hapa JF kuendesha kampeni kwa wananchi na kuwaelimisha kuwa njaa inakuja. mtu ataseme impact yetu ni ndogo, lakini amini usiamini kuja sehemu za vijiji siku hizi wana mitandao na watu wanasoma, kuna mwanakijiji mmoja aliniuliza hivi ile computer yenu yenye madhambi ya serikali inapatikana wapi na mimi nataka kusoma, hakujua kama inaitwa JF ila anajua ni computer yenye madhambi ya serikali. So wanaweza kupata taharifa na kujiandaa maana serikali yetu imelala bado.

 

[Mzee Mwanakijiji]

Nadhani itabidi ninunue matangazo ya kwenye magazeti...

 

[Rev. Kishoka]

Mwanakijiji,

Walisema wahenga, kupanga ni kuchagua!

I will step out of the topic to inject something indirectly kuhusiana na priorities na planning za nchi yetu.

When you look at ufisadi na uhujumu, there is direct relation to what is happening now and how it seems that we are about to drawn and suffocate.

We entered a 20 year contract with IPTL, they were unable to provide sufficient standby and supplement power we had to invite Richmond.

We sold 50% of TRC, we are purchasing new planes, but our railway systemt and roads are in terrible shape to sustain such bad weather conditions due to heavy rains.

We are unable to create a system that will preserve rain waters and drive our Electrical dams hence reducing cost of using oil to produce electricity for consumption.

We are unable to build strong and stable roadways and railway system that will be efficient to move people and goods with minimum and efficient consumption of oil.

As a result of this, we are going to spend more money to buy oil and food and our leaders will tour the world and beg for grants and bail out.

Tanzania inaweza jitosheleza sana kama tungekaa chini na kuangalia ni yapi ya muhimu kufanyiwa kazi kwa nguvu na fedha kiduchu tulizonazo.

Tunapuuzia uwezo wetu wa kilimo, uvuvi na mifugo. It is insane to imagine kuwa nchi imezungukwa na maziwa matatu na bahari haina uwezo wa kuzalisha samaki wa kutosha?

Ni aibu kusikia nchi kubwa kama hii, kuwa wastani wa ng'ombe kule Kilimanjaro na Arusha kutoa maziwa ni lita 3 kwa siku huku Kenya wanapata mpaka lita 70.

Ni wazimu kusikikia kuwa Tanzania ina shida ya chakula! Ardhi yote na rutuba yote zinapotelea wapi?

 

[Jamco_Za]

Nadhani itabidi ninunue matangazo ya kwenye magazeti...

Utakuwa umefanya vizuri sana au unaweza kuandika makala kwenye magazeti maana hata sasa hakuna makala za kutosha kuelezea ili tatizo na kuwaonta wanchi waifadhi chakula chao.
Maeneo ya nyanda za juu kusini wanauza chakula chao kwa wazambia na wamalawi kwa wingi sana, perhaps this will help.

 

[Ngonalugali]

Sababu nyingine ni mzee bush na kijana wake Gordon brown wamekwiba raslimali zetu kwa kigezo cha mashirika ya huko kuwekeza kumbe wanapora.Ambapo zingeongeza pato la Taifa.

Sina uhakika kuwa Bush na Brown wanatuibia kitu chochote. Kama ni kuibiwa kwa rasiliamali za mtanzania basi mshirika mkubwa wa wizi huo ni viongozi wetu kwakushirikiana na makambale ya India na Uarabuni kwa sehemu fulani.

Hakuna kilichoumiza watanzania kama viumbe hao niliowataja. Angalia kila kashfa ya wizi ama upotevu wa mali fulani uatakuta watu hao wanahusika kwa namna moja ama nyingine. Si vizuri kuwachukia watu wengine wakati nyoka tunao na tunawakumbatia.

 

[John Mnyika]

Hili suala ni la muhimu na la haraka, linapaswa kupewa uzito unaostahili!

JJ

 

[Mzee Mwanakijiji]

Tunaenda huku pole pole.. na Msolla amekaa kimya.. sijui anasubiri nini kuliamsha Taifa.

Tanzania inflation rises to 9.0 pct y/y in March
Wed 23 Apr 2008, 11:44 GMT

[-] Text [+] DAR ES SALAAM (Reuters) - Tanzania's annual inflation rose marginally to 9.0 percent in March from 8.9 percent in February, due to higher food prices, the National Bureau of Statistics said on Wednesday.

Food has a weight of 55.9 percent in the basket of items that Tanzania uses to measure inflation.

"The increase in the rate of inflation was largely attributed to high increase of food inflation of 11.2 percent over the period," NBS said in a statement on its Web site.

Among the food items whose prices rose were cereals, vegetables, fruits, fish, cooking oil and sugar, the bureau added.

Non-food items whose prices rose include kerosene, charcoal, petrol and diesel.

Tanzania's national consumer price index covers market prices of 207 items collected in 20 towns in mainland Tanzania.

 

[Mzee Mwanakijiji]

Wamarekani wameanza kuchangamka!!

Farmers and food executives appealed fruitlessly to federal officials yesterday for regulatory steps to limit speculative buying that is helping to drive food prices higher. Meanwhile, some Americans are stocking up on staples such as rice, flour and oil in anticipation of high prices and shortages spreading from overseas.



Their pleas did not find a sympathetic audience at the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), where regulators said high prices are mostly the result of soaring world demand for grains combined with high fuel prices and drought-induced shortages in many countries.



The regulatory clash came amid evidence that a rash of headlines in recent weeks about food riots around the world has prompted some in the United States to stock up on staples.



Costco and other grocery stores in California reported a run on rice, which has forced them to set limits on how many sacks of rice each customer can buy. Filipinos in Canada are scooping up all the rice they can find and shipping it to relatives in the Philippines, which is suffering a severe shortage that is leaving many people hungry.



While farmers here and abroad generally are benefiting from the high prices, even they have been burned by a tidal wave of investors and speculators pouring into the futures markets for corn, wheat, rice and other commodities and who are driving up prices in a way that makes it difficult for farmers to run their businesses.



"Something is wrong," said National Farmers Union President Tom Buis, adding that the CFTC's refusal to rein in speculators will force farmers and consumers to take their case to Congress.



"It may warrant congressional intervention," he said. "The public is all too aware of the recent credit crisis on Wall Street. We don't want a lack of oversight and regulation to lead to a similar crisis in rural America."



Food economists testifying at a daylong hearing of the commission said the doubling of rice and wheat prices in the past year is a result of strong income growth in China, India and other Asian countries, where people entering the middle class are buying more food and eating more meat. Farm animals consume a substantial share of the world's grain

U.S. wheat stocks are at the lowest levels in 60 years because worldwide consumption of wheat has exceeded production in six of the past eight years, said U.S. Agriculture Department chief economist Gerald Bange. Adding to tight supplies was the back-to-back failure of two years of wheat crops caused by drought in Australia, a major wheat exporter, he said.



In addition, the diversion of one-third of the U.S. corn crop into making ethanol for vehicles has increased prices for corn and other staples such as soybeans and cotton as more acreage is set aside for ethanol production.



Farmers also have raised prices because they have been hard hit by spiraling energy costs, which not only raised the price of diesel fuel to records of over $4 a gallon but drove up the cost of nitrogen fertilizer, which is made from natural gas.



"Commodity prices across the board are at levels not experienced in many of our lifetimes," said CFTC Chairman Walter Lukken. "These price levels, along with record energy costs, have put a strain on consumers as well as many producers and commercial participants that utilize the futures markets to manage risks."



The upswing in prices has been exaggerated by the massive influx of investors and speculators seeking to profit from rising prices for corn, wheat, oil, gold and other commodities. Big Wall Street firms and hedge funds have taken huge positions in futures markets that once were dominated by relatively small operators such as farmers and grain-elevator owners.



Small investors, who see fast-rising commodities as good hedges against inflation and a falling dollar, also are getting a piece of the action by investing in index funds that are tied to commodity prices.



"During such turbulent times, it is tempting to shoot first and ask questions later," Mr. Lukken said, but he contended the commission should be "cautious" about doing anything to curb speculation. He and other regulators argued that speculators add volume and liquidity to the markets, which makes them operate more efficiently and helps farmers and other players.



Commissioner Michael V. Dunn said the soaring demand for food and fuel worldwide might be leading to permanently higher food prices, both domestically and abroad.



"We may already be working under or fast approaching a new paradigm of higher agricultural prices," he said. "There is not a silver bullet or single solution to address the problems we are currently facing."



FARM TRADE



Federal market regulators say the soaring price of most commodities over the past year reflects increased demand rather than investor speculation.



Rice 122%



Wheat* 95



Soybeans 83



Crude oil 82



Corn 66



Gasoline 41



Gold 37



Sugar 30



Coffee 24



Milk 5



Live cattle -7



Lumber -14



* On the Chicago Board of Trade



Source: Commodity Futures Trading Commission

 

[Rev. Kishoka]

The regulatory clash came amid evidence that a rash of headlines in recent weeks about food riots around the world has prompted some in the United States to stock up on staples.

"Something is wrong," said National Farmers Union President Tom Buis, adding that the CFTC's refusal to rein in speculators will force farmers and consumers to take their case to Congress.



"It may warrant congressional intervention," he said. "The public is all too aware of the recent credit crisis on Wall Street. We don't want a lack of oversight and regulation to lead to a similar crisis in rural America."

Source: Commodity Futures Trading Commission

Jamani wenzetu wakiona unyasi au vivuli wanashituka! Sisi tunasubiri tuone matundu ya misumari na upasuko wa ubavuni!

 

[Mzee Mwanakijiji]

nadhani inabidi tuweke element ya ufisadi kidogo... labda ndio watu wataanza kuona umuhimu wake.

 

[Mzee Mwanakijiji]

Kuna sheria ya Usalama wa Chakula ya 1996 ambayo iliunda Bodi ya Usalama wa Chakula. Hivi bodi hiyo ipo na inaongozwa na nani?

 

[Limbani]

Ni kweli, mvua zimeharibu kabisa mazao. Masika ya mwaka huu ni kubwa sana!!

 

[Mzee Mwanakijiji]

Kenya Wanajiandaa...

Looming food shortage as Kenya recovers from crisis

Published on April 24, 2008, 12:00 am


By Wandera Ojanji (The East African Standard)

Agricultural experts are concerned by the unfolding food security situation and are warning Kenyans to brace for harder times ahead.

With current food stocks — particularly maize, the main staple food — quickly running out of stock, the grim prospects of harvests from the main maize growing areas and escalating food prices, it is nothing but an unfolding of a historic calamity.

The Government had projected that the current maize stocks would sustain local needs up to August, this year when a new crop would be harvested. But these may be depleted much faster, according to the National Cereals and Produce Board, citing increased demand for stocks.

The Regional Agricultural Trade Intelligence Network (Ratin) estimates that maize stocks will not be more than 673,743 tonnes by June, which are not sufficient for the country until the next harvest.

But relying on the next harvest is banking against false hope. Agricultural experts are warning of serious declines in production that may fall to as low as 50 per cent of the annual production figures.

Dr Romano Kiome, PS in the Ministry of Agriculture, has raised concerns that only 15 to 50 per cent of land in the North Rift has been prepared, a factor he attributes to post-election violence. Under normal circumstances, 50 to 80 per cent of the land in these areas would be prepared by end of February in readiness for planting.

And with the planting season almost over, his fears appear to have been compounded considering the dismal purchase of maize seeds by farmers in the main maize growing areas.

Sales from Monsanto, one of the leading seed merchants in the country, paint a grim picture. The company has only sold 50 per cent of what it did last year for the long rain seasons, according to Mr Kinyua M’Mbijjiwe, Monsanto’s Commercial Acceptance Lead, Africa.

He attributes the low sales to post-election violence that made it impossible to gain access to seed markets.

"It was impossible to distribute seeds to many outlets. Some stores were burnt down or looted during the mayhem. No distributor was willing to stock-up in all the uncertainty."

Monsanto sales were no better in Central Kenya and other parts of the country that did not experience post-election violence. In these areas, the rising costs of fertiliser and fuel are to blame for the low sales. With fertiliser prices rising by more than 110 per cent, most farmers reduced their acreages and, consequently, seed requirements to balance with the amount of fertiliser they could afford.

And it is not that Monsanto had tight competition from other seed merchants.

For they tell similar stories. Farmchem Seedlinks, who market Pioneer Hybrid Maize, state that sales have been exceptionally low, a factor they attribute to many farmers not tilling their land.

Kenya Seed has seen its sales drop by 11 per cent. However, the company believes the rising cost of fuel and fertiliser are the main cause of the drop in sales and not post-election violence as majority of the farmers are still in their farms.

Indeed, the escalating cost of farm inputs has forced many farmers either to cut down on acreage under cultivation of grains like maize and wheat or resort to planting without fertilizer.

The Government acknowledges that the skyrocketing costs of farm inputs have been a major threat to land preparation and planting for the long rains. For instance, the fuel costs for land preparation have risen from Sh1,200 to Sh2,300 per acre. The price of fertilizer has almost doubled from Sh1,850 to Sh3,400 per 50kg bag with Kakamega and Bungoma recording prices as high as Sh4,000.

While the Government has been threatening to institute parallel importation of fertiliser and sell it at a reduced price to farmers, it is a threat that has been overtaken by events and best described as empty. The planting season is nearly over and not a single bag of fertiliser has been imported.

The impact of reduced acreage and non-application of fertiliser may not be obvious now, but will be in August when the current supplies have completely run out.

Reports attributed to Ms Felicia Ndung’u, the Trans-Nzoia District Agricultural Officer, indicate that the district will only produce three million bags of maize this season, down from six million last year following reduced acreage under cultivation of the crop from 109,557 hectares to 98,000 hectares.

Uasin Gishu District Agricultural Officer, Ms Grace Kirui, projects production to fall to 3.7 million bags of maize this season down from 4.3 million bags last year. She says the area under maize has declined from 38,445 hectares to 32,293 hectares as farmers have moved to other more lucrative ventures like dairy farming.

But these projections from Kenya’s grain basket may be overestimates considering that displaced farmers have been unable to till their land.

More than 150,000 people were displaced in Uasin Gishu and 40,000 others in Trans-Nzoia.

Overall, the national cereal output is likely to reduce considerably, compromising the expected surplus following significant pre- and post-harvest crop losses in Kenya’s grain basket in addition to crop losses in the short rains-dependent southeastern lowlands, according to Famine Early Warning Systems Network (Fewsnet).

It is not entirely clear what the exact losses are from the impacts of the disrupted production in key growing areas. The network warns that total crop losses of up to 400,000 tonnes may occur unless normal production and marketing processes are restored in Rift Valley. However, of that quantity, an estimated 100,000 tonnes of the short-rains crop has already been lost to drought.

About 2.52 million tonnes of maize should have been harvested from the 2007 long-rains season.

Last year, Kenya produced 2,759,760 tonnes — majority of which came from the long rains season at 2,489,760 tonnes — against a national consumption of 2,850,000 tonnes. The deficit was covered through imports from Uganda (100,000 tonnes) and Rwanda (50,000 tonnes), according to Ratin.

The worsening food security is likely to be manifested through scarcity of key food commodities, increased consumer food prices, particularly of staple foods like bread, maize flour and cereals, and decreased livestock and farm-gate prices. The increased food prices will make it difficult for most families to place food on their table unless urgent measures are put in place to address the problem, according to experts.

Ratin warns that maize prices have already responded to the expectation of a tight market, rising by more than 22 per cent in Nairobi during January as compared to December, but remaining close to the six-year average. However, maize prices are 20 per cent higher than the six-year average in Mombasa.

Ratin believes that wholesale prices in Kenya are rising due to speculation. Says he: "Farmers from the grain basket are hoarding maize in anticipation of higher prices as a result of the expected reduced long rains."

According to some traders, farmers are reluctant to release maize to the markets, which has consequently led to supply shortages to key markets and buyers. Kenya’s private millers are unable to find grain to purchase despite offering relatively high prices. During the last week of March, most millers were offering on average USD 260 a tonne in Nairobi and USD 226 a tonne in Eldoret, which is a production area.

My Take:

Where is Msolla, where is the National Food Security Board? Where is Kikwete and Pinda? I'll keep reminding you...

 

[Jamco_Za]

Mkulu,
Msitue waziri inawezekana kabanwa sana hajapata taharifa kuwa kutakuwa na njaa kali hivi karibuni, ukimsitua anaweza kuact kuliokoa taifa ili na maangaiko ya baadae.

 

[Mzee Mwanakijiji]

Angalia waganda wanavyofikiria kwa makosa:

East African maize prices remain high
Wednesday, 23rd April, 2008 E-mail article Print article

By Ibrahim Kasita

MAIZE prices in East Africa have remained high due to reduced supply, higher demand and increased transportation costs, the Regional Agricultural Trade Intelligence Network has said in a report.

The survey was carried out in Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania and Rwanda.
It revealed that the five countries were experiencing prolonged rains, which had precipitated clearing of farms and planting. In Kampala, prices are high due to increased demand from institutions and neighbouring countries.

However, rising prices in Kenya are due to speculation. “Farmers are hoarding maize in anticipation of higher prices as a result of expected reduced production due to the long rains,” the report said.
Kenya’s private maize millers are unable to find grain to buy despite offering relatively high prices.

“In Tanzania, the high prices are attributed to low supplies and increased transportation costs as a result of high fuel prices.”

Wholesale prices in East African capital cities during March ranged between $298/metric tonne (MT) and $226/MT, while those of beans ranged between $888/MT and $598.

During March, the price of rice in Kampala, Dar es Salaam and Kigali ranged between $815/MT and $775/MT.
Since January, maize prices have been highest in Dar es Salaam and lowest in Kampala, while Rwanda had the lowest price for beans.

In Kigali,wholesale maize prices are expected to increase during the next two months then ease when harvesting starts in July.

“Commodity prices could ease in Tanzania when maize harvesting in the southern region begins. In Kenya, however, the prices will remain high for the next couple of months.”

Short-term relief is expected in July because of increased supplies obtained from border trade after harvesting in Uganda, Tanzania, parts of the Rift Valley and western Kenya.

Usually, harvesting in parts of the Rift Valley and western Kenya produces about 180,000MT.

After mid-May 2008, maize will flow from southern Tanzania into Dar es Salaam thus increasing supply.

 

[Rev. Kishoka]

Mwanakijiji,

Angalau wenzetu wana matoke...

 

[DAR si LAMU]

..in contrast,kuna habari toka maeneo kadhaa mikoani kuwa watavuna sana mwaka huu,ceteri paribus.

 

[Mzee Mwanakijiji]

DSM mikoa gani hiyo.... na watavuna nini?