Special appeal to JPM: Please support Sagcot

THE outgoing Sagcot Deputy Executive Officer, Ms Jennifer Baarn, has appealed to President John Magufuli (pictured) to throw his weight behind the Southern Agricultural Growth Corridor of Tanzania (Sagcot), to bolster efforts towards making Tanzania a middle-income economy, seven years from now.

“I am appealing to President Magufuli to help Sagcot in the southern highlands corridor, especially in putting infrastructure in place and in the activities in its clusters. I am also seeking his assistance to help government servants who are working with us,” she appealed.

Sagcot has six clusters; two, Ihemi and Mbarali, are operational. Others are Kilombero, Ludewa, Sumbawanga and Rufiji. She told reporters in Dar es Salaam that Tanzania was a potential breadbasket and could easily attain food security nation status if administrative challenges were solved.

Ms Baarn said peasants were “overweighed; too many things are loaded on them all at the same time. They get confused and find it difficult which way to take and at what time.”

She praised Sagcot workers as people who were eager to learn, were hardworking and devoted to serve their nation, describing Sagcot Chief Executive Officer, Geoffrey Kirenga as an unselfish self-motivated hard worker.

“He wants to see Tanzania’s agriculture grow like him. He does many great things voluntarily. He has a big heart. He values workers participation and has very wide knowledge on peasants’ challenges,” she remarked further.

Ms Baarn said she would remember two things about Tanzania; one, working with people who are constantly learning to help their nation in various ways; and two, Bagamoyo. “I like that ancient town. It was like my home,” she pointed mused.

Ms Baarn said she was proud of being one of Sagcot’s pioneer staff and found solace in the fact she was leaving behind a growing “Sagcot with the same founding objectives.”


“Sagcot has big potential for complimenting President Magufuli’s ambitious plan to transform Tanzania into a midsized and industrial economy by 2025,” she said, calling on Tanzanians to embrace the drive.