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Introduction
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Kilimanjaro Agricultural
Training Centre (KATC) is one of few institutes under the Ministry of Agriculture
and Food Security offering specialized short courses in agriculture, with
special emphasis on irrigated rice farming improvement. The centre aims at
enhancing the technical capabilities of field personnel and rice key farmers
with respect to irrigated rice cultivation through practical training and
field tours.
With ever increasing world population, the need to increase food
production, especially in developing countries, can not be over emphasized.
Rice is the staple food for most Asian and some African countries,
including Tanzania where it is the second most important cereal after
maize. However, a great potential for increased rice production in Tanzania
is still untapped. Rice producers, majority of them are smallholder
farmers need to be trained about modem rice production techniques and the
need to use high yielding varieties in order to earn more income.
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Great
efforts have been made by the Tanzanian Government with assistance from
the Government of Japan (through Japan International Cooperation Agency – JICA) to set up magnificent training
facilities at KATC Moshi for rice farmers and field personnel. The Centre
is well equipped and staffed with qualified and experienced trainers in
the fields of irrigated rice cultivation, extension, water management and
rice mechanization. The Ministries responsible for Agriculture in
Tanzania and neighboring countries of Kenya, Zambia and Malawi recognize
KATC Moshi as the centre for excellence in these fields and are eager to
utilize if fully to ensure that the region becomes self sufficient in rice.
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Location
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KATC is
situated in Chekereni village, 17 km. South East of Moshi town in Kilimanjaro
region. It also maintains an office in the Kilimanjaro Industrial and Agricultural
Development Building, adjacent to the Regional Administration Building in
Moshi town for convenience of receiving visitors and communications to the
outside world. KATC Chekereni compound is conveniently placed in the heart
of Lower Moshi Irrigation Scheme which provides the most suitable training
ground for all courses offered by the Centre.
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Facilities
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The
facilities at KATC Chekereni compound include: Two hostels with 30 spacious
rooms combined with dining and kitchen facilities. The total capacity is
sixty participants at a time; Well equipped lecture rooms and laboratories;
Information Unit comprising of a library and reading room with most up to
date literature and data on irrigated rice cultivation and related topics;
A well equipped audio-visual materials production unit; Secretarial and
printing services which include binding of materials; A training machinery
workshop; An animal power unit with trained water buffaloes, donkeys, oxen
and ducks; A training farm for practical demonstrations; A well equipped
meteorological station; A modem post harvest facility and a display room
with a wide collection of real materials and data on irrigated rice
cultivation and Variety of low cost grain storage units.
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Kilimanjaro Agricultural Training Centre
Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security and Cooperative
KATC, P.O. Box 1241, Moshi, Kilimanjaro Tanzania
Phone/Fax
027-275-2293 Email
katc_mafc@yahoo.co.uk
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