Govt earmarks 86ha for Youth Economic Zones

THE government has set aside over 86 hectares of land countrywide for establishment of Youth Economic Zones in a move aimed at eliminating youth unemployment, Parliament heard yesterday. 
Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Office responsible for Policy, Parliamentary Affairs, Labour, Employment, Youth and the Disabled, Anthony Mavunde, said the government had directed all councils in the country to allocate youth economic zones in their areas.
He also noted that at least 1.7 billion shillings has been distributed to various youth groups in the country under youth empowerment initiatives.
The deputy minister was responding to a question by Nachingwea MP Hassan Massala (CCM) who wanted to know what the government was doing to empower youths from Nachingwea economically like those in other regions.
“What is the government’s statement on helping Nachingwea youth to fight poverty? Is it going to do for them what it is doing with their colleagues from other regions, specifically Simiyu Region?” asked the legislator.
The deputy minister clarified that the government was committed to empowering all youths in the country, admitting that at least 30m/- has been given to two youth groups in Simiyu dealing with milk and chalk production.
Few years ago Parliament adopted a resolution to start a new government programme that would provide loans to youth under 35 who are interested in starting agricultural businesses.
Under the new legislation, 200bn/- (USD 24 Million) was to be earmarked annually from the national budget for the project.
The Youth Fund was seen as an important means of curbing the problem of youth unemployment in the country. It would also empower the young population to create its own employment opportunities.
“Some 9,100 youths have been reached in the economic empowerment plan in 2016 and more are likely to benefit too,” said the deputy minister.
According to the 2012 Population and Housing Census, there are 44,929,002 people in Tanzania, with 63 per cent of the population below the age of 30 and approximately 30 million people, about 75 per cent of the total population, in rural areas.
The youth project is part of the government’s plan to invest a growing share of its budget in agriculture. A previous example of encouraging broader commitments to agribusiness development has been the Southern Agricultural Growth Corridor of Tanzania (SAGCOT).