SUA forest products factory in Madaba to stimulate development

Handing over the documents and attachments of the payments to the District Executive Director, Mr. Sajidu Idrisa, the Head of the Forestry, Wildlife and Tourism Department from SUA, Dr. Agnes Sirima, said that the handover is taking place after each citizen has been compensated as directed by the valuer and agreed upon by both parties.

‘After the Regional Valuation Unit completed the valuation, which was approved by the seven citizens, the university management has completed all stages of paying compensation of 54.6 million shillings, which included land and various crops on the farm in accordance with laws and procedures,’ explained Dr. Sirima.

She also said that the main goal of Sokoine University of Agriculture in buying the farm is to build a large factory for processing forest products, especially timber, and adding value by making various things, especially from its Ifinga training forest and surrounding forests.

Dr. Sirima said that building the factory will provide an opportunity for students of the university to have a good practical learning area as per the philosophy of the university, but also a good place for communities living in the southern highlands to learn best and modern methods of adding value to forest products they plant in order to get a high profit.

For his part, the District Executive Director, Mr. Sajidu Idrisa, asked SUA to start the process of establishing the factory so that it can help add value to forest products of Madaba residents and thus contribute to increasing income for tree farmers and the district.

‘On behalf of Madaba residents, I welcome you very much to our district, we believe your arrival will encourage residents to plant trees because they will see benefits after their products are added value because currently there are few processors and you have good technology for that work,’ explained Mr. Idirisa.

He assured SUA of cooperation so that they can achieve that goal which will stimulate development of councils and also took the opportunity to welcome other stakeholders to invest in his council.”