Karibu

Dkt. Pius Lazaro Mwambene

In Tanzania, the Livestock Sector plays an important role in building a strong national economy by contributing to an increased household food security and safety, income, use of animal draught power, manure, foreign currency and employment opportunities. Large part (more than 97%) of the livestock sector is composed of traditional populations whose production potentials are relatively low but compatible to the national environment.

To transform the large part of traditional livestock sub-sector into a modern, responsive, sustainable and environmentally-friendly engine for rural development and improved national economy, health and nutritional standards, the following initiatives are imperative:

To continue harnessing the potential of the livestock sector and making it become more vibrant, the Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries through the Livestock Training Agency (LITA) among other efforts has been conducting long and short-term training programs to extension officers, livestock keepers and other key stakeholders in the sector annually. Currently, eight campuses (previously recognized as Livestock Training Institutes - LITI) are involved in undertaking training programs. The campuses include: Mpwapwa, Morogoro, Tengeru, Madaba, Temeke, Buhuri, Mabuki and Kikulula. All the campuses became a de facto and accredited centres for livestock training programs in 2012. Before founding the Livestock Training Agency, the LITIs did not perform their mandates efficiently and effectively due to a number of challenges including inadequate financial and human resources, dilapidated infrastructures, inadequate teaching facilities, low staff morale, poor teaching and learning delivery approaches, etc. These challenges necessitated the government to establish the Livestock Training Agency for delivery of quality livestock training programs to technical staff and livestock keepers.

The Agency was established using the Government Executive Agencies Act No. 30 (Cap 245) of 1997 and its Revision No. 13 of 2009 with an intention of expanding and improving the quality of trainings, scope, and mandates of the institutes, now accredited as campuses. The Agency envisages providing quality trainings, production, applied research and consultancy services on animal health and production, veterinary laboratory technologies, rangeland management practices and tsetse flies control.