The Zanzibar government is working to get a reliable market for seaweed in an effort to bolster the industry and improve the farmers’ welfare.
Addressing a campaign rally on Tuesday in Chwaka constituency, South Unguja Region, Zanzibar incumbent President Dr Ali Mohammed Shein said the government is determined to boost the industry by providing seaweed farmers with harvesting vessels and to ensure that they get a reliable market for the produce.
“The government is not doing business but we will make sure that you get a reliable market for seaweed as we did in cloves,” Dr Shein assured.
He said Zanzibar is the third globally in the production of seaweed after Thailand and Malaysia, adding that the government has the duty to support this business to make it profitable to famers and the isles in general.
Dr Shein said his government has provided 100 small vessels (locally known as Vihor) for harvesting seaweed. He promised that if elected, he will provide 500 more vessels that will be distributed to seaweed farmers.
He explained that seaweed is used in the making of foods, soaps and oil.
Dr Shein however said that in the next five years his government will empower paddy growers to ensure that Zanzibar produces sufficient rice as stipulated in the 2015/2020CCM election manifesto.
He said the government has identified five valleys for paddy cultivation through irrigation whereby over 2000 hectors are expected to be cultivated in the next five years.
Dr Shein mentioned some of the valleys to be used for paddy production as Cheju, Chani and Kilombero.
He said that he wants Zanzibar to produce sufficient rice to feed its people because currently 60 percent of the rice consumed in the Isles is imported.
On fishing, Dr Shein called upon fishermen to stop scrambling for fishing sites because the government is now working to improve the sector by providing them with modern fishing boats which would enable them to fish in deep sea.
He said the government is currently holding talks with a Sri Lankan based company to construct modern fishing vessels that would be provided to the fishermen.
Dr Shein explained that the fishing boats will be of six and eighteen metres and that the latter ones would be used for fishing activities in the deep sea.
On water supply, he said, his government has managed to improve water supply in Chwaka by connecting most of the villages with the service.
He said that in 2010 he promised to improve access to water in the constituency from 60 percent to 75 percent but todate provision of the service has reached 80 percent.
Dr Shein promised to connect the remaining villages with the service if elected in the General Election to be held in the coming two weeks by constructing five wells and improve water infrastructures.
For his part, former Zanzibar chief minister Shamsi Vuai Nahodha called upon Zanzibaris to safeguard the revolution and the Union in the Isles.
“We have a great work to do to safeguard the revolution and the Union because we still have enemies,” Nahodha said.
He said opposition parties in Zanzibar have no good intention when it comes to safeguard the Zanzibar Revolution. It is on that basis that he called on the people to vote for CCM which he said has successfully managed to protect those values.
Nahodha however commended Dr Shein for leading the Government of the National Unity (GNU) saying he has managed to uphold peace and unify Zanzibaris.
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