The Warehouse Receipt System, currently used by farmers of cashewnuts, pigeon peas, and sesame in Tanzania, continues to yield positive results and is designed to benefit not only individual farmers but also the wider community particularly by creating employment opportunities.
This was emphasized by leaders of the major cooperative unions TANECU, MAMCU, and TAMCU during a press conference held in Mtwara Region. The leaders aimed to clarify ongoing misinformation being spread by certain political parties regarding the effectiveness of the system.
Karim Chipola, Chairman of TANECU (the cooperative union serving farmers in Tandahimba and Newala Districts), stated that the system has helped farmers to eliminate uncontrolled selling, empowered them to determine their own selling prices, and provided access to accurate data on their agricultural produce.
Speaking on behalf of MAMCU, its Chairman Alhaj Azam Mfaume urged farmers not to be misled by political narratives. He noted that even political figures have witnessed the advantages of the current structured system of crop sales and timely payments an improvement compared to practices in previous years.
Similarly, Mr. Mussa Manjaule, Chairman of TAMCU, pointed out that cooperatives are legally recognized institutions that manage all farmer produce within the value chain, including cashew, sesame, and pigeon peas.
In addition, the leaders reminded cashew farmers who have not yet updated their personal and farm information to do so at the offices of village executive officers where their farms are located. This exercise is being overseen by agricultural officers employed by the Cashew Board of Tanzania under the Building a Better Tomorrow (BBT) initiative.
