VETA, Care and SAGCOT join hands for agricultural skills development

The Vocational Education and Training Authority (VETA) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Care International and the Southern Agricultural Growth Corridor of Tanzania (SAGCOT) for the implementation of a project geared towards development of skills in the agricultural field, particularly to the marginalised groups of people in Iringa, Njombe and Morogoro regions.

The MoU for the project dubbed Building Skills for Job Programme-Tajirika na Kilimo was signed today, 28 November, 2018 at VETA Headquarters by VETA Director General Dr Pancras Bujulu, SAGCOT Chief Executive Officer, Goeffrey Kirenga and Deputy Country Director of Policy and Programme-Care International-Tanzania Programme, Gloria Cheche.

The signed MoU spells out that the project is expected to benefit 2200 marginalised people, 70% of them being women and girls by providing them with financial support and learning materials to enable them attend and participate vocational training.

Speaking during the signing of the agreement, VETA Director General Dr Pancras Bujulu said that the collaboration is aimed at strengthening the quality of vocational training and enterprise development opportunities that address agriculture needs for Tanzania’s rural communities.

“We have recognised the need for vocational skills development in the agricultural sector as many youth have been participating in agricultural activities without proper skills, thus inefficiency farming and low productivity,” he said.

He said the Authority is currently putting strategies and making different initiatives to enhance training delivery in agriculture therefore the collaboration with the two partners is part of the efforts being made. 

In implementation of the project VETA will provide opportunities to align training with employment and income and ensure skills are being developed for jobs; contribute insights on agriculture market needs and sector experience to mitigate risks and align with appropriate training providers.

The Authority will also take a lead on needs analysis, curriculum development, and training of trainers, course delivery and strategic engagement with businesses.

Deputy Country Director of Policy and Programme-Care International-Tanzania Programme, Gloria Cheche said that her organisation was interested to partner with VETA knowing that it will easily and quickly reach many youth in the country.

“We also understand that by working with VETA is easy to reach and enable the marginalised groups attain employable skills,” she said.

She said Care International which is going to oversee the project management and coordination will among others facilitate parties’ engagement and build strategic relations with national and local governments in the intervention areas.

SAGCOT Chief Executive Officer, Goeffrey Kirenga greatly appreciated the agreement reached for collaboration with VETA and Care International stating that agricultural sector is ever increasing together with the skills needs for the sector.

He said that the collaboration will help in addressing the challenges of skills needs especially in the areas of agro-processing and preservation of agricultural harvests.

In the project which will mainly be in form of outreach SAGCOT will contribute insights on market needs and skills gaps, particularly from business perspectives as well as  strategic alignment of business priorities with the curriculum development to ensure skills are being developed for jobs and to facilitate access to appropriate business partners.   

Also it will ensure that trainees are part of a thriving market system and that there are adequate ways in which trainees can be linked with the market to ensure successful business outcomes and to link the project with relevant national level policy processes to secure multiplied impact derived from project initiatives.