Tobacco farmers will now venture into the digital world, after five primary cooperative societies which excelled during 2023/2024 equipped with computers valued 26m/- donated by the crop’s buying company.

Donated by Alliance Tobacco company, the computers were handed over to the farmers by the Deputy Prime Minister Doto Biteko.

The recipient amcos are Muloku Amcos at Ilolangulu village in Uyui district, Igwisi Amcos in Kaliua district, Unyanyembe Amcos in Sikonge district, the trio being in Tabora region.

Others are Kikubhagulu Amcos in Uvinza district in Kigoma region and Tembo Amcos in Ushetu division in Kahama district in Shinyanga region.

The handover took place at the closing ceremony of the International Cooperative Day’s weeklong celebrations held at Nanenane grounds in Tabora municipality.

The Company's Spokesperson, Advocate John Magoti, said the prizes were incentives for the winning Amcos, after abiding by various criteria provided for in their farming contracts.

He mentioned the criteria as payments to their members on time, to reach or exceed the estimated production targets as well as maintaining sound financial records of the respective amcos.

"These handouts one of the important watersheds towards enabling our amcos to convert their old way of doing business to enter the digital world,” he said, adding that it was high time they did away with paper work in their record keeping.

The leaders of the Amcos when receiving the gifts on behalf of their parties, thanked the company for their generosity and promised to continue doing better in the future.

Chairman of Kikubhagulu Amcos Kudra Diyusa thanked the company for being awarded after doing well in their uvinza district.

"Our amcos this season was given an estimate of 155,000 kilos equal to 155 tons and instead we have exceeded the goal by harvesting 220 tons, which we have sold and until now we have paid each other one hundred percent," he said.

Manager cum Secretary of Tembo Amcos, Alphonce Simon has thanked the company for the gift of a laptop saying it was a sign of recognizing the good work they have done.

"The contracted company gave us an estimate of 350,000 kilos equal to 350 tons, and in fact we have succeeded in reaching that estimate by one hundred percent and until now we have made all the payments to our members," he said. 

Meanwhile speaking at the celebration the Deputy Prime Minister has congratulated the buyers of the tobacco crop, while asking them to increase the share corporate social responsibility so that the farmers can also be part of the financial success resulting from the crop.

"I have been told that this year alone, tobacco purchases reached USD 300m, now we are asking you only a small part of that amount to go to CSR, it will be greatly appreciated, “he said.

However, Attorney Magoti has said that Alliance One company gives out a total of USD 400m annually as CSR in form of environment, health and education.

The Deputy Minister also instructed the tobacco farmers in the country to start insuring their crops so that they get compensation when they are hit by calamities like El Nino, that have hit them this season.

Minister of Agriculture, Hussein Bashe, said the government has decided to give compensation of 13bn/= to various tobacco farmers whose crops were affected by the El Nino rains in the season of 2023/24.

He said the money would be sent directly to the farmers via their bank accounts after the cooperatives and the amcos submit the names of the farmers.