TANZANIA Investment Centre (TIC) has signed agreements to lease a total of 30,000 hectares of Mkulazi Farm in Morogoro Region to three companies for production of sugar, soy and yellow maize at a cost of 1.2trn/-.

TIC signed the agreement on Sunday with Long Pin Agri-science Tanzania Limited one and Eagle Hills and Food Platform from China and India, respectively.

Speaking during the signing ceremony held here, Minister of State in the President’s Office (Planning and Investment) Prof Kitila Mkumbo applauded TIC for the move he said would increase agricultural production and export.

He reminded the gathering about Mwalimu Julius Nyerere’s stance on agriculture saying: “If you want to bring industrial revolution, you must have revolution in agriculture first”, adding that the signing of the agreements confirms the government’s preparedness for industrial revolution.

Prof Mkumbo explained that Tanzania does not manufacture vehicles, weapons and other heavy machinery, thus agriculture is one of the key sectors that can take the country to the desired industrial revolution.

TIC Executive Director Gilead Teri said that through the investment, some 9,000 Tanzanians will get direct employment while another 11,000 will benefit through indirect employment.

“This is regarded as one of the biggest investments in the agriculture sector since independence,” he said, adding that it is likely to bring many positive changes in the agriculture sector.

He said the signing of the contracts is part of implementation of the plan to improve agriculture production at Mkulazi Farm whereby the three companies will heavily invest in sugar production, soy and yellow maize farming for export.

“The signing of agreements we have just witnessed today is historic in the agriculture sector,” he said.