08:20
The Arusha-based Technical College (ATC) has started manufacturing spare parts for farm machinery including tractors and power tillers, as part of its efforts to contribute to ‘Kilimo Kwanza’ initiatives as well as making Tanzania a food secure nation.
The college whose mandate is to train and produce engineers in different fields has of recent started working on ambitious projects which in turn tend to uplift Tanzania’s science and technology.
Dr Richard Masika, the college principal is eager to see the polytechnic leading in East and Central Africa.
He noted that the institution is well-equipped with human resources, workshop and machinery capable of churning out all metal parts used in a number of agricultural equipment such as tractors of all models, power tillers and combine harvesters.
Eng Masika said there are several things under way and very soon the college will unveil to the public the three-wheeled motorcycle (Bajaj) manufactured by the college’s students from scratch.
“There are several things on the ground. Here we don’t just talk, we act,’’ the college head told members of the Zanzibar House of Representatives.
He however revealed that, the college will only focus on farm tools and machinery in line with the country’s agriculture promoting initiative.
"We will also be producing spare parts for grain milling machines," said the ATC Principal.
A visit around the college’s workshops revealed a giant Alternator Current synchronizer belonging to Symbion Power Company which was to be taken for repairs in India but instead the ATC took it under its wings for maintenance.
“We are capable of repairing this as well as other heavy machinery in the country, there is no need to send equipment abroad for repairs and spend huge sums of money in the process,” boasted Eng Masika.
Isles’ minister for Information, Tourism and Sports, Said-Ally Mbarouk, who led the delegation, commented that the ATC remains an exemplary institution in grooming current and future engineers, adding that they were happy to see many students from the Isles pursuing studies there.
“The country has few technical institutions, in fact there are less than ten now that many former colleges have been upgraded to become universities,” said Mbarouk, adding that the House of Representatives legislators had also previously visited one of the Textile Factories in Arusha, the Sun-Flag Tanzania Limited located in Njiro area.
SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN
