"The cotton industry has benefited many farmers who are also our customers and NBC was obliged to help the board that is mandated to ensure that cotton farmers get what deserve" said Mr. KallagheAccepting the donation of the Tanzania Cotton Board, the board’s Director General Dr. Kimbisa said that the generous gesture by NBC should be emulated by others and added that the donation will be put to use towards existing programs initiated by the board to help cotton farmers rip more benefits.

"We thank NBC for remembering us considering we have been helping cotton farmers before independence and it is through donations like this that make us continue to offer better services to the farmers and the industry stakeholders at large" said Dr. Kimbisa.

The Tanzania Cotton Board can be traced from 1952 when the Tanganyika Lint and seed Board was formed by the British Colonial Administration with the aim of marketing the cotton from Tanganyika. An act of parliament that was passed in 2001 gave birth to the current Tanzania Cotton Board whose main mandate is to promote and regulate the quality, marketing and export of cotton in Tanzania.

The Tanzania Cotton Board is also involved in the monitoring of production, processing and marketing of cotton, promote good farming methods and increased production of cotton through farmers' education, and stimulate research and agricultural extension services and advice the government on all matters affecting the cotton industry.