FAO supports Tanzania’s efforts to double rice production by 2018
The Partnership for Sustainable Rice Systems Development in Africa project, with funding from the Government of Venezuela, is going to support efforts to improve domestic rice supply and strengthen the rice market in the country
14 November 2016, Morogoro, Tanzania - A new project by the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) is set to support Tanzania’s efforts to increase rise production and productivity in twofold by 2018 through boosting productivity in farming among smallholder farmers.
With funding from the Government of Venezuela, the Partnership for Sustainable Rice Systems Development in Africa project is going to support efforts to improve domestic rice supply and strengthen the rice market in the country.
“This project will provide an opportunity to build on on-going initiatives and partnerships by assessing national rice development strategies,” said FAO Country Representative, Fred Kafeero, during the project’s inception workshop that was held in Morogoro. According to him, rice production in Tanzania is increasingly becoming important to the economy making it a major source of food, employment and income for many farming households.
However, the FAO Representative noted that although significant progress has been made, the country continues to rely heavily on rice imports in response to increasing consumption that raises a serious food security concern.
While officiating the workshop, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries, Dr. Florens Turuka, on behalf of the Government of Tanzania appreciated the support by FAO and Venezuela in boosting rice farming in the country. “This project is so timely. It has come at a time when we’re determined to boost rice production. Rice productivity in Tanzania is lower than in most neighbouring countries and is one of the lowest in the world,” he disclosed.
He mentioned factors such as predominantly rainfed production, limited adoption and availability of improved cultivars, minimal use of fertilizers, traditional planting techniques and the limited areas of irrigation as being behind the low production.
The Partnership for Sustainable Rice Systems Development in Africa project will be implemented in five targeted irrigation schemes in Morogoro region namely Mvumi, Msolwa Ujamaa, Ilonga, Njage and Kigugu/Mbogo-Komtonga located in Kilosa, Mvomero and Kilombero districts (Morogoro region).
It will establish junior farmer field schools to upscale the adoption of system of rice intensification, purchase of processing machine to add value to the product for improved marketing, and also equip warehouses for storage of produce as one of the measures to reduce post-harvest losses. Similar projects are implemented in nine other African countries namely Benin, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea (Conakry), Kenya, Mali, Nigeria and Senegal.
