The amount of rice produced in Kilombero and Rufiji valleys is
expected to triple from the current 500,000 tonnes to 1.5 million tonnes
by 2015.
Records show that the demand of the rice in the country is much
higher than the supply as evidenced by the current prices in most local
markets.
Speaking during a two-day rice stakeholders' workshop in Dar es
Salaam, the coordinator for the Southern Agricultural Growth Corridor of
Tanzania (SAGCOT), Dr Mary Shetto, said that Tanzania had every
required factor including favourable environment to lead in rice
production in Eastern and Central Africa.
"We want to see farmers producing rice in amounts that would surpass
local consumption needs enabling Tanzania to be a notable exporter of
the globally popular cereal," Dr Shetto said.
She added that the country was determined to ensure that it becomes
one of the largest rice producers in Africa through improved and modern
farming techniques.
"Tanzania has high chances of leading in rice production in the
Eastern Africa and Central Africa. Rice consumption has tremendously
increased in recent years. We thus want to ensure that we produce in
abundance while also concentrating on improving local rice processing
plants," she explained.
The Assistant Director for Crop Research in the Ministry of
Agriculture, Food Security and Cooperatives, Dr Hussein Mansoor, who
spoke about the challenges that frustrate rice production in the
country, said that dependence on rainfall and poor farming techniques
were an impediment to large-scale production.
He thus said that new rice growing initiatives would put a lot of
focus on irrigation and would use rice species that do not require much
water. Dr Mansoor said that the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security
and Cooperatives is keen on eliminating the challenges that hamper
large-scale rice production.
The initial move will involve improving seed quality, enriching soil
fertility and controlling fertilizer distribution.
The Assistant
Director of the Crop Promotion Section in the Ministry, Mr Beatus
Malema, said that determination to ensure increase of rice production
would be attained through various government projects and development
partners' projects.
Government projects that are to be put in place in the quest for
success include the Agricultural Sector Development Strategy (ASDS),
District Agriculture Development Plans (DADPS), Irrigation Development,
SAGCOT and Tanzania Agriculture and Food Security Investment Plan
(TAFSIP).
He said that production of rice in the country has increased from
712.6 tonnes in 2002/2013 to 1.12 milion tonnes in 2011/2012. Mr Malema
said that rice was the second food crop that is widely produced in the
world after maize with its popularity gaining momentum in Tanzania.
"Tanzania is among the 25 countries that produce rice in Africa. The
country targets to boost production from the 875,120 tonnes recorded in
2007/2008 to 1,750,240 tonnes in 2017/2018," Mr Malema explained in his
presentation.
Source: The Daily News, www.dailynews.co.tz, reported by Christopher Majaliwa in Dar es Salaam
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