Agriculture Minister Japhet Hasunga has assured Tanzanians of food security and bumper harvest in the 2019/2020 season.
Speaking shortly after inspecting farms in Songwe region over the weekend, Hasunga said farmers have well responded to the government call to increase crops production.
At Idiwili and Iyula village, the minister linked the good harvests to good weather and favourable conditions for almost all the cultivated food and cash crops. He said the government has for three consecutive years ensured increased productivity of agricultural products whereas it had also enhanced performance of its agricultural institutes.
He said the country’s food production dropped in 2019 compared to 2018 where food production reached 16.8 tonnes. He said the production of food crops is expected to be higher this harvesting season.
He directed the Tanzania Fertiliser Regulatory Authority (TFRA) to ensure timely availability and distribution of UREA fertiliser which is currently scarce in most parts of the country.
Minister Hasunga said the government is determined to enhance pyrethrum farming insisting to come up with a strategy to encourage more farmers to venture into cultivation of the crops. He said the government will establish a pyrethrum farm at Idiwili village in Songwe region which will specifically be used for seeds production.
Over 85 of the cash crop are produced in Mbeya Region where the country has the capacity of producing 2000 to 3000 tonnes annually.
The cash crop came in the country from Kenya in 1930s, being cultivated in estates in the southern and northern highlands of Mbeya, Kilimanjaro, Iringa, Arusha and Tanga regions. Pyrethrum research in Tanzania began in 1963 at Igeri substation in Njombe, later in 1973 was moved to ARI-Uyole headquarters.
According to the Tanzania Agricultural Research Institute, Uyole centre (TARI Uyole), Tanzania is one of the leading producers of highest quality pyrethrum despite its low production due to lack of modem technologies.
Researcher and National Coordinator of pyrethrum research from TARI Uyole, Billes Nzilano said the improved varieties and other technologies would help to increase the production of pyrethrum crop in the country.
In Tanzania, pyrethrum in is cultivated in Mbeya, Songwe, Njombe, Iringa, Arusha, Manyara and Kilimanjaro. “Mbeya rural district in Mbeya region is leading in pyrethrum cultivation.
