Rice farmers in the regions of Tanga, Mbeya, and Coast have recently undergone training in modern farming technologies aimed at boosting the productivity of this vital food and cash crop. According to Angelina Nyamsambo, Senior Business Development Officer at the state-owned agricultural bank, the training is geared towards helping farmers transition from subsistence to commercial rice farming.
Nyamsambo underscored the importance of providing farmers with accessible credit facilities to support their agricultural endeavours. She stated that it is their mandate to offer short, medium, and long-term loans to farmers in order to promote inclusive socio-economic development. “We have been training rice farmers so that they are able to adopt modern farming technologies for enhanced harvests. We also provide them with loans for expansion and improvement of their farming activities,” she stated.
The beneficiaries of this training include rice farmers from the Ruvu Irrigation Cooperative Society (CHAURU) and Tanga’s Mombo Irrigation Cooperative Society. Additionally, these farmers had the opportunity to visit the Raphael Group Company Limited, one of the leading rice milling factories in Mbeya, as well as the Mbuyuni Irrigation Cooperative Society, also based in the region.
Rice holds the distinction of being the second most important food grain crop in Tanzania, following maize. It is cultivated in 64 districts and is widely consumed across the country, as noted in the National Rice Development Strategy 2019-2030. The strategy outlines that 71% of rice cultivation takes place in rain-fed lowland, 9% in lowland irrigated, and 20% in upland conditions.
The significance of rice production is underscored by the fact that more than 70% of it originates from six leading rice-producing regions – Shinyanga, Tabora, Mwanza, Mbeya, Rukwa, and Morogoro. Other contributing regions include Songwe, Katavi, Arusha, Kilimanjaro, Kigoma, Manyara, Iringa, Mara, and Tanga.
The concerted efforts to provide training and resources to rice farmers are vital for the growth and sustainability of the agricultural sector in Tanzania. With ongoing support and education in modern farming techniques, there is an opportunity to significantly enhance the productivity and income of farmers, thus contributing to the overall economic development of the country.