Tanzania: Rukwa exceeds crop harvest target by 103 percent
Regional Commissioner Makongoro Nyerere revealed that the region harvested 1,701,064.3 tonnes of crops in 2023/24, exceeding the projected target of 1,654,840 tonnes
DODOMA, January 20, 2025 – Tanzania’s Rukwa Region, found in the west of the country, has reported a bumper crop harvest, achieving 103 percent of its production target for the 2023/24 season.
Regional Commissioner Makongoro Nyerere revealed that the region harvested 1,701,064.3 tonnes of crops in 2023/24, exceeding the projected target of 1,654,840 tonnes. In comparison, Rukwa produced 1,469,000 tonnes of various crops in 2022/23.
“The 232,064-tonne increase in crop production is attributed to modern farming techniques, such as increased fertiliser use, soil testing, and enhanced extension services, as well as the shift from subsistence to commercial production,” he explained.
The RC emphasised that Rukwa ranks second in crop production among Tanzania’s 31 regions. Key crops include maize, which led production in the 2023/24 season, followed by rice, millet, sorghum, beans, sunflower, wheat, and cassava.
He noted that maize alone accounted for 929,421.9 tonnes of Rukwa’s total crop production of 1,701,064.3 tonnes harvested during the 2023/24 season.
The region has also produced a surplus, with actual demand standing at 506,060 tonnes, leaving the remainder as excess.
In addition to modern farming practices like soil testing, Rukwa is developing the Ilemba irrigation scheme, which spans 1,600 hectares and is expected to be completed this year.
The Ilemba, Sakalilo, and Kilyamatundu irrigation schemes are being established in the Rift Valley along the Lake Rukwa Basin in Sumbawanga District, a region known for its rice production.
Recent reports indicate that the new irrigation schemes will help farmers increase rice production to 45 bags per hectare, up from the current 20.
Rukwa currently has 58 irrigation schemes, 52 of which are traditional, and has identified 67,461 hectares of land suitable for irrigation.
Thanks to the bumper maize harvest in the 2023/24 season, farmers in Rukwa earned over Tshs 70 billion from sales to the National Food Reserve Agency [NFRA] Sumbawanga Zone Office.
In the past four months, the NFRA purchased 100,072.8 tonnes of maize, surpassing previous seasons, including last year’s purchase of 60,000 tonnes.
NFRA’s Sumbawanga Zonal Manager, Andrew Kanyika, credited the success to President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s decision to raise the maize price from Tsh 600 to Tsh 700 per kilogramme, a move that has significantly benefited farmers.
During her August 2024 visit to Rukwa, President Samia also introduced a maize seed subsidy, a decision that was warmly welcomed by both farmers and traders.
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