INVEST IN SUNFLOWER AGRICULTURE INDUSTRY IN TANZANIA
Sunflower farming is a popular and profitable activity in Tanzania, as sunflowers are a source of edible oil and animal feed. Sunflowers can grow well in different regions of the country, even in areas with low rainfall and poor soils. However, sunflower farmers face some challenges, such as lack of access to quality seeds, pests and diseases, low productivity, and market constraints. Here are some facts about sunflower farming in Tanzania:
- Sunflower is the largest oilseed crop in Tanzania, accounting for 35% of all oilseed production.
- Sunflower is mostly produced by one million smallholder farmers in 19 out of the 30 regions of Tanzania, but production is mainly concentrated in the Central Corridor and the Southern Highlands.
- The demand for sunflower products is growing in Tanzania, mainly to meet a growing domestic market for cooking oil. Tanzania imports about 60% of its edible oil needs, creating an opportunity for local sunflower oil producers.
- Increasing the availability of improved and hybrid seed varieties is essential to growing sunflower yields among smallholder farmers in Tanzania, a new report published by Farm Africa has shown. In Tanzania, around 6% of the land that is under agricultural production is being used for sunflower production.
- Some of the new sunflower varieties that have been released in Tanzania have a high oil content, responding to the demand for this feature by edible oil processing companies.
- Sunflower farming can combat climate change and the spread of drought in the African continent, as sunflower favours warm and dry weather conditions. Sunflower also has the potential to improve soil fertility and reduce soil erosion.
- Some of the challenges that sunflower farmers face in Tanzania include lack of access to quality seeds, pests and diseases, low productivity, poor post-harvest handling, lack of storage facilities, limited access to credit and markets, and policy and regulatory issues.
- Some of the initiatives that have been undertaken to support sunflower farming in Tanzania include the Rural Livelihood Development Company (RLDC) initiative and Dodoma cluster, which aim to improve the quality and quantity of sunflower seeds and link farmers to markets3; the Tanzania Agricultural Development Bank (TADB) credit guarantee scheme, which provides loans to sunflower farmers and processors4; and the Tanzania Seed Access Index (TASAI), which monitors indicators that are essential to seed sector development at national level.
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