IN A NUT SHELL
In Tanzania, Sugarcane is a major food and commercial crop, with cultivation concentrated in the Morogoro, Kagera, and Kilimanjaro regions.
KILOMBERO: IN efforts to spur perfomance in the production of sugarcane in the country, the Tanzania Agricultural Research Institute (TARI) has distributed more than 300 tonnes of improved sugarcane seeds to the farmers.
Sugarcane is a tall, perennial grass that is primarily used to produce sugar, rum, and other products due to its high sucrose content.
In Tanzania, Sugarcane is a major food and commercial crop, with cultivation concentrated in the Morogoro, Kagera, and Kilimanjaro regions.
The country has several large sugar estates and a large number of smallholder farmers who produce sugar to meet domestic demand, though there is a gap that is often filled by imports.
To boost production, TARI has produced and distributed to at least 60 farmers engaging into the sector in Kilombero District, Morogoro Region over 300 tonnes of the R 570 sugarcane variety.
The development, among others seeks to heighten production and improve farmers’ income through productive agriculture.
TARI’s Manager of Natural Resources Research and Agricultural Engineering, Dr Hildelitha Msita, expressed during a special event tailored for the official handing over of the seeds that the R 570 variety is of high quality and have consistently shown good results in production.
Dr Msita was speaking on behalf of TARI Director General, Dr Thomas Bwana.
” TARI has established a sugarcane seed production farm in Ichonde Village, Kisawasawa, Kilombero District, covering four acres. The seeds estates is projected to enhancing the sustainable availability of quality sugarcane seeds for farmers.
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Moreover, Dr Msita urged farmers to ensure they adopt use the R 570 seeds to increase productivity, boost yields, and ultimately improve their income directly.
Speaking at the event, the Kilombero District Commissioner, Mr Dunstan Kyobya hailed the state- owned agricultural research institute for distributing the seeds and encouraged the people of Kilombero to take advantage of the opportunity to use quality seeds produced by TARI in order to obtain high and productive yields.
Speaking on behalf of the farmers, Mr Yordan Nguruwe, expressed gratitude to TARI leadership for providing them with high-quality and productive seeds, saying they will help increase individual and national income overall.
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