How Tanzania plans to curb cooking oil shortages

Tanzania is facing a significant shortage of cooking oil, producing only 205,000 tonnes annually, while the demand stands at 570,000 tonnes, prompting the country to spend over Sh443 billion on imports each year. In an effort to rectify this situation, the government is encouraging local farmers to improve production by adopting better technologies and farming practices, focusing on crops like palm, sunflower, groundnuts, and cotton. The Tanzania Agricultural Research Institute (Tari) is playing a pivotal role in this initiative, developing improved seeds for sesame and groundnut, which have seen substantial distribution and production increases. Tanzania is now among the top ten global reproducers of these seeds, with a notable increase in the distribution of better seeds and technology to farmers across the country. This effort aims to reduce the dependence on imports and support local agriculture, with a particular focus on boosting productivity in regions like Lindi and Mtwara, known for their sesame production.