Tanzania: New cassava varieties attract more farmers

Lindi — FARMERS in Lindi region plan to embark on cassava farming businesses to generate more profit. The plan comes after the farmers were mobilised, through a farming training on a firm field grown with eight improved cassava varieties at Kiwalala Ward of Mtama District in Lindi region. The farmers had gone to study on quality characteristics of the improved cassava varieties that have been developed by Tanzania Agricultural Research Institute (TARI) Naliendele Centre. "Basing on what I have learnt on this firm field training, I have decided, to embark on cassava farming businesses as from the next farming season," said Bendita Mkanga, a farmer at Mtama District. The farmer further said the improved cassava varieties grown at the field were of higher quality compared to the old local varieties widely used at the area. "We have seen that the improved cassava varieties mature quickly, they yield more, they are not easily attacked by diseases," she said. Mkanga and the rest of the ...