Tanzania: TARI set to boost sorghum production

DETERMINED to boost the economy among sorghum farmers, the Tanzania Agricultural Research Institute (TARI) has embarked on research which will answer challenges retarding increased sorghum productivity in the country. According to TARI researcher Mr Andekelile Mwamahonje, farmers were in good position of maximising productivity per unit area and earning, however, major challenges facing them were among others lack of access to improved seeds, access to market and not expanding farms. “My study has established that sorghum farmers’ capacity to produce more crops is hampered by reliance on seeds rather than buying the improved which is recommended by researchers, cultivation of small areas rather than expanding farms as the crop is tolerant to drought stress,” The researcher told the reporter recently. Other factors hindering the crop farming, according to him, were those pertaining to weak farming methods on small farms among 1,112,487 farmers in the country who end up producing an ...