Cropping
Irrigation Farming
‘ Only Way to Food Security '
As Tanzania grapples with delayed rains that are certain to adversely affect agriculture, new analyses tout increased investment in irrigation as a solution to food insecurity. Tanzania generates its food mostly through rain-fed agriculture which is currently being threatened by drought facing East African countries.
Agriculture accounts for about 25 per cent of the gross domestic product( GDP) and the sector employs nearly 70 per cent of the working population. Most parts of the country received rains below average between October and December last year and there are signs there will be insufficient harvests this agricultural season. As experts advise the government to evaluate the drought in order to have a clear picture of what the food situation will be in the next few months and take the necessary precautionary measures, irrigation farming is being suggested as the long-term intervention needed to save agriculture. Tanzania is one of the countries which have a huge potential for irrigation farming--a potential that hasn ' t been well exploited.
�e National Irrigation Master Plan( NIMP) 2002 prepared by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food, Security and Cooperatives in collaboration with the government of Japan through its International Cooperation Agency( Jica) indicated that the total irrigation development potential in Tanzania Mainland stands at 29.4 million hectares. Out of those, 2.3 million hectares are classi ed as high potential, 4.8 million hectares medium potential and 22.3 million hectares as low potential. However, presently only 460,000 hectares are under irrigation. However, the government says it targets to expand irrigation farming to cover at least one million hectares come 2020. �e director general of the National
Irrigation Commission, Mr Seth Luswema, says there is political will to develop irrigation in the country but more investment focus is needed from both the public and the private sector.
" We are now reviewing the irrigation masterplan as part of our effort to reach the targets," he said over the phone, adding: " Funding is still a challenge and as you know, it depends on the revenue collection. Some projects are integrated to have water resources and generate power. �is kind of investment is not a joke. It needs collective efforts from public and private sectors," he added. He said Tanzania needs between Sh2 trillion and Sh5 trillion to complete irrigation projects that will increase the coverage to one million hectares as planned. According to him, Tanzania has 2,800 irrigation schemes countrywide. �e minister for Water and Irrigation, Mr Gerson Lwenge, was quoted by the media
January- February 2017
FARMERS
[ 40 ] REVIEW AFRICA www. farmersreviewafrica. com